A graduation ceremony is an event where the commencement speaker tells thousands of students dressed in identical caps and gowns that 'individuality' is the key to success.

Nothing is so galling to a people not broken in from the birth as a paternal or in other words a meddling government a government which tells them what to read and say and eat and drink and wear.

Common sense tells us that the government's attempts to solve large problems more often create new ones. Common sense also tells us that a top-down one-size-fits-all plan will not improve the workings of a nationwide health-care system that accounts for one-sixth of our economy.

History tells us that America does best when the private sector is energetic and entrepreneurial and the government is attentive and engaged. Who among us really would looking back wish to edit out either sphere at the entire expense of the other?

Anyone who tells a lie has not a pure heart and cannot make a good soup.

A good novel tells us the truth about its hero but a bad novel tells us the truth about its author.

The mediocre teacher tells. The good teacher explains. The superior teacher demonstrates. The great teacher inspires.

I don't really know why I care so much. I just have something inside me that tells me that there is a problem and I have got to do something about it. I think that is what I would call the God in me.

The Bible tells us that God will meet all our needs. He feeds the birds of the air and clothes the grass with the splendor of lilies. How much more then will He care for us who are made in His image? Our only concern is to obey the heavenly Father and leave the consequences to Him.

I have made a film about jazz that tries to look through jazz to see what it tells us about who we are as a people. I think that jazz is a spectacularly accurate model of democracy and a kind of look into our redemptive future possibilities.

I love Charlie Billy Burke's character. Writing for him is so spectacular he's so funny and wry and every scene he's in he just takes. There's a scene in 'Eclipse' where Bella tells him she's a virgin and it's the funniest most awkward scene I've ever seen on film.

The nice thing about the Bible is it doesn't give you too many facts. Two an a half lines and it tells you the whole story and that leaves you a great deal of freedom to elaborate on how it might have happened.

If somebody has a chance to put my food in their mouth that tells the story.

Food tells you everything about the way people live and who they are.

If somebody tells me I'm famous I say 'I'm not.' I can't see myself as famous and I don't think I'll ever call myself famous. I definitely don't feel famous.

If you live in a good neighborhood you drive home and there's a bank. There's grocery stores and big houses - but no motels. What that tells you psychologically is you protect your money and buy good things for your family to eat in your nice big house.

I have often noticed that ancestors never boast of the descendants who boast of ancestors. I would rather start a family than finish one. Blood will tell but often it tells too much.