Obligation Quotes - Page 4

• We, the people, still believe that our obligations as Americans are not just to ourselves, but to all posterity. We will respond to the threat of climate change, knowing that the failure to do so would betray our children and future generations. Some may still deny the overwhelming judgment of science, but none can avoid the devastating impact of raging fires and crippling drought and more powerful storms.

  Barack Obama

  Children, Powerful, Believe

  Second Presidential Inaugural Address, delivered 21 January 2013, Washington, D.C.

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• Twelve Priceless Qualities of Success: 1. The value of time. 2. The success of perseverance. 3. The pleasure of working. 4. The dignity of simplicity. 5. The worth of character. 6. The power of kindness. 7. The influence of example. 8. The obligation of duty. 9. The wisdom of economy. 10. The virtue of patience. 11. The improvement of talent. 12. The joy of originating.

  Marshall Field

  Wisdom, Perseverance, Kindness

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• Now, I confess myself as belonging to that class in the country who contemplate slavery as a moral, social and political evil, having due regard for its actual existence amongst us and the difficulties of getting rid of it in any satisfactory way, and to all the constitutional obligations which have been thrown about it; but, nevertheless, desire a policy that looks to the prevention of it as a wrong, and looks hopefully to the time when as a wrong it may come to an end.

  Abraham Lincoln

  Country, Class, Evil

  Abraham Lincoln (2017). “The Complete Papers and Writings of Abraham Lincoln”, p.905, Open Road Media

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• All religions bear traces of the fact that they arose during the intellectual immaturity of the human race - before it had learned the obligations to speak the truth. Not one of them makes it the duty of its god to be truthful and understandable in his communications.

  Friedrich Nietzsche

  Communication, Race, Intellectual

  Friedrich Nietzsche (2013). “The Selected Writings of Friedrich Nietzsche”, p.146, Simon and Schuster

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• At the heart of my politics has always been the value of community, the belief that we are not merely individuals struggling in isolation from each other, but members of a community who depend on each other, who benefit from each other's help, who owe obligations to each other. From that everything stems: solidarity, social justice, equality, freedom.

  Tony Blair

  Struggle, Heart, Responsibility

  Tony Blair's speech to Faithworks, www.theguardian.com. March 22, 2005.

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• I remind myself of the power of thought and how it's my obligation as a citizen (and student) of humanity to propel compassion.

  Alyssa Milano

  Compassion, Humanity, Citizens

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• I don't hold animals superior or even equal to humans. The whole case for behaving decently to animals rests on the fact that we are the superior species. We are the species uniquely capable of imagination, rationality, and moral choice - and that is precisely why we are under an obligation to recognize and respect the rights of animals.

  Brigid Brophy

  Animal, Compassion, Rights

  Brigid Brophy (1966). “Don't Ever Forget: Collected Views and Reviews”, London : Cape

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• Our obligation to others and a gift to ourselves is to acknowledge and authentically express genuine appreciation for courtesies, caring and concern others have given us.

  Michael Josephson

  Gratitude, Appreciation, Caring

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• The experience of treaties being broken with impunity provide an afflicting lesson to mankind how little dependence is to be placed on treaties which have no other sanction than the obligations of good faith; and which oppose general considerations of peace and justice to the impulse of any immediate interest and passion.

  Alexander Hamilton

  Passion, Broken, Justice

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• Today a thousand doors of enterprise are open to you, inviting you to useful work. To live at this time is an inestimable privilege, and a sacred obligation devolves upon you to make right use of your opportunities. Today is the day in which to attempt and achieve something worthwhile.

  Grenville Kleiser

  Gratitude, Work, Opportunity

  Grenville Kleiser (1917). “Inspiration and Ideals: Thoughts for Every Day”

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• We have a responsibility and an obligation to do everything we can to try to make this work.

  John Hickenlooper

  Responsibility, Marijuana, Trying

  "Colorado's Governor on Marijuana Legalization" by Conor Friedersdorf, www.theatlantic.com. July 1, 2014.

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• If you make a habit of sincere prayer, your life will be very noticeably and profoundly altered. Prayer stamps with its indelible mark our actions and demeanor. A tranquillity of bearing, a facial and bodily repose, are observed in those whose inner lives are thus enriched. Within the depths of consciousness a flame kindles. And man sees himself. He discovers his selfishness, his silly pride, his fears, his greeds, his blunders. He develops a sense of moral obligation, intellectual humility. Thus begins a journey of the soul toward the realm of grace.

  Alexis Carrel

  Prayer, Selfish, Silly

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• Student loans have been helpful to many. But they offer neither incentive nor assistance to those students who, by reason of family or other obligations, are unable or unwilling to go deeper into debt. ... It is, moreover, only prudent economic and social policy for the public to share part of the costs of the long period of higher education for those whose development is essential to our national economic and social well-being. All of us share in the benefits - all should share in the costs.

  John F. Kennedy

  Education, Money, Long

  "John F. Kennedy: 1961 : containing the public messages, speeches, and statements of the president, January 20 to December 31, 1961" by John F. Kennedy, Washington: Office of the Federal Register, National Archives and Records Service, General Services Administration, 1962.

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• Bullshit is unavoidable when circumstances require someone to talk without knowing what he is talking about. Thus, the production of bullshit is stimulated whenever a person's obligations or opportunities to speak about some topic exceed his knowledge of the facts that are relevant to that topic. This discrepancy is common in public life, where people are frequently impelled-whether by their own propensities or by the demands of others - to speak extensively about matters of which they are to some degree ignorant.

  Harry Frankfurt

  Honesty, Opportunity, Talking

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• Life is the acceptance of responsibilities or their evasion; it is a business of meeting obligations or avoiding them. To every man the choice is continually being offered, and by the manner of his choosing you may fairly measure him.

  Ben Ames Williams

  Life, Change, Responsibility

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• The civilized man has a moral obligation to be skeptical. . . . Any man who for one moment abandons or suspends the questioning spirit has for that moment betrayed humanity.

  Bergen Evans

  Men, Humanity, Religion

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• The obligations of law and equity reach only to mankind; but kindness and beneficence should be extended to the creatures of every species, and these will flow from the breast of a true man, as streams that issue from the living fountain.

  Plutarch

  Kindness, Philosophical, Animal

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• There are some weapons that are just so dangerous that society has a right and the obligation even to take those weapons out of circulation.

  James Florio

  Gun, Society, Weapons

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• Discipline can only be obtained when all the officers are imbued with the sense of their awful obligation to their men and to their country that they cannot tolerate negligence. Officers who fail to correct errors or to praise excellence are valueless in peace and dangerous misfits in war.

  George S. Patton

  Country, War, Men

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• A man is not moral because he is obedient through fear or ignorance. Morality lives in the realm of perceived obligation.

  Robert Green Ingersoll

  Ignorance, Men, Morality

  Robert Green Ingersoll (1907). “The works of Robert G. Ingersoll”, p.1987, Library of Alexandria

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• I have other obligations now - the show, my family, my life... though I know that without my sobriety I wouldn't have any of those things.

  Rob Lowe

  Inspirational, Recovery, Addiction

  "Lowe profile" by Jessica Berens, www.theguardian.com. July 8, 2001.

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• Never allow the circumstances of your life to become an excuse. People will allow you to do it. But I believe we have a personal obligation to make the most of the abilities we have.

  Jim Abbott

  Motivation, Believe, People

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• The civilized man has a moral obligation to be skeptical, to demand the credentials of all statements that claim to be facts.

  Bergen Evans

  Trust, Wisdom, Men

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• It is the indispensable duty of those, who maintain for themselves the rights of human nature, and who possess the obligations of Christianity, to extend their power and influence to the relief of every part of the human race from whatever burden or oppression they may unjustly labor under.

  Benjamin Banneker

  Godly, Rights, Race

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• In business, integrity is just as important as in any of the great public offices... but I believe one of the first and fundamental obligations of competent business leadership is above all to protect the reputation and integrity of the business - to that degree the integrity of the business is the integrity of the leader.

  Peter Cosgrove

  Leadership, Integrity, Believe

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