“Being a teacher is back-breakingly difficult work. It is also extremely important work.”

“Being superintendent or the superintendent's chief of staff is important work, but there's no chance it's as difficult as being a teacher, and I hesitate to say that it's as important.”

“Conservatives often say that we should care not about equality of outcomes but about equality of opportunity.”

“Republican presidents talk about freedom. Democratic presidents talk about equality.”

“The pathological degree to which former Vice President Dick Cheney operated in secrecy led to government abuses that we'll probably spend years learning about.”

“Within the narrow confines of Permanent Washington - the journalists, lobbyists, and congressional lifers who are the city's avatars of centrism and continuity - Ford is considered the beau ideal o...”

“Should humans conquer the mountain or should they wish for the mountain to possess them?”

“Mountain is mountain.”

“That summer lying in the long grass with my head propped up against the back of a saddle, with the zenith above me and the drop of distance below, I listened to the mountain silence until I could h...”

“Power is not revealed by striking hard or often, but by striking true.”

“As time and space are bent by gravity, so too is truth bent by power.”

“What a curious power words have.”

“Circles create soothing space, where even reticent people can realize that their voice is welcome.”

“To me a lush carpet of pine needles or spongy grass is more welcome than the most luxurious Persian rug.”

“Whenever death may surprise us, let it be welcome if our battle cry has reached even one receptive ear and another hand reaches out to take up our arms.”