Great Throughts Treasury

"The desire to lead a more purposeful life, to search for ultimate meanings, is a central theme of human experience... This spiritual urge is undeniable. From the beginning of human history, we have been embarked on a search for transcendent meaning."

"All humor, basically, is based on conflict."

"It seems to me that any full-grown, mature adult would have a desire to be responsible, to help where he can in a world that needs so very much, that threatens us so very much."

"Life is made up of small pleasures. Happiness is made up of those tiny successes. The big ones come too infrequently. And if you don't collect all these tiny successes, the big ones don't really mean anything."

"This isn't the best time for America laughing at ourselves. I think political satire thrives much more at a time when we're in a mood to laugh at ourselves. The degree of political correctness has just gotten terrible."

"Maybe they continued to agree with Archie Bunker - as I said earlier, you can't change people's minds, but you can get them to think."

"We are a country of excess. So it's not the violence, per se, but the exacerbation and constant repetition."

"There is excess violence, excess sensationalism, excess sex. We are looking at an excessive culture, and to see the excess only in Hollywood is a mistake that lifts a branch to block out the entire forest. The endemic problem is the excess that flows from the corporate need to deliver a profit statement this quarter larger than the last at the expense of every other value. You see that clearly in Hollywood."

"I think the greater responsibility, in terms of morality, is where leadership begins."

"My Dear Mr. President: Thank you for taking time to answer my recent letter. Your thoughtful response provoked a few concerns that I would like to pursue further. I was surprised that you were unaware of the Christian Nation movement, since so many of the fundamentalist religious leaders to whom you have granted special attention have made a “Christian America” the centerpiece of their political activity. I refer primarily to Paul Weyrich and the Reverends Jerry Falwell, Pat Robertson, James Robison, and Jimmy Swaggart. Were you aware, for example, that Rev. Robertson stated on one of his broadcasts: The Constitution of the United States is a marvelous document for self-government by Christian people. But the minute you turn the document into the hands of non-Christian people and atheistic people they can use it to destroy the very foundation of our society. And that's what's been happening. Rev. Falwell has said: The idea that religion and politics don't mix was invented by the Devil to keep Christians from running their own country. I feel compelled to underscore this alarming kind of rhetoric because some senior staff members at the White House have apparently picked up this theme of contempt for non-fundamentalists. Mr. Bob Sweet of your staff described your lobbying effort for government-mandated prayer readings as: …an indication of what can be done if the Christian people in America join together on a particular issue. I believe that this is a test run. And your liaison for religious affairs, Carolyn Sundseth called for “all saved Christians” to pray that her fellow White House staffers “get saved or get out” of government. Forgive me for quoting at such length, Mr. President. Because you care deeply about individual freedoms, I knew you would be troubled by these examples of religious intolerance—and their association with your presidency. The issue is not, as you suggest, between atheists and believers. It is the imposition of a creed on citizens through the powers and public role of the government—whether that creed be Christianity, Judaism, Buddhism, or atheism. It is not the substance of what is imposed—but the imposition itself—that is objectionable to a free people. Mr. President, without freedom from religion we would have no freedom of religion. Because the very essence of freedom is the ability to say yes or no. As Martin Luther said, man has only one freedom: to say no to God. Without the freedom to say no, there is no freedom to say yes. There is no freedom. Mr. President, as I think you know, it is not only atheists who oppose government-supervised school prayer. While atheists may harbor hostility toward the whole notion of God, the United Methodist Church, the American Baptist Churches in the USA, the United Church of Christ, and the American Jewish Congress, among others, bear no such hostility. Yet they do oppose government interference with their religious practices. The First Amendment does not simply prohibit the establishment of an official state church, as we both agree. It means that the government cannot prefer one religion over another in its actions, or even prefer religion. As James Madison wrote in 1785, “the same authority which would establish Christianity in exclusion of all other religions could establish any particular sect of Christians in exclusion of all other sects.” I agree with you that the word “God” has a place on our coins. But I also believe it is no accident that our coins, which bear the inscription “In God We Trust,” make another affirmation on the reverse side: “E Pluribus Unum”— “Out of Many, One.” Our strength as a nation stems from our respect for diversity. This principle is diminished when the presidency becomes the pulpit for only one of those religious traditions, however sincere its adherents. It is not a solution for the federal government to wash its hands of the matter and let local communities decide which religious tradition should prevail—as your recent school prayer amendment would have done. As you promised upon taking the oath of office, the president must “preserve, protect, and defend” the Constitution and the individual freedoms guaranteed in the Bill of Rights for all citizens. The spirit of liberty is not advanced by abdicating that role with respect to school prayer. Until you mentioned it in your letter, Mr. President, I had never heard that any branch or level of government in our nation had decreed that a child cannot ask a blessing before lunch in the school cafeteria. Mr. President, I would appreciate knowing more about this. I would dedicate myself to protecting the right of that child to ask that blessing. Please understand that the concerns I express in this letter are not directed at your efforts to speak out for decency; that is your duty as President. Nor are the concerns I express directed at your testimony of religious faith; that is your right as a free American citizen. What alarms me is your assumption of a governmental role as Evangelist in Chief. By this I mean your use of the ceremonial and official powers of the presidency to validate one set of religious beliefs over another. In so doing, you say to those Americans who do not share your particular religious beliefs that they are second-class citizens. As you said in a recent newspaper interview: “We have respected every other religion. They're free to practice in our country...” Mr. President, there are no “other” religions in “our” country. America belongs to all its citizens, no matter what their religion. No faith has a special patrimony in the eyes of the Constitution. In that vein, please do not denounce your political opponents by the terms of your faith—and thereby imply that they are sinful. Call them mistaken if you must, but do not question their religious integrity. I share your conviction that the “basic moralities” of civilization should be promoted. Sectarian beliefs should have no government sanction, however. Your record so far disappoints many of us who care deeply about religious liberty for all citizens. We would welcome a more forthright reassurance that the presidency does not play favorites with respect to America's religions. Sincerely, Norman Lear"

"Dear Mr. President: I am deeply troubled by what seems to be an endorsement of the so-called Christian Nation movement in many of your recent speeches. While I fully respect (and would fight to protect) your right to whatever spiritual and religious beliefs you prefer, I am concerned that you not use the office of the presidency as Evangelist in Chief or to further the notion that any particular group of Americans is to be accorded special standing because it practices any religion. To me, it is no coincidence that the First Amendment to the Constitution contains both the guarantee of free speech and the guarantee of separation of church and state. History shows that they are inextricably linked. Without the separation of church and state, free, spirited public debate is impossible. The mutual respect that is essential to democratic debate is lost when a president's opinions on public policy are used as some sort of perverse test of a citizen's standing with the Almighty. While I know that you cannot control the statements of all your supporters, millions of Americans would be greatly relieved if you would clarify that you do not officially embrace the Christian Nation movement; that you do riot intend to use the office of the president to favor a particular religious dogma; and that you intend instead to preserve the presidency as an office for all the people, believers and non-believers alike. Thank you for your attention. The country looks forward to hearing from you. Sincerely, Norman Lear"

"All in the Family."

"But you know, my dad called me the laziest white kid he ever met. When I screamed back at him that he was putting down a race of people to call me lazy, his answer was that's not what he was doing, and that I was also the dumbest white kid he ever met."

"But it also became the experience, or was the experience, of the writers who were attracted to this kind of humor. They're all men or women who come from the same kind of experience in their own lives."

"At great, great remove sit the head of General Electric, the head of News Corp, the head of Viacom, or the head of this giant international corporation that wants these ratings."

"Even when they don't know who Nixon was, these shows will continue to play."

"I guess because the shows were activist in their own way - the marriage of my public activism and my career activism, you know - people understand me very well. They also understand there's a very strong bipartisan part in all of this."

"I know a lot of white people who have a lot more money than I do."

"Granted, the writers, directors, producers, and that community make a great deal of money. But they might be choosing to do a whole lot of other things for the living they make."

"I take great comfort knowing we have active members and supporters in 50 states - activists who wish for everyone the freedom to read any book or movie of their choice-- create or appreciate even the most challenging art--who believe the government has no business telling us who or how to love--members and supporters who truly believe in equal justice and equal opportunity under the law--who appreciate to their toes the blessings of an independent judiciary; and who couldn't appreciate more our wonderful staff in our DC headquarters - call them the professional People for the American Way, the ones who fight for these principles day in and day out, 24-7. For the 30 years PEOPLE FOR, now under the leadership of the indefatigable Michael Keegan-- provided much of the eternal vigilance that the protection of our civil rights and liberties required. Our government, no matter the party in power, it aches me to say, was of no help in this regard. Often quite the contrary."

"I stop and look at traffic accidents. I won't hang around, but when I hear something is terrible, as bad as it is, I've gotta look at it."

"I wanted to just do a one-act play for 26 minutes, with commercials at the beginning and end. For years, I couldn't get my way. They wanted to interrupt three times."

"In this nation, leadership is dollars."

"In the area we're discussing, leadership begins on Madison Avenue, on the desks and in the offices of people who spend hundreds of millions of dollars buying what will get them ratings."

"It looks a little nutty. It's hard to believe people pay any attention to it."

"It crossed our minds early on that the more an audience cared - we were working before, on average, 240, live people. If you could get them caring - the more they cared, the harder they laughed."

"It's a happy coincidence that when we bought the Fantasy catalog we were also able to sign one of the most relevant and talented singer-songwriters of our generation. We're all enormous fans of his music. He's a big hero here."

"Life goes on pretty much the same way. I've been working on a couple of films on the side. You may see some more. You may even see another television show."

"On October 1, 1981, hundreds of thousands of people belonging to the Moral Majority received these words in a newsletter from Jerry Falwell. "Dear friends, I am about to name the man that some people believe to be the greatest threat to the American family in our generation: Norman Lear!" He went on to talk about the filth and sexual perversion that my shows brought into America's living room - - but calling me "the greatest threat to the American family" earned me some hate mail-- and death threats-- One so threatening that my family and partners insisted I secure protection. This religiously stoked hatred threatens humanity everywhere across the globe today - - and it is very alive in our America as well - and most threatening when it comes with a partisan political tinge. People For has stood as a bulwark against that -- in the press, in the media, and by example."

"Nobody doubts my partisanship, but a lot of the activity is nonpartisan."

"Originally, with all the shows, we went looking for belly laughs."

"Newt Gingrich, like the others, cloaks everything he says today in a kind of bumper sticker religiosity."

"Life is about having a good time, and it was a good time. We did some things well and some things poorly, but that was always the case."

"Our founders clearly intended that there be a level of separation between church and state. I was just trying to build a wall of understanding, of common sense-- to go along with the notion that it's a poor idea to mix politics and religion-- and a good idea-- to back that caution with laws that make that clear. For 30 years, I've brought my perspective to People For the American Way and linked arms and minds and spirits with people of all faiths and experiences who have brought their unique perspective to the work of the organization."

"That's the heart of it: My shows were not that controversial with the American people. They were controversial with the people who think for the American people."

"The trafficking of sex and violence is comes after the demand for ratings."

"There was no real controversy with All In The Family. That came from the people on the business end."

"The American people may not be the best-educated, but they're very wise at heart."

"So we gravitated to shows and issues and causes that made people care."

"We did an episode on Good Times which came out of a newspaper article about the incidence of hypertension in black males being higher than whites, and increasing. So we did a show in which James, the father on Good Times, had hypertension."

"TV that people will never see, that giant international corporations will never touch, will never pay your salary."

"What unites us are the promises and guarantees of our founding documents, and the precise language with which they are expressed. The majesty of words and phrases like "Endowed by their creator with the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness." The constitutional guarantee of Equal Justice under the law and the promise of Equal opportunity for all. Then there are the last words of the Declaration of Independence where the founders pledge their "lives, their fortunes and their sacred honor.""

"When we went on the air, I didn't want to be interrupted for an act-one curtain."

"We got ratings. It isn't that they won't quarrel with you, or say you're always right. But as long as you stay strong and the ratings are good and you're reasonable - I don't think we fought unreasonably. We basically won that right."

"You're in the business - when you're a writer, producer, director - to get ratings."