“However tortured the rationalizations we prefer, the thirst of one human being for another can be so--humbling--but I preferred to think of it as fate. And then mad desire. Anything but a fortress built on the back of a whim...How much easier to say there is no coincidence, and certainly no mistakes, and carry on to our destruction in defense of...how shall I put it? My idea of myself. One will sacrifice anything for that.”

“The problem is this ridiculous idea that there is an us and then an other! A them to which the rules of humanity don't apply! If I could put one word on that goddamned Red List, that's the one I'd choose! Them! There is never a them, Harper! There's only us! If we could get that learned, we might just figure out how to stop killing ourselves!”

“I can’t think of anything worse after a night of drinking than waking up next to someone and not being able to remember their name, or how you met, or why they’re dead.”

“Beware the ridiculous. It will one day rule you.”

“Certainly these are not easy times. But history does not contain very many easy times. Years from now, we will look back at this moment--when we worked to reclaim our country--and our children will ask us how we contributed to this mighty undertaking. Our story should be one of patriotic people who beat back the onslaught of radicalism with courage and commitment.”

“I think humans are only capable of small moments of honesty. Then they get tired and back away. It's something to foster, this ability to keep it for longer. How to keep being honest and aware.”

“The greatness of who we are is discovered by how we handle our mistakes. John Paul Jackson”