When Americans look out on the world, they see nothing but dark and menacing strangers who appear to have no sense of rhythm at all, nor any respect or affection for white people; and white Americans really do not know what to make of all this, except to increase the defense budget.

Pessimists are the people who have no hope for themselves or for others. Pessimists are also people who think the human race is beneath their notice, that they're better than other human beings.

To act is to be committed, and to be committed is to be in danger.

It is very nearly impossible... to become an educated person in a country so distrustful of the independent mind.

What passes for identity in America is a series of myths about one's heroic ancestors.

The only thing that white people have that black people need, or should want, is power-and no one holds power forever.

Sometimes you hear a person speak the truth and you know that they are speaking the truth. But you also know that they have not heard themselves, do not know what they have said: do not know that they have revealed much more than they have said. This may be why the truth remains, on the whole, so rare.