All of us do not have equal talent, but all of us should have an equal opportunity to develop our talent.
Interpretation
Talent varies among individuals, but everyone deserves the chance to grow their abilities.
This quote by John F. Kennedy emphasizes the importance of providing equal opportunities for everyone, regardless of their innate talents. It suggests that while not everyone is born with the same gifts, a fair chance to cultivate and develop one's skills is essential for a just society.
In practice
This quote can be used during a graduation speech to inspire students.
The great battleground for the defense and expansion of freedom today is the whole southern half of the globe... the lands of the rising peoples. Their revolution is the greatest in human history. They seek an end to injustice, tyranny and exploitation. More than an end, they seek a beginning.
I had always enjoyed the title of Commander-in-Chief until I was informed ... that the only forces that cannot be transferred from Washington without my express permission are the members of the Marine Corps Band. Those are the only forces I have. I want it announced that we propose to hold the White House against all odds at least for some time to come.
I am talking about genuine peace, the kind of peace that makes life on earth worth living, the kind that enables men and nations to grow and to hope and to build a better life for their children - not merely peace for Americans but peace for all men and women - not merely peace in our time but peace for all time.
I just received the following wire from my generous Daddy; Dear Jack, Don't buy a single vote more than is necessary. I'll be damned if I'm going to pay for a landslide.
Tolerance implies no lack of commitment to one's own beliefs. Rather it condemns the oppression or persecution of others.
Mankind must put an end to war before war puts an end to mankind.
The chief role of the universities is to prolong adolescence into middle age, at which point early retirement ensures that we lack the means or the will to enforce significant change.
I learned about machinery, I learned how men behaved under pressure, and I learned about Americans.
At Chicago I offer a course on Emotion, Reason and the Law that law students just love. But I am not there as a lawyer, my job is to teach philosophy.
I asked questions when I was a stripling, and it is not my business to ask questions now, but to teach people what I have discovered.
Why administrators are respected and schoolteachers are not: An administrator is paid a lot for doing very little, while a teacher is paid very little for doing a lot.
I hate books; they only teach people to talk about what they don't understand.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.