Johnson L citátov

„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

„When the earliest settlers poured into a wild continent there was no one to ask them where they came from. The only question was: Were they sturdy enough to make the journey, were they strong enough to clear the land, were they enduring enough to make a home for freedom, and were they brave enough to die for liberty if it became necessary to do so? And so it has been through all the great and testing moments of American history. Our history this year we see in Vietnam. Men there are dying; men named Fernandez and Zajac and Zelinko and Mariano and McCormick. Neither the enemy who killed them nor the people whose independence they have fought to save ever asked them where they or their parents came from. They were all Americans. It was for free men and for America that they gave their all, they gave their lives and selves. By eliminating that same question as a test for immigration the Congress proves ourselves worthy of those men and worthy of our own traditions as a nation.“

—  Lyndon B. Johnson

1960s, Remarks at the signing of the Immigration Bill (1965)

„There is no cause to doubt the American commitment. Our decision to stand firm has been matched by our desire for peace.“

—  Lyndon B. Johnson

1960s, State of the Union Address (1966)
Kontext: Last year the nature of the war in Vietnam changed again. Swiftly increasing numbers of armed men from the North crossed the borders to join forces that were already in the South. Attack and terror increased, spurred and encouraged by the belief that the United States lacked the will to continue and that their victory was near. Despite our desire to limit conflict, it was necessary to act: to hold back the mounting aggression, to give courage to the people of the South, and to make our firmness clear to the North. Thus. we began limited air action against military targets in North Vietnam. We increased our fighting force to its present strength tonight of 190,000 men. These moves have not ended the aggression but they have prevented its success. The aims of the enemy have been put out of reach by the skill and the bravery of Americans and their allies—and by the enduring courage of the South Vietnamese who, I can tell you, have lost eight men last year for every one of ours. The enemy is no longer close to victory. Time is no longer on his side. There is no cause to doubt the American commitment. Our decision to stand firm has been matched by our desire for peace.

„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.“

—  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.

„This is the richest and most powerful country which ever occupied the globe. The might of past empires is little compared to ours. But I do not want to be the President who built empires, or sought grandeur, or extended dominion. I want to be the President who educated young children to the wonders of their world. I want to be the President who helped to feed the hungry and to prepare them to be taxpayers instead of taxeaters. I want to be the President who helped the poor to find their own way and who protected the right of every citizen to vote in every election. I want to be the President who helped to end hatred among his fellow men and who promoted love among the people of all races and all regions and all parties. I want to be the President who helped to end war among the brothers of this earth.“

—  Lyndon B. Johnson

1960s, The American Promise (1965)

„It is empty to plead that the solution to the dilemmas of the present rests on the hands of the clock. The solution is in our hands.“

—  Lyndon B. Johnson

1960s, Memorial Day speech (1963)
Kontext: It is empty to plead that the solution to the dilemmas of the present rests on the hands of the clock. The solution is in our hands. Unless we are willing to yield up our destiny of greatness among the civilizations of history, Americans — white and Negro together — must be about the business of resolving the challenge which confronts us now.

„At times history and fate meet at a single time in a single place to shape a turning point in man's unending search for freedom.“

—  Lyndon B. Johnson

1960s, The American Promise (1965)
Kontext: At times history and fate meet at a single time in a single place to shape a turning point in man's unending search for freedom. So it was at Lexington and Concord. So it was a century ago at Appomattox. So it was last week in Selma, Alabama. There, long-suffering men and women peacefully protested the denial of their rights as Americans. Many were brutally assaulted. One good man, a man of God, was killed.