When aroused the American conscience is a powerful force for reform.

For many years now, I have been an outspoken supporter of civil and human rights for gay and lesbian people. Gays and lesbians stood up for civil rights in Montgomery, Selma, in Albany, Ga. and St. Augustine, Fla., and many other campaigns of the Civil Rights Movement. Many of these courageous men and women were fighting for my freedom at a time when they could find few voices for their own, and I salute their contributions.

Women, if the soul of the nation is to be saved, I believe that you must become its soul.

Because Dr. King was human and not divine - although we think he was divine, he was just a man, an extraordinary man, but a man - and he would get depressed from time to time and disappointed about all kinds of things relative to the movement.

The greatest violence is seeing a child go to bed hungry.

It doesn't matter how strong your opinions are. If you don't use your power for positive change, you are, indeed, part of the problem.

When aroused the American conscience is a powerful force for reform.