# August 11

Quotes of the day from previous years:

## 2003

    A free society is one where it is safe to be unpopular. ~ Adlai Stevenson
   * selected by Nanobug

## 2004

    The only kind of dignity which is genuine is that which is not diminished by the indifference of others. ~ Dag Hammarskjöld
   * selected by Kalki

## 2005

    I do not believe that the tendency is to make men and women brave and glorious when you tell them that there are certain ideas upon certain subjects that they must never express; that they must go through life with a pretence as a shield; that their neighbors will think much more of them if they will only keep still; and that above all is a God who despises one who honestly expresses what he believes. ~ Robert G. Ingersoll (born 11 August 1833)
   * proposed by Kalki

## 2006

    Love is the magician, the enchanter, that changes worthless things to Joy, and makes royal kings and queens of common clay. It is the perfume of that wondrous flower, the heart, and without that sacred passion, that divine swoon, we are less than beasts; but with it, earth is heaven, and we are gods. ~ Robert G. Ingersoll
   * proposed by Kalki

## 2007

    In nature there are neither rewards nor punishments — there are consequences. ~ Robert G. Ingersoll
   * proposed by Jeff Q

## 2008

    There is no slavery but ignorance. Liberty is the child of intelligence. ~ Robert G. Ingersoll
   * proposed by Jeff Q

## 2009

    If the world ever advances beyond what it is today, it must be led by men who express their real opinions. ~ Robert G. Ingersoll
   * proposed by Kalki

## 2010

    Wait until the world is free before you write a creed. In this creed there will be but one word — Liberty. ~ Robert G. Ingersoll
   * proposed by Kalki

## 2011

    Standing in the presence of the Unknown, all have the same right to think, and all are equally interested in the great questions of origin and destiny. All I claim, all I plead for, is liberty of thought and expression. That is all. I do not pretend to tell what is absolutely true, but what I think is true. I do not pretend to tell all the truth. I do not claim that I have floated level with the heights of thought, or that I have descended to the very depths of things. I simply claim that what ideas I have, I have a right to express; and that any man who denies that right to me is an intellectual thief and robber. That is all. ~ Robert G. Ingersoll
   * proposed by Kalki

## 2012

* In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful Lo! We revealed it on the Night of Predestination. Ah, what will convey unto thee what the Night of Power is! The Night of Power is better than a thousand months. The angels and the Spirit descend therein, by the permission of their Lord, with all decrees. (The night is) Peace until the rising of the dawn.
* ~ Al-Qur'an, Sura 97 : Al-Qadr ~ as translated by ~ M. M. Pickthall ~
   * proposed by Kalki

## 2013

* While utterly discarding all creeds, and denying the truth of all religions, there is neither in my heart nor upon my lips a sneer for the hopeful, loving and tender souls who believe that from all this discord will result a perfect harmony; that every evil will in some mysterious way become a good, and that above and over all there is a being who, in some way, will reclaim and glorify every one of the children of men; but for those who heartlessly try to prove that salvation is almost impossible; that damnation is almost certain; that the highway of the universe leads to hell; who fill life with fear and death with horror; who curse the cradle and mock the tomb, it is impossible to entertain other than feelings of pity, contempt and scorn.
* ~ Robert G. Ingersoll ~
   * proposed by Kalki

## 2014

* I have made up my mind that if there is a God, he will be merciful to the merciful. Upon that rock I stand. That he will not torture the forgiving. Upon that rock I stand. That every man should be true to himself, and that there is no world, no star, in which honesty is a crime. Upon that rock I stand. The honest man, the good woman, the happy child, have nothing to fear, either in this world or the world to come. Upon that rock I stand.
* ~ Robert G. Ingersoll ~
   * proposed by Kalki

## 2015

* The world is growing gentle, But few know what she owes To the understanding lily And the judgment of the rose.
* ~ Nathalia Crane ~
   * proposed by Kalki

## 2016

* All the martyrs in the history of the world are not sufficient to establish the correctness of an opinion. Martyrdom, as a rule, establishes the sincerity of the martyr, — never the correctness of his thought. Things are true or false in themselves. Truth cannot be affected by opinions; it cannot be changed, established, or affected by martyrdom. An error cannot be believed sincerely enough to make it a truth.
* ~ Robert G. Ingersoll ~
   * proposed by Kalki

## 2017

* The rights of all are equal: justice, poised and balanced in eternal calm, will shake from the golden scales in which are weighed the acts of men, the very dust of prejudice and caste: No race, no color, no previous condition, can change the rights of men.
* ~ Robert G. Ingersoll ~
   * proposed by Kalki

## 2018

* The very serpents bite their tails; the bees forget to sting, For a language so celestial setteth up a wondering.And the touch of absent mindedness is more than any line, Since direction counts for nothing when the gods set up a sign.
* ~ Nathalia Crane ~
   * proposed by Kalki

## 2019

* Great is the rose That challenges the crypt, And quotes milleniums Against the grave.
* ~ Nathalia Crane ~
   * proposed by Kalki

## 2020

* The rose has told In one simplicity. That never life Relinquishes a bloom But to bestow An ancient confidence.
* ~ Nathalia Crane ~
   * proposed by Kalki

## 2021

* The sign work of the Orient it runneth up and down; The Talmud stalks from right to left, a rabbi in a gown;The Roman rolls from left to right from Maytime unto May; But the gods shake up their symbols in an absent-minded way.Their language runs to circles like the language of the eyes, Emphasised by strange dilations with little panting sighs.
* ~ Nathalia Crane ~

## 2022

* We will not forget that the Russian war against Ukraine began with the occupation of Crimea. Russia has turned our peninsula, which has always been and will be one of the best places in Europe, into one of the most dangerous places in Europe. Russia brought large-scale repression, environmental problems, economic hopelessness and war to Crimea. … The presence of Russian occupiers in Crimea is a threat to the entire Europe and to global stability. The Black Sea region cannot be safe as long as Crimea is occupied. There will be no stable and lasting peace in many countries on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea as long as Russia is able to use our peninsula as its military base. This Russian war against Ukraine and against the entire free Europe began with Crimea and must end with Crimea — with its liberation. Today it is impossible to say when this will happen. But we are constantly adding the necessary components to the formula of liberation of Crimea. … The history of the global response to Russia's seizure of Crimea, or rather the lack of such a response, is now one of the best arguments for strengthening sanctions against Russia. The world is beginning to recognize that it made a mistake in 2014 when it decided not to respond with full force to Russia's first aggressive steps. … From the Kharkiv region to Kherson, from Donetsk to Enerhodar, from Stanytsia Luhanska to Yalta, from Berdyansk to Novofedorivka — these are all parts of our country, this is Ukraine, which will be completely free. … I thank everyone who defends Ukraine! Eternal glory to all who fight for freedom! Glory to Ukraine!
* ~ Volodymyr Zelenskyy ~
   * proposed by Kalki; recent remarks on the Russo-Ukrainian War.

## 2023

* Let go the lure The striving to unmake;Behold the truth Whenever heart may ache There is a glory In a great mistake.
* ~ Nathalia Crane ~
   * proposed by Kalki

## 2024

* In my writing, as much as I could, I tried to find the good, and praise it.
* ~ Alex Haley ~
   * proposed by Kalki

## 2025

    Rank or add further suggestions…
Quotes by people born this day, already used as QOTD:
The Quote of the Day (QOTD) is a prominent feature of the Wikiquote Main Page. Thank you for submitting, reviewing, and ranking suggestions!

   ## Ranking system

    4 : Excellent – should definitely be used. (This is the utmost ranking and should be used by any editor for only one quote at a time for each date.)
    3 : Very Good – strong desire to see it used.
    2 : Good – some desire to see it used.
    1 : Acceptable – but with no particular desire to see it used.
    0 : Not acceptable – not appropriate for use as a quote of the day.
    An averaging of the rankings provided to each suggestion produces it’s general ranking in considerations for selection of Quote of the Day. The selections made are usually chosen from the top ranked options existing on the page, but the provision of highly ranked late additions, especially in regard to special events (most commonly in regard to the deaths of famous people, or other major social or physical occurrences), always remain an option for final selections.
    Thank you for participating!

## Suggestions

The only real game — I think — in the world is baseball. ~ Babe Ruth, in honour of his 500th homerun, scored that day
* 3 ~ MosheZadka (Talk) 05:58, 20 July 2005 (UTC)
* 2 significant for USA but not really for anyone else AllanHainey 12:00, 26 July 2005 (UTC)
** For the record, the first voter is not from the US (unless you count Israel as the 51st state). ~ MosheZadka (Talk) 16:04, 26 July 2005 (UTC)
* 3 121a0012 00:29, August 7, 2005 (UTC)
* 2 Kalki 20:44, 10 August 2005 (UTC)
* 1 TomPhil 11:53, 2 August 2006 (UTC)
* 1 ~ Jeff Q (talk) 03:27, 7 August 2007 (UTC); for 2007 only, given Barry Bonds likely imminent new record
* 0 Zarbon 15:23, 24 April 2008 (UTC)
Surplus wealth is a sacred trust which its possessor is bound to administer in his lifetime for the good of the community. - Andrew Carnegie, died this day
* 3 AllanHainey 12:00, 26 July 2005 (UTC)
* 2 Kalki 20:44, 10 August 2005 (UTC)
* 2 ~ Jeff Q (talk) 03:27, 7 August 2007 (UTC)
* 3 - Should be transferred to November 25, Carnegie's birthdate. - InvisibleSun 21:14, 10 August 2007 (UTC)
* 1 Zarbon 15:23, 24 April 2008 (UTC)
An enemy forgiven is more dangerous than a thousand foes. ~ Rodolfo Graziani
* 4 and I love this quote because of the magnificently climactic idea behind it...an enemy left alive can evolve into a dangerous man of vengeance. I love the imagery depicted by this quote, pertaining to say that the only incapable foe is the dead foe. Hence, forgiving a foe may create a deadlier one in turn. Zarbon 04:49, 17 June 2008 (UTC)
* 1 Kalki 00:29, 10 August 2008 (UTC)
If one is to understand the great mystery, one must study all its aspects, not just the dogmatic, narrow view of the Jedi. If you wish to become a complete and wise leader, you must embrace a larger view of the Force. ~ from Star Wars as Darth Sidious Ian McDiarmid (born August 11)
* 3 because this is what I strongly believe. This is most likely the most meaningful, most moral quotation in the history of Star Wars. Do not be dogmatic, dogma is the death of learning. This quote should seriously be taken into consideration. Zarbon 14:38, 24 April 2008 (UTC)
* 2 Kalki 00:29, 10 August 2008 (UTC)
Wipe them out, all of them. ~ from Star Wars as Darth Sidious Ian McDiarmid (born August 11)
* 3 Zarbon 05:46, 24 April 2008 (UTC)
* 1 Kalki 00:29, 10 August 2008 (UTC)
I can feel your anger. It gives you focus. It makes you stronger. ~ from Star Wars as Darth Sidious Ian McDiarmid (born August 11)
* 3 Zarbon 05:46, 24 April 2008 (UTC)
* 1 Kalki 00:29, 10 August 2008 (UTC)
Remember back to your early teachings. All who gain power are afraid to lose it. Even the Jedi. ~ from Star Wars as Darth Sidious Ian McDiarmid (born August 11)
* 3 Zarbon 05:46, 24 April 2008 (UTC)
* 2 Kalki 00:29, 10 August 2008 (UTC)
Good is a point of view, Anakin. The Sith and the Jedi are similar in almost every way, including their quest for greater power. ~ from Star Wars as Darth Sidious Ian McDiarmid (born August 11)
* 3 because this quote pretty much defines what I believe, especially "Good is a point of view" this quote is brilliance defined. Zarbon 05:46, 24 April 2008 (UTC)
* 1 Kalki 00:29, 10 August 2008 (UTC)
We must reverse this psychology (of needing guns for home defense). We can do it by passing a law that says anyone found in possession of a handgun except a legitimate officer of the law goes to jail- period! ~ Carl Rowan
* 2 Zarbon 14:22, 26 May 2008 (UTC)
* 1 Kalki 00:29, 10 August 2008 (UTC)
Outside his own ever-narrowing field of specialization, a scientist is a layman. What members of an academy of science have in common is a certain form of semiparasitic living. ~ Erwin Chargaff
* 2 Zarbon 14:22, 26 May 2008 (UTC)
* 1 Kalki 00:29, 10 August 2008 (UTC)
* Lo and behold! God made this starry wold, The maggot and the mold; lo and behold! He taught the grass contentment blade by blade, The sanctity of sameness in a shade.
* ~ Nathalia Crane ~
* 3 ♞☤☮♌︎Kalki ⚚⚓︎⊙☳☶⚡ 20:15, 28 February 2014 (UTC)
* Every gaudy color Is a bit of truth. Then the gates were opened; Miracles were seen; That instructed damsel Donned a gown of green;Wore it in a churchyard, All arrayed with care; And a painted rainbow Shone above her there.
* ~ Nathalia Crane ~
* 3 ♞☤☮♌︎Kalki ⚚⚓︎⊙☳☶⚡ 20:15, 28 February 2014 (UTC)
* A precious place is Paradise and none may know its worth, But Eden ever longeth for the knicknacks of the earth.
* ~ Nathalia Crane ~
* 3 ♞☤☮♌︎Kalki ⚚⚓︎⊙☳☶⚡ 20:15, 28 February 2014 (UTC)
* The sun shall shine in ages yet to be, The musing moon illumine pastures dim, And afterwards a new nativity For all who slept the dreamless interim.
* ~ Nathalia Crane ~
* 3 ♞☤☮♌︎Kalki ⚚⚓︎⊙☳☶⚡ 20:15, 28 February 2014 (UTC)