Memorable Quotes 2013

To my way of thinking, there were a few quotes from 2013 that were especially timely and memorable, such as:

“We seek a society that does not define black men and boys, but allows African-American males the opportunity to define themselves as individuals.”

–Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif., in the aftermath of the shooting of Trayvon Martin

“I don’t have to say anything; I have to listen.”  (responding to the question, “What do you have to say to women of color and non-cisgender women who feel like the feminist movement lacks intersectionality?)

–Gloria Steinem, feminist icon and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.

“If there’s any message to my work, it is ultimately that it’s OK to be different, that it’s good to be different, that we should question ourselves before we pass judgment on someone who looks different, behaves different, talks different, is a different color.”

–Johnny Depp, actor

“What he [Jerry Kill] provides to these young men in terms of leadership and development on an ongoing basis is immeasurable.”

–Norwood Teague, Athletic Director, University of Minnesota, in response to an editorial in the Minneapolis Sunday Star Tribune.  Newspaper columnist Jim Souhan, addressing the most recent seizure of Gophers’ football coach Jerry Kill during a game, wrote that while he’s sympathetic to the coach’s medical condition (epilepsy), no one who buys a ticket to see a U of M football game “should be rewarded with the sight of a middle-aged man writhing on the ground.  This is not how you compete for sought-after players and entertainment dollars.”