You have to get out in the world and meet folks on their own turf, something which a lot of urban radical intellectuals seldom do.

We are all, after all, just human beings, and most of us have a lot in common.

I think the two issues, racism and chauvinism, are linked. Look at how much weaker was support for U.S. actions in Iraq among black people.

What needs to be grasped is that the system itself is the cause of all of the misery in the world. This is a simple but powerful idea.

Capitalism is, in Mao's language, the main contradiction in the world today and so our efforts have to be focused on ending this system and making a new one.

You can't take the view of some of the sectarian parties that hard issues can't be confronted when dealing with workers. If you don't confront these issues, what will ever change?

Most people in this country, while they might not be happy about things, also are woefully ignorant about many things. Sometimes people can learn, but other times they have to be confronted.

Most young people are or will soon enough be workers. They can help to energize and radicalize the workers' movement. And what revolution has ever succeeded without youth?

Of course we can talk about the radical potential of youth. But in the U.S. it is still the case that most youth are conservative and not very sympathetic to the working class.

The main dividing line is still race. This is the issue that must be focused upon in all working class organizations.

Without an understanding of the issue of race and a willingness to confront it head on, the working class will not build its strength.

True joy, as it turns out, comes only to those who have devoted their lives to something greater than personal happiness.

The unity in diversity lies only in your heart.

I made up my mind when I was 15 years old that I would never smoke or drink. I have kept that pledge to myself, and it was one of the smartest decisions I ever made.

There's not many things less important than the score at halftime.

When the outcome drives the process we will only ever go where we've already been. If process drives the outcome we may not know where we're going, but we will know we want to be there.

I use different kinds of materials on different kinds of projects. Today we can do things with steel and glass that we could not do before. flexible enough to change.

Festive alcohol sometimes leads to an excess of honesty.

I just want to preach so bad I can hardly stand it. I love what I do.

If I work with a bad actor, my reaction is to immediately become worse than they are.

People love Axl [Rose] with the original band, they love him on his own but they want to see him with the original guys.