There has been a strong tradition in this country that it is not the function of the military to educate the public on political issues. J. William Fulbright More Quotes by J. William Fulbright More Quotes From J. William Fulbright When we violate the law ourselves, whatever short-term advantage may be gained, we are obviously encouraging others to violate the law; we thus encourage disorder and instability and thereby do incalculable damage to our own long-term interests. J. William Fulbright law may long We are trying to remake Vietnamese society, a task which certainly cannot be accomplished by force and which probably cannot be accomplished by any means available to outsiders. J. William Fulbright tasks trying mean There has been a tendency through the years for reason and moderation to prevail as long as things are going tolerably well or as long as our problems seem clear and finite and manageable. J. William Fulbright problem long years "Our government will soon become what it is already a long way toward becoming, an elective dictatorship. J. William Fulbright government long way I do not think it is "selling America short" when we ask a great deal of her; on the contrary, it is those who ask nothing, those who see no fault, who are really selling America short! J. William Fulbright faults america thinking Intolerance of dissent is a well-noted feature of the American national character. J. William Fulbright intolerance dissent character It's unnatural and unhealthy for a nation to be engaged in global crusades for some principle or idea while neglecting the needs of its own people. J. William Fulbright principles people ideas Power tends to confuse itself with virtue, and a great nation is peculiarly susceptible to the idea that its power is a sign of God's favor. J. William Fulbright ethics favors ideas Insofar as it represents a genuine reconciliation of differences, a consensus is a fine thing; insofar as it represents a concealment of differences, it is a miscarriage of democratic procedure. J. William Fulbright miscarriage differences agreement The cause of our difficulties in southeast Asia is not a deficiency of power but an excess of the wrong kind of power which results in a feeling of impotence when it fails to achieve its desired ends. J. William Fulbright asia excess feelings ....Man's struggle to be rational about himself, about his relationship to his own society and to other peoples and nations involves a constant search for understanding among all peoples and all cultures-a search that can only be effective when learning is pursued on a worldwide basis. J. William Fulbright educational struggle men The biggest lesson I learned from Vietnam is not to trust [our own] government statements. J. William Fulbright government war peace It is not our affluence, or our plumbing, or our clogged freeways that grip the imagination of others. Rather, it is the values upon which our system is built. These values imply our adherence not only to liberty and individual freedom, but also to international peace, law and order, and constructive social purpose. When we depart from these values, we do so at our peril. J. William Fulbright law peace order It is amazing how soon one becomes accustomed to the sound of ones voice, when forced to repeat a speech five or six times a day. As election day approaches, the size of the crowds grows; they are more responsive and more interested; and one derives a certain exhilaration from that which, only a few weeks before, was intensely painful. This is one possible explanation of unlimited debate in the Senate. J. William Fulbright exhilaration speech voice We have the power to do any damn fool thing we want to do, and we seem to do it about every ten minutes. J. William Fulbright politics political power In a democracy, dissent is an act of faith. J. William Fulbright democracy freedom political The Soviet Union has indeed been our greatest menace - not so much because of what it has done, but because of the excuses it has provided us for our own failures. J. William Fulbright unions excuse done Naturepitiless in a pitiless universeis certainly not concerned with the survival of Americans or, for that matter, of any of the two billion people now inhabiting this earth. Hence, our destiny, with the aid of God, remains in our own hands. J. William Fulbright destiny god hands Law is the essential foundation of stability and order both within societies and in international relations. J. William Fulbright essentials law order It is in a way a mystery that, instead of demanding that their governments give primary attention to their own needs and aspirations, most of the citizens of big counties-those, that is, that have the status of being "powers" in the world-far from being self-centered or materialistic as they are commonly credited with being, the ordinary citizen and his elected representative all too often turn out to be romantics, ready and eager to sacrifice programs of health, education and welfare for the power and pride of the nation. J. William Fulbright sacrifice educational pride
