Nick Nolte Quotes

Suppose that I see a hungry child in the street, and I am able to offer the child some food. Am I morally culpable if I refuse to do so? Am I morally culpable if I choose not to do what I easily can about the fact that 1000 children die every hour from easily preventable disease, according to UNICEF? Or the fact that the government of my own "free and open society" is engaged in monstrous crimes that can easily be mitigated or terminated? Is it even possible to debate these questions?

Those who would treat politics and morality apart will never understand the one or the other.

I would rather be an aware citizen, and if an opportunity were to arise where I would have to make a statement, I would happily do that.

My poet's heart gives me strength to face political problems, particularly those which have a bearing on my conscience.

The trouble is that once you see it, you can't unsee it. And once you've seen it, keeping quiet, saying nothing, becomes as political an act as speaking out. There's no innocence. Either way, you're accountable.

The fear of doing right is the grand treason in times of danger.

You can't be neutral on a moving train.

I believe to go along to get along is unpatriotic. I believe that agreeing with your government on everything they do is unpatriotic. I believe a patriot stands up and holds your government's feet to the fire. Because if you do that, you will get good government.

In every aspect of life, including the economic dimension, we are always challenged to do the right thing. In many cases in the market system, which allows a great deal of latitude for human choice, people can get carried away to excess.

I think most people realize that our problems are our government, not me and you individually, except that we can - must have some sort of responsibility, because they're in there and they were elected, so we have to defend ourselves on those lines.

Reason often makes mistakes, but conscience never does.

Citizenship is a tough occupation which obliges the citizen to make his own informed opinion and stand by it.

I think the greater responsibility, in terms of morality, is where leadership begins.

I've a problem with the word charity because I think that NGOs, as I prefer calling them, really do take the work of moral and social responsibilities that ought to be taken on by governments.

Ethical is 'I'll wait and do what's right even in the hardest times and even if I have to give up gains to do it.'

People talk about the conscience, but it seems to me one must just bring it up to a certain point and leave it there. You can let your conscience alone if you're nice to the second housemaid.

I do struggle with how much and in which way, as an artist or celebrity, that you voice your political views.

As a citizen and someone who was a judge on the constitutional law court for 18 years, I feel whenever I can raise my voice with the hope of being heard I need to do it, but I wouldn't assign a special wisdom and responsibility to writers.

I'm just doing what my conscience asks me to do.

I did what my conscience told me to do, and you can't fail if you do that.

As citizens of a free society, we have a duty to look critically at our world. But if we think we know what is wrong, we must act upon that knowledge.

From my father's point of view, without a thought for self, a true patriot stands up against the stones of condemnation and speaks for those who are given no real voice in the halls of justice or the halls of government.

Never let your sense of morals get in the way of doing what's right.

Morality may consist solely in the courage of making a choice.

No man should ever lose sleep over public affairs.