John Trudell Quotes

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.

Free people make the only milieu possible in society for the full gift of one's self to church, state, and family. Free people enjoy and sustain and feel with one another because they live for one another. The paths of life are intermingled lives.

What I argued in 'The Great Divide' is that societies can't function without trust, both politically and economically.

Poetry always, always, always is a key piece of democracy.

Frontiersman ideas of individualism stand exposed as we realise just how much our actions impact others.

The truth can be hard to take, but we have an obligation to look and see what's going on, and, if we don't like it, a chance to stop going along with it. This important film provides precisely that insight and that opportunity.

American democracy depends on the public's ability to remain accurately informed on our state of affairs.

You should be reflective of the world you live in.

I have this sort of heuristic view that journalism, we possibly offer hope because the world is clearly run by total nincompoops more than ever... Not that journalism is always wonderful - it's not - but at least we offer some way out, some integrity.

We have to reflect the world that we live in.

Americans are good people, and at times we can be wise. But we're often under-informed by media, misinformed by our government and ill-served by both.

People like Dick Gregory, Paul Robeson, Harry Belafonte and Nina Simone show me what the definition of an artist is - it isn't just to make art but to speak truth to what's happening, speak beauty into the world, speak love into the world and also... get involved.

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.

It's naive of adults to believe that young people aren't aware of what is going on in the world. The best thing we can do is confront that to help them navigate it. We can help them say, 'These things are happening. What does that mean for your life?'

I believe in an informed electorate, and we need to teach our children to become informed enough to have opinions on world issues or, at least, to understand what the major issues are and who the players are.

I feel it's our responsibility to keep our ear tuned to public discourse. There's a lot of noise out there, and our responsibility is to pick up on the themes and issues that work their way through all of society.

I think music is a great way of helping people to get to know a country's culture.

I want society to feel they are part of a process of change.

Public television is a very important thing for our human race, and it allows us the ability to discuss the elephants in the room and understand stories beyond the headlines.

To rebuild confidence in the power of people working together to create something better, we must give people the power to do precisely that for themselves.

In a world where ideas and ideals flow freely, we want what everybody else in an advanced society seems to have: a say in our future.

We need the media as the foundation of functioning institutions.

Without art, you don't have society. It underpins so much.

People long to help each other, to be together, to share experiences, to be part of a community, to influence the powers that control their lives.

As leaders, our job is to engage people so that they will want to participate in this grand experience in self governance.