J. William Fulbright Quotes

The rapprochement of peoples is only possible when differences of culture and outlook are respected and appreciated rather than feared and condemned, when the common bond of human dignity is recognized as the essential bond for a peaceful world.

In the long course of history, having people who understand your thought is much greater security than another submarine.

When public men indulge themselves in abuse, when they deny others a fair trial, when they resort to innuendo and insinuation, to libel, scandal, and suspicion, then our democratic society is outraged, and democracy is baffled. It has no apparatus to deal with the boor, the liar, the lout, and the antidemocrat in general.

The price of empire is America's soul, and that price is too high.

In a democracy dissent is an act of faith. Like medicine, the test of its value is not in its taste, but in its effects.

We must care to think about the unthinkable things, because when things become unthinkable, thinking stops and action becomes mindless.

There has been a strong tradition in this country that it is not the function of the military to educate the public on political issues.

I think we Americans tend to put too high a price on unanimity, as if there were something dangerous and illegitimate about honest differences of opinion honestly expressed by honest men.

There is an inevitable divergence between the world as it is and the world as men perceive it.

The biggest lesson I learned from Vietnam is not to trust our own government statements. I had no idea until then that you could not rely on them.