Democracy requires a certain relish for confusion Molly Ivins More Quotes by Molly Ivins More Quotes From Molly Ivins Nice is a pallid virtue. Not like honesty or courage or perseverance. On the other hand, in a nation notably lacking in civility, there is much to be said for nice. Molly Ivins perseverancehonestynice If his IQ slips any lower, we'll have to water him twice a day Molly Ivins slipsinspirationwater We are the people who run this country. We are the deciders. And every single day, every single one of us needs to step outside and take some action to help stop this war. Raise hell. Think of something to make the ridiculous look ridiculous. Make our troops know we're for them and trying to get them out of there. Hit the streets to protest Bush's proposed surge. If you can, go to the peace march in Washington on Jan. 27. We need people in the streets, banging pots and pans and demanding, 'Stop it, now!' Molly Ivins runningwarcountry Conservatives have been mad at the Supreme Court since it decided to desegregate the schools in 1954 and seen fit to blame the federal bench for everything that has happened since then that they don't like. Molly Ivins benchesmadschool Conservatives are fond of pointing out there are problems in this world can't be solved by throwing money at them. There are even more that can't be solved by dropping bombs on them. Molly Ivins bombsproblemworld Freedom fighters don't always win, but they're always right. Molly Ivins independencewinningaction I think most of us become nicer as we get older, less judgmental, less full of certitude; life tends to knock a few corners of us as we go through. Cancer, divorce, teenagers, and other plagues make us give up on expecting ourselves - or life - to be perfect, which is a real relief. Molly Ivins cancergiving-upreal The United States of America is still run by its citizens. The government works for us. Rank imperialism and warmongering are not American traditions or values. We do not need to dominate the world. We want and need to work with other nations. We want to find solutions other than killing people. Not in our name, not with our money, not with our children's blood. Molly Ivins runningpeacechildren Texas liberals are the camels of good news. We can cross entire deserts between oases. Molly Ivins oasiscamelstexas I'm sorry that government involves filling out a lot of forms. ... I'm sorry myself that we're not still on the frontier, where we could all tote guns, shoot anything that moved and spit to our hearts' content. But we live in a diverse and crowded country, and with civilization comes regulation. Molly Ivins sorryheartcountry The thing about democracy, beloveds, is that it is not neat, orderly, or quiet. It requires a certain relish for confusion. Molly Ivins beloveddemocracyconfusion Most of us think of government as them. Yet government isn't Them: It's us. Molly Ivins governmentthinking There are two kinds of humor. One kind that makes us chuckle about our foibles and our shared humanity -- like what Garrison Keillor does. The other kind holds people up to public contempt and ridicule -- that's what I do. Satire is traditionally the weapon of the powerless against the powerful. I only aim at the powerful. When satire is aimed at the powerless, it is not only cruel -- it's vulgar. Molly Ivins powerfultwopeople During a recent panel on the numerous failures of American journalism, I proposed that almost all stories about government should begin: “Look out! They're about to smack you around again! Molly Ivins governmentstorieslooks Satire is traditionally the weapon of the powerless against the powerful. Molly Ivins satirepowerfulweapons I have been attacked by Rush Limbaugh on the air, an experience somewhat akin to being gummed by a newt. It doesn't actually hurt, but it leaves you with slimy stuff on your ankle. Molly Ivins ankleshurtair Michael Jackson was a poor black boy who grew up to be a rich white woman Molly Ivins blackwhiteboys Be outrageous, ridicule the fraidy-cats, rejoice in all the oddities that freedom can produce. Molly Ivins odditiesproducecat I dearly love the state of Texas, but I consider that a harmless perversion on my part, and discuss it only with consenting adults. Molly Ivins adultstexasstates Imagine wasting all that perfectly good anger on paranoid fantasies. Not since Emily Litella got upset about "Soviet jewelry" has there been such a waste of anger. You will notice a certain theme to these Emily Litella Moments. Behind them all is a touching faith that someone, somewhere is actually in charge of what's happening - a proposition I beg leave to doubt. Molly Ivins perfectly-goodupsettouching
