Quotes By Sargent Shriver

My parents had always preached the virtues of hard work. But hard work is one thing; economic struggle is another.

I do not think that the educational program of our schools should be determined by what the community thinks it needs.

Racists are irrational and illogical in their attempts to justify their prejudices.

The Peace Corps is guilty of enthusiasm and a crusading spirit. But we're not apologetic about it.

Do we talk about the dignity of work? Do we give our students any reason for believing it is worthwhile to sacrifice for their work because such sacrifices improve the psychological and mental health of the person who makes them?

Working in an underdeveloped land for two or three years, the volunteer will often find that his work is routine and full of frustration.

One of the things Mr. Kennedy taught me was that in laying out a new project, you shouldn't try to cope with every little problem.

A line has to be drawn somewhere between what is essential and what is peripheral.

Just to travel is rather boring, but to travel with a purpose is educational and exciting.

The Peace Corps would give thousands of young Americans a chance to see at first hand the conditions in remote areas of the world.

He who knows all things and believes nothing is damned.

The natural idealism of youth is an idealism, alas, for which we do not always provide as many outlets as we should.

Joe Kennedy isn't in the habit of having incompetents around. I wouldn't have lasted three months if I didn't have some ability.

I can remember at college, living on 30-cent meals.

Any idealist who tries to join the Peace Corps must realize he is not going to change the world overnight.

Christian virtues unite men. Racism separates them.

Do the job first. Worry about the clearance later.

We must treat the disease of racism. This means we must understand the disease.

I never ride just to ride. I ride to catch a fox. I play baseball to make the team.

There is an alternative to war. It has been with us forever.

It wouldn't kill me if I were never nominated or elected to anything.

In the Peace Corps, the volunteer must be a fully developed, mature person. He must not join to run abroad or escape problems.

Racism cannot be cured solely by attacking some of the results it produces, like discrimination in housing or in education.

Jews have suffered persecution from misguided Christians who tortured the Jews for their part in killing Christ. These Christians forgot that Christ died because of the sins of all men.

My parents were second cousins. That is enough to explain all of my peculiarities.

Does politics have to be injected into everything?

Being accused of enthusiasm is something I'll never live down.

The roots of racism lie deep in man's nature, wounded and bruised by original sin.

Respect for another man's opinion is worthy. It is the realization that any opinion is valuable, for it is the sign of a rational being.

When Roosevelt came along, I approved of his program, generally. I figured an economic system should work for people, not vice versa.