# February 20

Quotes of the day from previous years:

## 2004

    There can be no Friendship where there is no Freedom. Friendship loves a free Air, and will not be penned up in streight and narrow Enclosures. It will speak freely, and act so too; and take nothing ill where no ill is meant; nay, where it is, ’twill easily forgive, and forget too, upon small Acknowledgments. ~ William Penn
   * selected by Kalki

## 2005

    All in all is all we are. ~ Kurt Cobain (born 20 February 1967)
   * selected by Kalki

## 2006

    We picked up everything we could get our hands on. Not that we needed all that for the trip, but once you get locked into a serious drug-collection, the tendency is to push it as far as you can. The only thing that really worried me was the ether. There is nothing in the world more helpless and irresponsible and depraved than a man in the depths of an ether binge. And I knew we'd get into that rotten stuff pretty soon. ~ Hunter S. Thompson (died 20 February 2005)
   * proposed by Sir John Alexander Macdonald

## 2007

    If there is no struggle, there is no progress. Those who profess to favor freedom, and yet depreciate agitation, are men who want crops without plowing up the ground. They want rain without thunder and lightning. They want the ocean without the awful roar of its many waters. This struggle may be a moral one; or it may be a physical one; or it may be both moral and physical; but it must be a struggle. ~ Frederick Douglass
   * proposed by Kalki

## 2008

    Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will. Find out just what a people will submit to, and you have found out the exact amount of injustice and wrong which will be imposed upon them; and these will continue till they are resisted with either words or blows, or with both. The limits of tyrants are prescribed by the endurance of those whom they oppress. Men may not get all they pay for in this world; but they must pay for all they get. ~ Frederick Douglass (died February 20, 1895; born February 1817/1818, birthdate unknown)
   * proposed by InvisibleSun

## 2009

    No man can put a chain about the ankle of his fellow man without at last finding the other end fastened about his own neck. ~ Frederick Douglass
   * proposed by InvisibleSun

## 2010

    Our world is in profound danger. Mankind must establish a set of positive values with which to secure its own survival. This quest for enlightenment must begin now. It is essential that all men and women become aware of what they are, why they are here on Earth and what they must do to preserve civilization before it is too late. ~ Richard Matheson (born 20 February 1926)
   * proposed by Kalki

## 2011

    I will, in the name of humanity which is outraged, in the name of liberty which is fettered, in the name of the constitution and the Bible, which are disregarded and trampled upon, dare to call in question and to denounce, with all the emphasis I can command, everything that serves to perpetuate slavery — the great sin and shame of America! "I will not equivocate; I will not excuse;" I will use the severest language I can command; and yet not one word shall escape me that any man, whose judgement is not blinded by prejudice, or who is not at heart a slaveholder, shall not confess to be right and just. ~ Frederick Douglass
   * proposed by Kalki

## 2012

    The most important thing we can do is inspire young minds and to advance the kind of science, math and technology education that will help youngsters take us to the next phase of space travel. ~ John Glenn (50th Anniversary of first American orbitting Earth, 20 February 1962) John Glenn Friendship 7 Day
   * proposed by bystander

## 2013

* I don’t believe in the “supernatural,” I believe in the “supernormal.” To me there is nothing that goes against nature. If it seems incomprehensible, it’s because we haven’t been able to understand it yet.
* ~ Richard Matheson ~
   * proposed by Kalki

## 2014

* Robert Neville looked out over the new people of the earth. He knew he did not belong to them; he knew that, like the vampires, he was anathema and black terror to be destroyed. And, abruptly, the concept came, amusing to him even in his pain. … Full circle. A new terror born in death, a new superstition entering the unassailable fortress of forever. I am legend.
* ~ Richard Matheson ~
   * proposed by Kalki

## 2015

* Come As you are As you were As I want you to be As a trend As a friend As an old enemy Take your time Hurry up The choice is yours don't be late…
* ~ Kurt Cobain ~
   * proposed by Kalki

## 2016

* Nature has two voices, the one high, the other low; one is in sweet accord with reason and justice, and the other apparently at war with both. The more men know of the essential nature of things, and of the true relation of mankind, the freer they are from prejudice of every kind. The child is afraid of the giant form of his own shadow. This is natural, but he will part with his fears when he is older and wiser. So ignorance is full of prejudice, but it will disappear with enlightenment.
* ~ Frederick Douglass ~
   * proposed by Illegitimate Barrister

## 2017

* Not the least among the arguments whose consideration should dispose us to welcome among us the peoples of all countries, nationalities and colors, is the fact that all races and varieties of men are improvable. This is the grand distinguishing attribute of humanity, and separates man from all other animals. If it could be shown that any particular race of men are literally incapable of improvement, we might hesitate to welcome them here. But no such men are any where to be found, and if they were, it is not likely that they would ever trouble us with their presence.
* ~ Frederick Douglass ~
   * proposed by Illegitimate Barrister

## 2018

* You just never know. You drift along, year after year, presuming certain values to be fixed; like being able to drive on a public thoroughfare without somebody trying to murder you. You came to depend on that sort of thing. Then something occurs and all bets are off. One shocking incident and all the years of logic and acceptance are displaced and, suddenly, the jungle is in front of you again. Man, part animal, part angel.
* ~ Richard Matheson ~
   * proposed by Kalki

## 2019

* Remember, stay ahead of them. Keep the mystery, always mystery. Excess within control.
* ~ Richard Matheson ~ in ~ Somewhere in Time ~
   * proposed by Kalki

## 2020

* To be positive at all times is to ignore all that is important, sacred or valuable.  To be negative at all times is to be threatened by ridiculousness and instant discredibility.
* ~ Kurt Cobain ~
   * proposed by allixpeeke

## 2021

* It is a secret but I have pulled the chain out of the wall. I can see out the little window all I like.
* ~ Richard Matheson ~
   * proposed by Kalki

## 2022

* With the lights out, it's less dangerous Here we are now, entertain us I feel stupid, and contagious Here we are now, entertain us.
* ~ Kurt Cobain ~

## 2023

* Slaves sing most when they are most unhappy. The songs of the slave represent the sorrows of his heart; and he is relieved by them, only as an aching heart is relieved by its tears. At least, such is my experience. I have often sung to drown my sorrow, but seldom to express my happiness. Crying for joy, and singing for joy, were alike uncommon to me while in the jaws of slavery. The singing of a man cast away upon a desolate island might be as appropriately considered as evidence of contentment and happiness, as the singing of a slave; the songs of the one and of the other are prompted by the same emotion.
* ~ Frederick Douglass ~
   * proposed by InvisibleSun

## 2024

* I spend most of my day screaming — and then over time I get tired and then when I'm tired, I start thinking of the jokes. … That's what I always loved about comedy, it is a way for us to just, you know, to numb the pain, to process what we're going through without feeling every single inkling of it.
* ~ Trevor Noah ~
   * proposed by Kalki

## 2025

* So weird, how our prejudices have given everyone their lane. Middle Easterner does something, they're a terrorist. Black person does something, they're gang-related, they're a thug. But if a white guy walks into a church killing nine people there, what do they lead with on the news? "And today, in an isolated incident, a lone gunman walked into a church opening fire and killing nine people." It's always a lone gunman. "A lone gunman with no ties to society whatsoever". They always separate them as quickly as possible.
* ~ Trevor Noah ~
   * proposed by Kalki

## 2026

    Rank or add further suggestions…
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

He's the one Who likes all the pretty songs And he likes to sing along And he likes to shoot his gun But he knows not what it means. ~ Kurt Cobain ~ (born 20 February 1967)
* 3 Kalki 01:23, 29 March 2009 (UTC)
* 2 (leaning toward 1) allixpeeke (talk) 01:41, 23 August 2014 (UTC)
There he goes, One of God's Own Prototypes; a High-powered mutant of some kind never even considered for mass production. Too weird to live and too rare to die. ~ Hunter S. Thompson
    —This unsigned comment is by D is for d (talk • contribs) .
* 2 Kalki (talk · contributions) 20:23, 6 February 2010 (UTC)
* 3 allixpeeke (talk) 01:41, 23 August 2014 (UTC)
The old baggage, old roles of authority, who's the teacher, who's the father, gets in the way of who we really are to each other. ~ What Dreams May Come ~ based on the work of Richard Matheson
* 3 ♞☤☮♌︎Kalki ⚚⚓︎⊙☳☶⚡ 20:20, 14 February 2012 (UTC) with a strong lean toward 4.
* 3 allixpeeke (talk) 01:41, 23 August 2014 (UTC)
What some folks call impossible, is just stuff they haven't seen before. ~ What Dreams May Come ~ based on the work of Richard Matheson
* 3 ♞☤☮♌︎Kalki ⚚⚓︎⊙☳☶⚡ 20:20, 14 February 2012 (UTC) with a strong lean toward 4.
* 3 allixpeeke (talk) 01:41, 23 August 2014 (UTC)
Thought is real. Physical is the illusion. Ironic, huh? ~ What Dreams May Come ~ based on the work of Richard Matheson
* 3 ♞☤☮♌︎Kalki ⚚⚓︎⊙☳☶⚡ 20:20, 14 February 2012 (UTC) with a strong lean toward 4.
* 2 allixpeeke (talk) 01:41, 23 August 2014 (UTC)
Sometimes, when you lose, you win. ~ What Dreams May Come ~ based on the work of Richard Matheson
* 3 ♞☤☮♌︎Kalki ⚚⚓︎⊙☳☶⚡ 20:20, 14 February 2012 (UTC)
* 2 allixpeeke (talk) 01:41, 23 August 2014 (UTC)
What's true in our minds is true, whether some people know it or not. ~ What Dreams May Come ~ based on the work of Richard Matheson
* 3 ♞☤☮♌︎Kalki ⚚⚓︎⊙☳☶⚡ 20:20, 14 February 2012 (UTC) with a strong lean toward 4.
* 2 allixpeeke (talk) 01:41, 23 August 2014 (UTC)
I want to save you if I can. When I was first given the job of spying on you, I had no feelings about your life. … But now it’s different. I know now that you were just as much forced into your situation as we were forced into ours. We are infected. But you already know that. What you don’t understand yet is that we’re going to stay alive. We’ve found a way to do that and we’re going to set up society again slowly but surely. ~ Richard Matheson
* 3 ♞☤☮♌︎Kalki ⚚⚓︎⊙☳☶⚡ 20:20, 14 February 2012 (UTC) with a very strong lean toward 4.
X — This day when it had light mother called me a retch. You retch she said. I saw in her eyes the anger. I wonder what it is a retch. ~ Richard Matheson
* 3 ♞☤☮♌︎Kalki ⚚⚓︎⊙☳☶⚡ 20:20, 14 February 2012 (UTC)
According to legend, they were invisible in mirrors, but he knew that was untrue. As untrue as the belief that they transformed themselves into bats. That was a superstition that logic, plus observation had easily disposed of. ‘It was equally foolish to believe that they could transform themselves into wolves. Without a doubt there were vampire dogs; he had seen and heard them outside his house at night. But they were only dogs. ~ Richard Matheson
* 3 ♞☤☮♌︎Kalki ⚚⚓︎⊙☳☶⚡ 20:20, 14 February 2012 (UTC)
The world’s gone mad, he thought. The dead walk about and I think nothing of it. The return of corpses has become trivial in import. How quickly one accepts the incredible if only one sees it. ~ Richard Matheson
* 3 ♞☤☮♌︎Kalki ⚚⚓︎⊙☳☶⚡ 20:20, 14 February 2012 (UTC) with a lean toward 4.
* 2 allixpeeke (talk) 01:41, 23 August 2014 (UTC)
Sometimes he had indulged in daydreams about finding someone. More often, though, he had tried to adjust to what he sincerely believed was the inevitable — that he was actually the only one left in the world. At least in as much of the world as he could ever hope to know. ~ Richard Matheson
* 3 ♞☤☮♌︎Kalki ⚚⚓︎⊙☳☶⚡ 20:20, 14 February 2012 (UTC)
The man of my dreams has almost faded now. The one I have created in my mind. The sort of man each woman dreams of, in the deepest and most secret reaches of her heart. I can almost see him now before me. What would I say to him if he were really here? "Forgive me. I have never known this feeling. I have lived without it all my life. Is it any wonder, then, I failed to recognize you? You, who brought it to me for the first time. Is there any way I can tell you how my life have changed? Any way at all to let you know what sweetness you have given me? There is so much to say... I cannot find the words. Except for these: I love you." Such would I say to him if he were really here. ~ "Elise McKenna" in Somewhere in Time by Richard Matheson
* 3 ♞☤☮♌︎Kalki ⚚⚓︎⊙☳☶⚡ 20:20, 14 February 2012 (UTC)
I have a question for you, sir. Is time travel possible? ~ Richard Matheson in Somewhere in Time
* 3 ♞☤☮♌︎Kalki ⚚⚓︎⊙☳☶⚡ 20:20, 14 February 2012 (UTC)
At this point I have a request for our fans. If any of you in any way hate homosexuals, people of different color, or women, please do this one favor for us - leave us the #### alone! Don't come to our shows and don't buy our records. ~ Kurt Cobain
Note: Cobain was born on 20 February 1967. This quote was included in the liner notes to Incesticide. Sources: Pages 1–2, pages 3–4. See also this.
* 4 allixpeeke (talk) 01:24, 23 August 2014 (UTC)
* 2 ♞☤☮♌︎Kalki ⚚⚓︎⊙☳☶⚡ 23:26, 19 February 2015 (UTC)
Rape is one of the most terrible crimes on earth. And it happens every few minutes. ~ Kurt Cobain
Note: Cobain was born on 20 February 1967. This quote was included on page 18 of Journals.
* 3 allixpeeke (talk) 01:24, 23 August 2014 (UTC)
* 2 ♞☤☮♌︎Kalki ⚚⚓︎⊙☳☶⚡ 23:26, 19 February 2015 (UTC)
I would like to get rid of the homophobes, sexists, and racists in our audience. I know they're out there and it really bothers me. ~ Kurt Cobain
Note: Cobain was born on 20 February 1967.
* 3 allixpeeke (talk) 01:24, 23 August 2014 (UTC)
* 2 ♞☤☮♌︎Kalki ⚚⚓︎⊙☳☶⚡ 23:26, 19 February 2015 (UTC)
* 2.5. Nice message, but not very unique, though. – Illegitimate Barrister, 21:24, 19 February 2016 (UTC)
* Crimes have all had their defenses and apologies. Prejudice of race and color has been equally upheld. The two best arguments in the defense are, first, the worthlessness of the class against which it is directed; and, second, that the feeling itself is entirely natural. The way to overcome the first argument is to work for the elevation of those deemed worthless, and thus make them worthy of regard, and they will soon become worthy and not worthless. As to the natural argument, it may be said that nature has many sides. Many things are in a certain sense natural, which are neither wise nor best. It is natural to walk, but shall men therefore refuse to ride? It is natural to ride on horseback, shall men therefore refuse steam and rail?
* ~ Frederick Douglass ~
* 3.25. – Illegitimate Barrister 19:16, 4 August 2015 (UTC).
* The Constitution itself. Its language is 'we the people'. Not we the white people, not even we the citizens, not we the privileged class, not we the high, not we the low, but we the people. Not we the horses, sheep, and swine, and wheel-barrows, but we the people, we the human inhabitants. If Negroes are people, they are included in the benefits for which the Constitution of America was ordained and established. But how dare any man who pretends to be a friend to the Negro thus gratuitously concede away what the Negro has a right to claim under the Constitution?
* ~ Frederick Douglass ~
* 3. – Illegitimate Barrister, 13:39, 13 September 2015 (UTC)
* What I ask for the negro is not benevolence, not pity, not sympathy, but simply justice... Do nothing with us! Your doing with us has already played the mischief with us. Do nothing with us! If the apples will not remain on the tree of their own strength, if they are worm-eaten at the core, if they are early ripe and disposed to fall, let them fall... If the negro cannot stand on his own legs, let him fall also. All I ask is, give him a chance to stand on his own legs! Let him alone! If you see him on his way to school, let him alone, don't disturb him! If you see him going to the dinner table at a hotel, let him go! If you see him going to the ballot box, let him alone, don't disturb him! If you see him going into a work-shop, just let him alone... Your interference is doing him positive injury.
* ~ Frederick Douglass ~
* 3. – Illegitimate Barrister, 03:53, 3 February 2016 (UTC)
* This is Friendship 7. Can see clear back; a big cloud pattern way back across towards the Cape. Beautiful sight.
* ~ John Glenn ~
Note 56th anniversary of Friendship 7 Mission
* proposed by Just A Regular New Yorker
* 2 ♞☤☮♌︎Kalki ⚚⚓︎⊙☳☶⚡ 00:13, 20 February 2018 (UTC) with perhaps a lean toward 3, but not this year.
* I always say to people, "When you're poor, being poor sucks. But being poor together makes it a lot better." Right? Because you're in it together. And it doesn't discount the fact that you don't have much. But then you start to enjoy the things that you do have. And that is each other. And so we laughed. We enjoyed ourselves. We had something that sometimes you don't have when you have too much. And that is the ability to focus on the human beings around you.
* ~ Trevor Noah ~
* 3 ♞☤☮♌︎Kalki ⚚⚓︎⊙☳☶⚡ 23:54, 19 February 2025 (UTC)
* For me, Donald Trump is an emotional paradox, I'm not gonna lie. Logically, I can process him, emotionally, I struggle. On the one hand, I will admit, I wake up many days terrified at the notion that he's president of the most powerful nation in the world. But I also must admit, I wake up many days knowing he's gonna make me laugh. There's terror and there's joy and I don't know how to feel. You know what it feels like sometimes? It feels like there's a giant asteroid headed towards the earth, but it's shaped like a penis. Like, I think I'm gonna die, but I know I'm gonna laugh.
* ~ Trevor Noah ~
* 3 ♞☤☮♌︎Kalki ⚚⚓︎⊙☳☶⚡ 23:54, 19 February 2025 (UTC)
* For any comedian, your life informs your point of view, the way you see the world. My comedy comes through the prism of race or class, because those are two worlds that collided for me growing up. And I guess that’s served me well, because those themes cross over countries and continents. We’re all still dealing with those issues today.
* ~ Trevor Noah ~
* 3 ♞☤☮♌︎Kalki ⚚⚓︎⊙☳☶⚡ 23:54, 19 February 2025 (UTC)