Ishmael Reed Quotes

I think we present extreme aspects of human behavior and hopefully get at times, messages across or bring issues to the table or as we so often say, shed light into the dark crevices of human nature.

I spent so many years of my life as a stage actor and when you do all these plays, a lot of really great plays are very politically driven. They deal with deep social issues, and that's the kind of stuff that I love, as an audience member.

About specific social issues, there is a great deal to say that departs very far from truism and is, accordingly, significant and controversial.

I would play just about any role, male or female, in the Anton Chekov play 'The Cherry Orchard,' which I love.

Like 'Love/Hate,' maybe 'Taken Down' can get people talking as well.

Amazingly, I think that a lot of times athletes are - are kind of in a position where other think they shouldn't weigh in on certain social topics.

I want to write the reparations joke that makes people go, 'Yay! I'm so happy!' It's easy to go onstage and just make fun of all the 'isms' instead, but we can't all be Jeff Dunham. Although that pays very well... it pays way better to be Jeff Dunham than it ever paid to be George Carlin or Lenny Bruce.

I wish that there were more games having the courage to talk about more subversive topics. Talking about politics, sexuality, human relationships.

I don't know that there is a, quote, 'hip-hop lifestyle.' I think the music responds to complex social issues and injustices; I think it also raises complex social questions.

Planned Parenthood is being mentioned by the Republican Party more than ISIS. I think Trump is insane. I don't think you could have a normal conversation or even convince him. I think the ego is just about Trump. It's not about the issues at all.

Michael Savage turns on a microphone and broadcasts his opinions to faithful followers who enjoy listening to his views on politics, social issues, and anything else that this colorful, provocative, entertaining guy comes up with. It doesn't matter which of his views I agree or disagree with.

What we have got to do - especially with younger people, especially with people not heavily involved in the political process - is to make sure that every morning, afternoon, and evening, they are seeing the presentation of issues that are relevant to their lives.

The theatre is a place where one has time for the problems of people to whom one would show the door if they came to one's office for a job.

I think that's very important for romantic comedies, that they do deal with [modern]issues.

It wasn't the intention to do something important, or to even relate about social issues. The ground is so fertile in the justice world, dealing with the death penalty and the Innocence Project, for characters that have a moral ambiguity, which we were both attracted to. It's the idea that everybody has their reasons. Whatever their actions are, whether you agree with them or not, you can understand why they're feeling that way, in terms of racism or even the death penalty.

Like comedy, horror has an ability to provoke thought and further the conversation on real social issues in a very powerful way.

Indeed, the distribution of wealth is too important an issue to be left to economists, sociologists, historians, and philosophers.

Everything that liberals want they call a civil right. This avoids them having to argue about it and puts the halo around the issue.

There's nothing personal in it [THE SKRIKER]. I'm not ever inclined with any of the plays to say, This is about that, because plays are about the whole event that they are. . . . I was certainly wanting to write a play about damage - damage to nature and damage to people, both of which there's plenty of about. To that extent, I was writing a play about England now.

There are, however, those who have called the book [The Kite Runner] divisive and objected to some of the issues raised in the book, namely racism, discrimination, ethnic inequality etc.

The ethic behind songs of conscience doesn't change, even though the issues are altered from generation to generation.

The writer's role is to menace the public's conscience. He must have a position, a point of view. He must see the arts as a vehicle of social criticism and he must focus on the issues of his time.

If you want to see your plays performed the way you wrote them, become President.

Shouldn't the American leadership be addressing what is happening in America, with its domestic policies on racism, discrimination, illegal monitoring, solitary confinement, torture, Guantanamo Bay and any other social and political issues related to the American society not directly connected to Islam? American Muslims must speak out and be involved as well in international policies and, through their institutions, they should raise their voice. This is the way you serve the community.

I want evangelicals to be known not for what they're against, but what they're for. Yes, there are some things that I believe are flat out wrong. There is no doubt about it, and I'm not wishy-washy about it. But my agenda is bigger than simply those issues. My agenda is to be as big as the agenda of Jesus.