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Duty Quotes

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Duty Quotes

“Using the language of heroism, calling Daniel Ellsberg a hero, and calling the other people who made great sacrifices heroes - even though what they have done is heroic - is to distinguish them from the civic duty they performed, and excuses the rest of us from the same civic duty to speak out when we see something wrong, when we witness our government engaging in serious crimes, abusing power, engaging in massive historic violations of the Constitution of the United States. We have to speak out or we are party to that bad action.”

“I currently perform the most important political duties an American has the responsibility to perform - I experiment in self-government on a daily basis, fulfilling my "we the people" duties to monitor and guide our elected employees to adhere to their oath to the U.S. Constitution and demand accountability from them.”

People Important Self Government Political Responsibility Duty Demand Bases Constitution Guides Experiments Employee Accountability Fulfilling Oath Self-government

Author:Ted Nugent

“I don't want to go crazy pretending to be someone all the time. But at the same time, if I have the ability to influence people, and we have X amount of energy in the day, it's not even our option anymore - it's our duty to do something positive in the world.”

People Ifs World Want Energy Ability Crazy Influence Duty Amount Pretending Influencing People

Author:Lilly Singh

“I feel a special kinship for our military. Because, unfortunately, I became a wartime president. And committed our military in the defense of our country to difficult assignments. I tell people all the time, I don't miss much about being president; I do miss looking in the eyes of people who volunteered to serve. And so not only do I feel a kinship, I feel an obligation and a duty to help.”

People Feels Country Helping Eye Difficult President Special Military Missing Duty Committed Defense Obligation Our Country Assignments Kinship Wartime

Author:George W. Bush

“It's time to question laws that senselessly expand the concept of self-defense and sow dangerous conflict in our neighborhoods. These laws try to fix something that was never broken. There has always been a legal defense for using deadly force if - and the 'if' is important - if no safe retreat is available. But we must examine laws that take this further by eliminating the common sense and age-old requirement that people who feel threatened have a duty to retreat, outside their home, if they can do so safely.”

“That's why I like to read a lot. That's why I try to keep up on current events, what's going on in the world with the elections and the politicians and business people, because I feel like it's my duty to spread that. I feel like it's my duty to speak on that even if I'm never asked, because I'm representing the people. I don't want to be in a position where I have no knowledge.”

People World Trying Speak Duty Politician Election Spread

Author:Young Jeezy

“I'm not on Twitter for abuse. I don't think anyone's gotten on Twitter so that they can be abused, but people do go on Twitter to abuse people. When that becomes clear then Twitter has a moral duty to shut those people down when they see that somebody is there solely for the purpose of abusing others. Yeah you have free speech, but what you don't have is the right to wield your speech like a cudgel to somebody who has done nothing to earn it.”

People Thinking Done Purpose Moral Duty Abuse Free Speech

Author:Anika Noni Rose

“I suppose every poet has his own private mythology. Maybe he's unaware of it. People tell me that I have evolved a private mythology of tigers, of blades, of labyrinths, and I"m unaware of the fact this is so. My readers are finding it all the time. But I think perhaps that is the duty of poet.”

People Thinking Poet Duty Mythology Tigers Labyrinth

Author:Jorge Luis Borges

“People always think that loyalty is laudable. People are always saying that we must remain faithful to tradition, to family, to our class, to our ideas. Of course not! That would be equivalent to zero brain activity. If you really want to think, to seek truth, to advance intellectually, you must turn your back on clichés, on preconceived ideas - even those belonging to your spiritual family. For an intellectual, his true duty is not to fidelity, but to infidelity.”

People Thinking Spiritual Brain Duty Intellectual Tradition Loyalty Faithful Belonging Infidelity Fidelity

Author:Bernard-Henri Levy

“I was doing just my duty, but that was impacting a lot of people and making them proud. So, I feel so grateful to Allah for giving me that opportunity while I had that chance to make that impact. And thankfully it impacted all the people - more than I realized.”

People Giving Opportunity Chance Duty Proud Grateful I Realized So Grateful

Author:Hakeem Olajuwon

“We have a duty to warn on an individual basis if we are treating someone who may be dangerous to herself or to others - a duty to warn people who are in danger from that person. We feel it's our duty to warn the country about the danger of this president. If we think we have learned something about Donald Trump and his psychology that is dangerous to the country, yes, we have an obligation to say so.”

People Thinking Country Individual President Psychology Dangerous Danger Duty Obligation

Author:Robert Jay Lifton

“It is my duty to say: Something has to change. I say that very directly, in clear words so that nobody can misunderstand me. And I believe in our new initiative for continuing education and vocational training. For French people who are socially disadvantaged, this means real recognition and support.”

People Believe Mean Real I Believe Support Duty Training Recognition Initiative

Author:Emmanuel Macron

“The science is my passion, the policy work my social duty. I think there's no other issue in the world that causes such suffering and which could be improved simply by rethinking. Millions of people are in jail just because they used consciousness-altering substances without causing any harm to others. I think it is an affront to human rights and dignity. What you do with your consciousness is your own business.”

People Thinking World Suffering Passion Consciousness Policy Duty Dignity Human Rights My Passion Own Business

Author:Amanda Feilding

“As a soldier, I've served with the most brave people in an institution that's built on integrity, honor, and duty. This is why I'm working very hard to support Senator Bernie Sanders - not only to get through the Democratic primary, but also to win the presidency. He is the only candidate on both sides who understands the cost of war, who has that foresight to keep our country safe, and who will make sure that our military power is not being when and where it shouldn't be.”

People War Country Winning Support Military Duty Honor Integrity Brave Democratic Soldier Foresight

Author:Tulsi Gabbard

“My observation is that my dealings with the president on some of the most important issues that the president Donald Trump has to face are as professional and as thoughtful as the American people deserve. The president's handling these duties in a way that I'm incredibly proud of to be part of his team.”

People Important President Team Duty Proud Deserve Observation Thoughtful

Author:Mike Pompeo

“It was my duty to shoot the enemy, and I don't regret it. My regrets are for the people I couldn't save: Marines, soldiers, buddies. I'm not naive, and I don't romanticize war. The worst moments of my life have come as a SEAL. But I can stand before God with a clear conscience about doing my job.”

People I Can War Moments Jobs Enemy Clear Worst Regret Duty Conscience Soldier Naive Marine Buddy Seals Don't Regret Clear Conscience Worst Moments

Author:Chris Kyle

“When the government violates the people's rights, insurrection is, for the people and for each portion of the people, the most sacred of the rights and the most indispensible of duties.”

People Government Rights Duty Sacred Civil Rights Portions Individual Rights Insurrection Rights And Duties

Author:Marquis de Lafayette

“Freedom isn't free. It shouldn't be a bragging point that 'Oh, I don't get involved in politics,' as if that makes someone cleaner. No, that makes you derelict of duty in a republic. Liars and panderers in government would have a much harder time of it if so many people didn't insist on their right to remain ignorant and blindly agreeable.”

People Ifs Government Duty Involved Harder Ignorant Liars Republic Get Involved Cleaners Bragging Brag Derelict

Book:When You Ride Alone You Ride with Bin Laden: What the Government Should be Telling Us to Help Fight the War on Terrorism

Source: When You Ride Alone You Ride with Bin Laden: What the Government Should be Telling Us to Help Fight the War on Terrorism

“Nobody understood The Reoccurring Dream, but after September 11, when we were coerced to do a national duty and go out and shop, surely people could begin to see what I was getting at.”

People Dream Duty Understood Shops September September 11

Author:Joni Mitchell

“Political systems are run by self-selecting politicians. We don't draft people; it's not jury duty.”

People Self Running Political Duty Politician Jury Political Systems Jury Duty

Author:P. J. O'Rourke

“We, the People, recognize that we have responsibilities as well as rights; that our destinies are bound together; that a freedom which only asks what's in it for me, a freedom without a commitment to others, a freedom without love or charity or duty or patriotism, is unworthy of our founding ideals, and those who died in their defense.”

“Some people keep God in a Sunday morning box and say, 'Hey, I did my religious duty.' That's fine, but the scripture says to pray without ceasing. And I think that means all through the day you're talking to God. Even if it's in your thoughts.”

People Ifs Thinking Mean Religious Talking Morning Duty Fine Praying Boxes Scripture Hey Sunday Sunday Morning Talking To God

Author:Joel Osteen

“I don't think I should penalize people who were doing their duty.”

People Thinking Should Duty

Author:Leon Panetta

“Everyone should know that most cancer research is largely a fraud, and that the major cancer research organizations are derelict in their duties to the people who support them.”

People Knows Should Support Health Duty Majors Research Organization Cancer Fraud Cancer Survivor Derelict Cancer Research

Author:Linus Pauling

“Government's first duty is to protect the people, not run their lives.”

People Firsts War Government Running Peace Duty Protect Conservative Anti War Antiwar Ingenuity

Author:Ronald Reagan

“We must make it an imperative duty of our government to protect the gifts which Nature has bestowed on America and to insure the maintenance of a clean, healthy, wholesome environment for our people.”

People Government America Environment Duty Healthy Protect Clean Imperatives Maintenance

Author:George Lincoln Rockwell

“The first duty of government is to see that people have food, fuel, and clothes. The second, that they have means of moral and intellectual education.”

People Firsts Mean Government Political Politics Education Moral Duty Clothes Intellectual Fuel

Book:Fors Clavigera

Source: Fors Clavigera

“A sense of duty is useful in work but offensive in personal relations. People wish to be liked, not to be endured with patient resignation.”

People Wish Duty Relation Patient Obligation Offensive Resignation

Author:Bertrand Russell

“When I was younger, I felt it was my duty to wake people up. I thought poetry was asleep. I thought rock 'n' roll was asleep.”

People Felt Rocks Duty Wake Up Rock N Roll

Author:Patti Smith

“Paramount among the responsibilities of a free press is the duty to prevent any part of the government from deceiving the people and sending them off to distant lands to die of foreign fevers and foreign shot and shell.”

People Government Dies Responsibility Land Duty Shots Presses Deceiving Shells Fever Hype Paramount Free Press

Author:Hugo Black

“There is an idea abroad among moral people that they should make their neighbors good. One person I have to make good: Myself. But my duty to my neighbor is much more nearly expressed by saying that I have to make him happy if I may.”

People Ifs Should May Persons Ideas Moral Duty Neighbor

Book:The Complete Works of Robert Louis Stevenson: Novels, Short Stories, Poems, Plays, Memoirs, Travel Sketches, Letters and Essays (Illustrated Edition): The Entire Opus of Scottish novelist, poet, essayist and travel writer, containing Treasure Island, Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Kidnapped, Catriona and A Child's Garden of Verses

Source: The Complete Works of Robert Louis Stevenson: Novels, Short Stories, Poems, Plays, Memoirs, Travel Sketches, Letters and Essays (Illustrated Edition): The Entire Opus of Scottish novelist, poet, essayist and travel writer, containing Treasure Island, Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde, Kidnapped, Catriona and A Child's Garden of Verses

“Everybody has a right to be defended, and every lawyer has a duty to defend people accused. And my office is to defend him, to discuss the accusation point by point, as I think this is a normal step in a democracy.”

People Thinking Steps Democracy Duty Office Normal Lawyer Accused Accusation Being Accused

Author:Jacques Verges

“It's rare to find someone excited over jury duty. If they're out there, I've never met them. Not a one. When the summons for jury duty arrives in the mail, how many people scream, 'Yes!' and run to clear the calendar? None. Our first and only reaction is, 'Oh, no,' quickly followed by, 'How can I get out of this?'”

People Ifs Firsts Running Clear Duty Mets Excited Reactions Scream Mail Jury Calendars Jury Duty

Author:Regina Brett

“Over 5,000 years, states have made surprisingly consistent claims about their duties. They have promised to protect people from threats; promote their welfare; deliver justice and also, perhaps less obviously, uphold truth - originally truths about the cosmos, and more recently truths drawn from reason and knowledge.”

People Years Made States Reason Justice Duty Protect Claims Threat Welfare Consistent Cosmos

Author:Geoff Mulgan

“Fantasy is escapist, and that is its glory. If a soldier is imprisioned by the enemy, don't we consider it his duty to escape?. . .If we value the freedom of mind and soul, if we're partisans of liberty, then it's our plain duty to escape, and to take as many people with us as we can!”

People Ifs Mind Art Soul Philosophy Values Liberty Enemy Fantasy Duty Glory Soldier Partisans Escapists Fantasy Stories

Author:J. R. R. Tolkien

“That’s the thing with the young these days, isn’t it? They watch too many happy endings. Everything has to be wrapped up, with a smile and a tear and a wave. Everyone has learned, found love, seen the error of their ways, discovered the joys of monogamy, or fatherhood, or filial duty, or life itself. In my day, people got shot at the end of films, after learning only that life is hollow, dismal, brutish, and short.”

People Way Ends Film Young Life Is Joy Found Watches Tears Duty Shots Errors Wave These Days Fatherhood Hollow Happy Endings Monogamy Found Love Filial Filial Duty

Author:Nick Hornby

“It seemed to me that if the lawyers failed to do their duty, they ought to pay people for waiting upon them, instead of making them pay for it.”

People Ifs Waiting Pay Duty Ought Lawyer

Book:Lorna Doone

Source: Lorna Doone

“We who have touched war have a duty to bring the truth about war to those who have not had a direct experience of it. We are the light at the tip of the candle. It is really hot, but it has the power of shining and illuminating. If we practice mindfulness, we will know how to look deeply into the nature of war and, with our insight, wake people up so that together we can avoid repeating the same horrors again and again.”

People Ifs Knows Looks War Light Together Practice Know How Duty Horror Mindfulness Direct Hot Shining Insight Touched Candle Again And Again Illuminating Together We Can

Author:Nhat Hanh

“What I must do is all that concerns me, not what people think. This rule,equally arduous in actual and intellectual life, may serve for the whole distinction between greatness and meanness. It is the harder, because you will always find those who think they know what is your duty better than you know it. It is easy in the world to live after the world's opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after our own; but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude.”

Source: Selected Writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson

“Because they claim to be concerned with the welfare of whole societies, governments arrogate to themselves the right to pass off as mere abstract profit or loss the human unhappiness that their decisions provoke or their negligence permits. It is a duty of an international citizenship to always bring the testimony of people's suffering to the eyes and ears of governments, sufferings for which it's untrue that they are not responsible. The suffering of men must never be a mere silent residue of policy. It grounds an absolute right to stand up and speak to those who hold power.”

“The first duty of the novelist is to entertain. It is a moral duty. People who read your books are sick, sad, traveling, in the hospital waiting room while someone is dying. Books are written by the alone for the alone.”

“But the great artists like Michelangelo and Blake and Tolstoi--like Christ whom Blake called an artist because he had one of the most creative imaginations that ever was on earth--do not want security, egoistic or materialistic. Why, it never occurs to them. "Be not anxious for the morrow," and "which of you being anxious can add one cubit to his stature?" So they dare to be idle, i.e. not to be pressed and duty-driven all the time. They dare to love people even when they are very bad, and they dare not to try and dominate others to show them what they must do for their own good.”