Ralph Nader Quotes

Believe in something larger than yourself... get involved in the big ideas of your time.

From my early school days, I was brought up with the belief that we have a duty to use our talents, to volunteer and to make a contribution.

My goal as a citizen is to do what I can to help the causes that I personally believe in.

I had the opportunity at Duke to start doing things in the community, and it's something I continue to do even 20 years later.

I do feel, in a sense, the rules of engagement for citizenship has changed, and we must encourage other people to speak up and to take action.

After convincing myself that was maybe you should at least help out your neighborhood, I really started to think about it later on in life.

As states we act, in general, and in most cases, exactly like the individuals of whom our society is composed.

From church to Congress, America has become a nation of self-indulgent, what's-in-it-for-me individual freedom seekers.

In the great fulfillment, we must have a citizenship less concerned about what the government can do for it, and more anxious about what it can do for the nation.

I like people in the cities, in the States and in the Nation to ask themselves now and then: 'What can I do for my city?' not 'How much can I get out of my city?' I like people to speak now and then in the same devotion to State and Nation.

The ages of greatest public spirit are not always eminent for private virtue.

I want Americans to realize that we are the owners of this country, and that one person can make a difference.

I don't think any country is perfect. It's our responsibility to do the best we can do to change the things we don't like. I think that's part of social responsibility, and everybody is going to do that in their own way.

I was very engaged in my communities throughout college, but I never thought of it as political.

My mother said, 'Did you ever believe you would be an activist?' I said, 'No, not really.' But I just felt in my heart that I needed to step up and be a leader in the forefront.

I've become more of a citizen and more of an activist.

There had to be something more important than me being comfortable, me being OK, and me being that one person that made it from Stockton. That's why I decided to run for city council in 2012.

Be an active participant in your community and country. Every small gesture makes up the big gestures. Resist, rinse, repeat.

Art and activism seem to go together naturally, the idea being that if you're an entertainer, you can have a voice, and if you have a voice, you can make a difference. But if I were not an actress, I would still try to extend myself beyond my little micro-universe of my job, family and personal joy.

What I always wanted to do when I was a kid was to speak out and help people which I continue to do afterwards.

I became active in politics because I saw the possibility, if we all sat back and did nothing, of a world in which there would no longer be any stages for actors to act on.

I realized that public affairs were also my affairs.

I'd have to say I've become more aware of my communal responsibility.

We are stronger because we recognize that government isn't the sole answer to the most important questions, and we welcome community and faith based organizations as partners to serve the needs of Florida families.

If living by these sets of morals and principles and wanting to help better my land, better my country, my community, my team, my environment and helping the next person help themselves, if that's considered crazy, then I'm a crazy.