Quotes by "John F. Kennedy"

The Chinese use two brush strokes to write the word 'crisis.' One brush stroke stands for danger; the other for opportunity. In a crisis, be aware of the danger--but recognize the opportunity.

When written in Chinese, the word crisis is composed of two characters. One represents danger and the other represents opportunity.

There are risks and costs to a program of action. But they are far less than the long-range risks and costs of comfortable inaction.

When power leads man toward arrogance, poetry reminds him of his limitations. When power narrows the areas of man's concern, poetry reminds him of the richness and diversity of his experience. When power corrupts, poetry cleanses. For art establishes the basic human truths which must serve as the touchstones of our judgement. The artist. . . faithful to his personal vision of reality, becomes the last champion of the individual mind and sensibility against an intrusive society and an offensive state.

The one unchangeable certainty is that nothing is certain or unchangeable.

Everything changes but change itself.

Change is the law of life.

The courage of life is often a less dramatic spectacle than the courage of a final moment, but it is no less a magnificent mixture of triumph and tragedy. A man does what he must- in spite of personal consequences, in spite of obstacles and dangers and pressures-and that is the basis of all morality.

There is, in addition to a courage with which men die, a courage by which men must live.

Children are the world's most valuable resource and its best hope for the future.

Once you say you're going to settle for second, that's what happens to you.

We should not let our fears hold us back from pursuing our hopes.

Every area of trouble gives out a ray of hope, and the one unchangeable certainty is that nothing is certain or unchangeable.

With a good conscience our only sure reward, with history the final judge of our deeds, let us go forth to lead the land we love asking His blessing and His help, but knowing that here on earth God's work must truly be our own.

Peace is a daily, a weekly, a monthly process, gradually changing opinions, slowly eroding old barriers, quietly building new structures. And however undramatic the pursuit of peace, the pursuit must go on.

It takes two to make peace.

I just received the following wire from my generous Daddy "Dear Jack: Don't buy a single vote more than necessary. I'll be damned if I am going to pay for a landslide."

If we cannot now end our differences, at least we can help make the world safe for diversity.

Those who make peaceful revolution impossible will make violent revolution inevitable.

War will exist until that distant day when the conscientious objector enjoys the same reputation and prestige that the warrior does today.