December 2 Quotations

Quotes of the day from previous years:

2004

Although the world is full of suffering, it is full also of the overcoming of it. My optimism, then, does not rest on the absence of evil, but on a glad belief in the preponderance of good and a willing effort always to cooperate with the good, that it may prevail. ~ Helen Keller

selected by Kalki

2005

I do not believe that friendship today can flower out — can come out — of political life. I do believe that if there is something like a political life-to-be — to remain for us, in this world of technology — then it begins with friendship. ~ Ivan Illich (died 2 December 2002)

proposed by Kalki

2006

The current search for new educational funnels must be reversed into the search for their institutional inverse: educational webs which heighten the opportunity for each one to transform each moment of his living into one of learning, sharing, and caring. ~ Ivan Illich (date of death)

proposed by Kalki

2007

Ultimately, leadership requires action: daring to take steps that are necessary but unpopular, challenging the status quo in order to reach a brighter future. And to push for peace is ultimately personal sacrifice, for leadership is not easy. It is born of a passion, and it is a commitment. Leadership is a commitment to an idea, to a dream, and to a vision of what can be. And my dream is for my land and my people to cease fighting and allow our children to reach their full potential regardless of sex, status, or belief. ~ Benazir Bhutto (became first female Prime Minister of Pakistan on 2 December 1988)

proposed by Kalki

2008

Learned and leisured hospitality is the only antidote to the stance of deadly cleverness that is acquired in the professional pursuit of objectively secured knowledge. I remain certain that the quest for truth cannot thrive outside the nourishment of mutual trust flowering into a commitment to friendship. ~ Ivan Illich (date of death)

proposed by Kalki

2009

Suggestions

At all times, in every century, every age, there has been such a connection between despotism and religion that it is infinitely apparent and demonstrated a thousand times over, that in destroying one, the other must be undermined, for the simple reason that the first will always put the law into the service of the second. ~ Marquis de Sade (date of death)

3 ~ UDScott 23:09, 28 November 2005 (UTC)
1 Kalki 18:40, 30 November 2007 (UTC)
1 Zarbon 15:25, 26 April 2008 (UTC)

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I do think that if I had to choose one word to which hope can be tied it is "hospitality". ~ Ivan Illich (date of death)

3 Kalki 23:28, 1 December 2005 (UTC)
1 Zarbon 15:25, 26 April 2008 (UTC)
2 Ningauble 17:35, 1 December 2008 (UTC)
2 Antiquary 20:35, 1 December 2008 (UTC)
2 InvisibleSun 21:41, 1 December 2008 (UTC)

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There is no point in hiding that before the war we mostly learned to attack, and did not pay enough attention to such an important manoeuvre as retreat. Now we have paid for this. It turned out that the commanders and the staff were not sufficiently prepared to prepare and execute the retreat manoeuvre. Now, in the second week of war, we had in fact to learn from the beginning the most difficult art - the art of the execution of retreat. ~ Hovhannes Bagramyan (born December 2)

3 because the art of retreat is important, whether it be for a military tactician or merely someone who needs to escape from a dangerous situation. Zarbon 06:39, 21 April 2008 (UTC)
- SOURCE: The System of the International Organizations of the Communist Countries - Page 36 by Richard Szawlowski - Law - 1976
1 Kalki 00:18, 29 November 2008 (UTC)
1 Antiquary 20:35, 1 December 2008 (UTC)
1 InvisibleSun 21:41, 1 December 2008 (UTC)

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Eastern Prussia (Germany) was a battlefield during World War I years. And right from here, on September 1, 1939, began the spark of fire for the coming of the second world war. And in 1941, Eastern Prussia invaded Soviet soil with a powerful military onslaught, unleashing a grip of heavy burden, tragedy, and torture into the Soviet pre-Baltic and also the inhabitants of Leningrad, Pskov, and the Novgorod regions. Right from the very first days of the second world war, Eastern Prussia was completely transformed into a diabolic system of concentration camp strongholds for captured military people, and became a cruel prison for the young and females, who were brought from many European countries. In the first place, from the Soviet Union. And, aha! Now, after the winter of 1945, Soviet forces captured the descendants of these royal hounds in their very own doghouse! ~ Hovhannes Bagramyan (born December 2)

4 because it states what happened, when Bagramyan's forces entered the Berlin bunker, because I like the ending of this description heavily. Especially the bit "And aha! Now, after the winter of 1945, Soviet forces captured the descendants of these royal hounds in their very own doghouse!" The comparison of the high ranking Germans to royal hounds is very powerful and just as the German shepherd was slain, so was its master. And in its very own doghouse no less. A magnificent and enthralling quote, but it might be best if trimmed, a matter of personal preference to just "And aha! Now, after the winter of 1945, Soviet forces captured the descendants of these royal hounds in their very own doghouse!" but still great either way. Zarbon 06:39, 21 April 2008 (UTC)
- SOURCE: I. C. Bagramyan: A Photo Album About A Soviet Marshal - Yerevan - 1987
1 Kalki 00:18, 29 November 2008 (UTC)
1 Antiquary 20:35, 1 December 2008 (UTC)
1 InvisibleSun 21:41, 1 December 2008 (UTC)

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No matter what you do, at the end of the day you can't please everybody. ~ Britney Spears

2 Zarbon 03:49, 27 October 2008 (UTC)
2 Kalki 00:18, 29 November 2008 (UTC)
0 Ningauble 17:35, 1 December 2008 (UTC) (unremarkably unoriginal)
1 Antiquary 20:35, 1 December 2008 (UTC)
1 InvisibleSun 21:41, 1 December 2008 (UTC)

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Some say I have a beautiful voice, some say I have not. It is a matter of opinion. All I can say, those who don't like it shouldn't come to hear me. ~ Maria Callas

2 Kalki 00:45, 29 November 2008 (UTC)
1 Zarbon 22:03, 29 November 2008 (UTC)
2 Antiquary 20:35, 1 December 2008 (UTC)
2 InvisibleSun 21:41, 1 December 2008 (UTC)

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I would not kill my enemies, but I will make them get down on their knees. I will, I can, I must. ~ Maria Callas

2 Kalki 00:45, 29 November 2008 (UTC)
2 Zarbon 22:03, 29 November 2008 (UTC)
1 Antiquary 20:35, 1 December 2008 (UTC)
1 InvisibleSun 21:41, 1 December 2008 (UTC)

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