Lewis H. Lapham Quotes

Change means movement. Movement means friction. Only in the frictionless vacuum of a nonexistent abstract world can movement or change occur without that abrasive friction of conflict.

Free societies are societies in motion, and with motion comes friction.

The real leaders cannot appear in the peaceful time; nor can the serious opposition emerge from within the peaceful atmosphere. Without an open confrontation, there is no opposition!

A revolution is not a dinner party, or writing an essay, or painting a picture, or doing embroidery.

Unrest has its reasons.

There's a battle outside raging It'll soon shake your windows and rattle your walls for the times they are a-changing.

Liberty has its roots in blood.

There will never be quietness in this country till half a dozen of you be hanged or banished.

The so called “Arab Spring” … is really a situation which is creating more threats so far than positive incentives.

First rule of change is controversy. You can't get away from it for the simple reason all issues are controversial. Change means movement, and movement means friction, and friction means heat, and heat means controversy.

Protests are the very essence of America! It is a country founded in protest.

Our founding fathers declared independence from Great Britain because they were dissatisfied with the laws and policies that they believed abridged their freedoms. Had they taken the stance that many want our professional athletes to take - to just shut up and honor your country no matter what - we would be living in British colonies.

Revolutions are never peaceful.

To hold a pen is to be at war.

In the relations of a weak Government and a rebellious people there comes a time when every act of the authorities exasperates the masses, and every refusal to act excites their contempt.

The universe moves in the direction of Liberty.

If you have security, you can rebel; if you don't, you hold on to any scraps of it that you have.

Power is never so overwhelming that there's no room for resistance.

Change, when it comes, cracks everything open.

A revolutionary poem will not tell you who or when to kill, what and when to burn, or even how to theorize. It reminds you... where and when and how you are living and might live, it is a wick of desire.

We talking about revolution because that's the era that you're caught in.

The aim of my life is the overthrow of monarchy.

We will not stop resisting the occupation until liberation or martyrdom.

Free nations of the world cannot allow Taiwan, a beacon of democracy, to be subdued by an authoritarian China.

I was born in revolution.