Artists know that diligence counts as much, if not more, as inspiration; in art, as in politics, patience counts as much as revolution.

The primary thing I should do, apart from being a good husband, brother, son, and friend, is to be a citizen activist. But I'm afraid it takes away from the writing. Not that anything depends on whether I put an essay in 'The Nation' or not. But you want to participate.

I don't feel, finally, that my politics are entirely determined by the fact that I'm a gay man.

It's the fear of what comes after the doing that makes the doing hard to do.

You don't go to the movies to do historical research, unless it's historical research about the movies.

If you're gay and you can't hold hands, or you're black and you can't catch a taxi, or you're a woman and you can't go into the park, you are aware there's a menace. That's costly on a psychic level. The world should be striving to make all its members secure.

It isn't easy, it doesn't count if it's easy, it's the hardest thing. Forgiveness. Which is maybe where love and justice finally meet.