James Howard Kunstler Quotes

The health of our republic depends on shared principles like the First Amendment, but it is also built on the Teddy Roosevelt-like vigor of its citizens and local self-reliance.

Please, please, stop referring to yourselves as "consumers." OK? Consumers are different than citizens. Consumers do not have obligations, responsibilities and duties to their fellow human beings. And as long as you're using that word "consumer" in the public discussion, you will be degrading the quality of the discussion we're having. And we're going to continue being clueless going into this very difficult future that we face

This City is what it is because our citizens are what they are.

We are not merely historians but also and always citizens.

I must therefore implore your indulgence for a pretty long and plain development of my views concerning that cause which the citizens of New York, and you particularly, gentlemen, honour with generous interest.

I just wanna write about what I am living as a citizen. That's all.

The job of a citizen is to keep his mouth open.

I realized that public affairs were also my affairs.

As citizens, we all have an obligation to intervene and become involved - it's the citizen who changes things.

I was raised to believe that we all have a civic duty and a responsibility as Americans to improve our neighborhoods and our nation.

The first lesson in civics is that efficient government begins at home.

I begin to feel like I was in the last generation of Americans who took a civics class.

There can be no daily democracy without daily citizenship.

Voting is a civic sacrament - the highest responsibility we have as Americans.

Civic education and civic responsibility should be taught in elementary school.

If parents instill a sense of civic-mindedness - and there is no better way to do that than by example - their children will probably follow.

I believe that engaging in the political process is part of being a good person.

The role we can play every day, if we try, is to take the whole experience of every day and shape it to involve American man. It is our job to interest him in his community and to give his ideas the excitement they should have.

Let us all take more responsibility, not only for ourselves and our families but for our communities and our country.

The most important office, ... that of private citizen.

For America to work, Americans have to participate. If they don’t pay attention, they’re going to get screwed.

To place and power all public spirit tends, In place and power all public spirit ends; Like hardy plants, that love the air and sky, When out, 'twill thrive—but taken in, 'twill die!

What were we told to do? Get back on those airplanes. Shop in the malls. The trouble was that the only role they had for us was as consumers—not as citizens.

Citizenship is a lifetime job.

Citizenship is not a transaction where you put your taxes in and take your services out. It is a relationship.