James W. Fulbright

“Power tends to confuse itself with virtue and a great nation is peculiarly susceptible to the idea that its power is a sign of God's favor, conferring upon it a special responsibility for other nations.”

“Educational exchange can turn nations into people, contributing as no other form of communication can to the humanizing of international relations.”

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

“To criticize one's country is to do it a service and pay it a compliment. It is a service because it may spur the country to do better than it is doing; it is a compliment because it evidences a belief that the country can do better than it is doing.”

“The rapprochement of peoples is only possible when differences of culture and outlook are respected and appreciated rather than feared and condemned.”

“The essence of intercultural education is the acquisition of empathy—the ability to see the world as others see it, and to allow for the possibility that others may see something we have failed to see, or may see it more accurately.”

“In a democracy, dissent is an act of faith.”

“We must dare to think 'unthinkable' thoughts. We must learn to explore all the options and possibilities that confront us in a complex and revolutionary world.”

“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.”

“Education is a slow-moving but powerful force. It may not be fast enough or strong enough to save us from ourselves, but it is the best hope we have.”

“We must learn to welcome and not to fear the voices of dissent. We must dare to think about 'unthinkable things' because when things become unthinkable, thinking stops and action becomes mindless.”