I think music has the power to transform people, and in doing so, it has the power to transform situations - some large and some small.

I went to jail for 11 days for disturbing the peace; I was trying to disturb the war.

The foundation of my beliefs is the same as it was when I was 10. Non-violence.

"Diamonds & Rust" started off as another song. Then the words started to morph. When you write a song that deep, the words come from some place else. But when the songs stop coming, it would be so contrived to try and force it. Since then I've just been doing other people's music.

The longer you practice nonviolence and the meditative qualities of it that you will need, the more likely you are to do something intelligent in any situation.

There are good guys, and there are congressional people who are good guys, and I certainly vote in those elections. You know, my fondest dream would be if Obama, when he got out of office, decided he was going to go back and organize on the streets. He'd be the only person I could imagine who could really create a movement similar to what King did, and God knows we need that now.

I don't think of myself as a symbol of the sixties, but I do think of myself as a symbol of following through on your beliefs.