Johnson L citáty

„V civilizovanej spoločnosti vám neposlúžia osobné prednosti tou mierou ako peniaze. Urobte pokus: choďte na ulicu a urobte jednému človeku prednášku o morálke a druhému dajte šiling; a uvidíte, ktorý z nich si vás bude viac vážiť.“

—  Johnson L

„Váš rukopis je nielen dobrý, ale aj originálny. Ale tá časť, ktorá je dobrá, nie je originálna, a tá, ktorá je originálna, nie je dobrá.“

—  Johnson L

„Žiadny človek nehovorí o inom človeku v jeho neprítomnosti, aj keď ho chváli, tak, ako by o ňom hovoril v jeho prítomnosti.“

—  Johnson L

„Ľudstvo má veľký odpor k duševnej práci. Aj keby bolo možné dosiahnuť vedomostí ľahko, väčšina ľudí by radšej zostala nevedomá, ako by si s tým dala trochu námahy.“

—  Johnson L

„Často počujete hovoriť ľudí o tom, aký úbohý človek musí byť kráľ, ale všetci by pritom chceli byť na jeho mieste.“

—  Johnson L

„Keby sa všetko vyplnilo podľa milencových snov, neviem, ktoré iné zemské šťastie by bolo ešte súce, aby sme po ňom bažili.“

—  Johnson L

„Ľudia sa neženia z rozumu a opatrnosti, ale z náklonnosti. Človek je chudobný, i povie si: »Nemôžem byť na tom horšie, než som, vezmem si teda Peggy.«“

—  Johnson L

„Čo je napísané bez trápenia, číta sa bez radosti.“

—  Johnson L

„Nezáleží na tom, ako človek zomrie, ale na tom, ako žije.“

—  Johnson L

„Pekné šaty sú dobré len k tomu, aby nahradili nedostatok iných prostriedkov vzbudzujúcich vážnosť.“

—  Johnson L

„Človek skôr pripustí, aby o ňom bolo povedané aj sto lží, ako jedna pravda, o ktorej nechceme, aby bola vyslovená.“

—  Johnson L

„Každý muž je presvedčený, že ženy sú neverné a priaznivci vrtkaví, ale vyníma z toho svoju vlastnú ženu a svojho vlastného priaznivca.“

—  Johnson L

„Cesta do pekla je dláždená dobrými úmyslami.“

—  Johnson L

„One hundred years ago, the slave was freed. One hundred years later, the Negro remains in bondage to the color of his skin. The Negro today asks justice. We do not answer him“

—  Lyndon B. Johnson

we do not answer those who lie beneath this soil — when we reply to the Negro by asking, "Patience."
1960s, Memorial Day speech (1963)

„This was the first nation in the history of the world to be founded with a purpose. The great phrases of that purpose still sound in every American heart, North and South: "All men are created equal" — "government by consent of the governed" — "give me liberty or give me death." Well, those are not just clever words, or those are not just empty theories.“

—  Lyndon B. Johnson

1960s, The American Promise (1965)
Kontext: This was the first nation in the history of the world to be founded with a purpose. The great phrases of that purpose still sound in every American heart, North and South: "All men are created equal" — "government by consent of the governed" — "give me liberty or give me death." Well, those are not just clever words, or those are not just empty theories. In their name Americans have fought and died for two centuries, and tonight around the world they stand there as guardians of our liberty, risking their lives. Those words are a promise to every citizen that he shall share in the dignity of man. This dignity cannot be found in a man's possessions; it cannot be found in his power, or in his position. It really rests on his right to be treated as a man equal in opportunity to all others. It says that he shall share in freedom, he shall choose his leaders, educate his children, and provide for his family according to his ability and his merits as a human being.

„I have concluded that I should not permit the Presidency to become involved in the partisan divisions that are developing in this political year.“

—  Lyndon B. Johnson

1960s, October surprise speech (1968)
Kontext: What we won when all of our people united just must not now be lost in suspicion, distrust, selfishness, and politics among any of our people. Believing this as I do, I have concluded that I should not permit the Presidency to become involved in the partisan divisions that are developing in this political year. With America's sons in the fields far away, with America's future under challenge right here at home, with our hopes and the world's hopes for peace in the balance every day, I do not believe that I should devote an hour or a day of my time to any personal partisan causes or to any duties other than the awesome duties of this office — the Presidency of your country. Accordingly, I shall not seek, and I will not accept, the nomination of my party for another term as your President.

„In each generation, with toil and tears, we have had to earn our heritage again. If we fail now, we shall have forgotten in abundance what we learned in hardship“

—  Lyndon B. Johnson

1960s, Inaugural address (1965)
Kontext: In each generation, with toil and tears, we have had to earn our heritage again. If we fail now, we shall have forgotten in abundance what we learned in hardship: that democracy rests on faith, that freedom asks more than it gives, and that the judgment of God is harshest on those who are most favored. If we succeed, it will not be because of what we have, but it will be because of what we are; not because of what we own, but, rather because of what we believe. For we are a nation of believers. Underneath the clamor of building and the rush of our day's pursuits, we are believers in justice and liberty and union, and in our own Union. We believe that every man must someday be free. And we believe in ourselves.

„There is no Constitutional issue here. The command of the Constitution is plain. There is no moral issue. It is wrong—deadly wrong– to deny any of your fellow Americans the right to vote in this country. There is no issue of States' rights or National rights. There is only the struggle for human rights.“

—  Lyndon B. Johnson

1960s, The American Promise (1965)

„Justice means a man's hope should not be limited by the color of his skin“

—  Lyndon B. Johnson

1960s, State of the Union Address (1966)
Kontext: I hope these measures will be adequate. But if the necessities of Vietnam require it, I will not hesitate to return to the Congress for additional appropriations, or additional revenues if they are needed. The second road is justice. Justice means a man's hope should not be limited by the color of his skin. I propose legislation to establish unavoidable requirements for nondiscriminatory jury selection in federal and state courts—and to give the Attorney General the power necessary to enforce those requirements. I propose legislation to strengthen authority of federal courts to try those who murder, attack, or intimidate either civil rights workers or others exercising their constitutional rights—and to increase penalties to a level equal to the nature of the crime. Legislation, resting on the fullest constitutional authority of the federal government, to prohibit racial discrimination in the sale or rental of housing. For that other nation within a nation—the poor—whose distress has now captured the conscience of America, I will ask the Congress not only to continue, but to speed up the war on poverty. And in so doing, we will provide the added energy of achievement with the increased efficiency of experience. To improve the life of our rural Americans and our farm population, we will plan for the future through the establishment of several new Community Development Districts, improved education through the use of Teacher Corps teams, better health measures, physical examinations, and adequate and available medical resources.