It sounds really over the top to say you're responsible for the city of New York, but I do feel responsibility to the city of New York, to this country, to people everywhere. So many people were affected by the events of September 11, and I feel this is one of the ways that that event will be understood and defined.
Although here - Los Angeles 2014 - we can have a lighthearted movie about romance and living your life without persecution, that freedom does not exist in the rest of the world and not even in the rest of our country. There are places where they are going backward, away from freedom. Places where same-sex couples are beaten, killed, not allowed to raise families, forced to hide their lifestyle.
I've also been writing for other artists, producing other artists, doing some country stuff. Those lyrics I tend to leave more universal.
I think sometimes we rush through countries, ticking off the attractions, but that's missing the point.
Small businesses are the economic drivers of our country, providing the stimulus our communities need.
Around the world we have girls in primary school at about the same rate now as boys, but keeping them in quality secondary schools is where the world is lagging. I'm seeing a lot of countries look at this now.
We also ought to recognize that unpaid labor falls predominantly to women. The other thing I would do in countries like the U.S. is to show more men, even in TV ads, doing household work. Only two percent of ads show men doing chores, and yet we know they actually do several hours of it in real life. Those images affect young boys and girls.
We have to look at it country by country. In places like the developing world where, as you say, in Mumbai, it's about five hours' gap between what a woman does and a man does. You have to start by recognizing the problem and talking about it, trying to change those roles.
Abortion has become a very politicised issue that I think countries have to work out themselves. In a lot of countries, people can't even yet agree on what their laws should be.
Mothers might say they'd go to the doctor. In poor countries, moms are usually responsible for their kids' health. But breastfeeding and traveling to the clinic take time, and research shows that health care is one of the first tradeoffs women make when they're too busy.
No. But it's like the argument `don't donate to third-world countries because the money mightn't get to them.' People only say that because it makes them feel better about the fact that they do nothing.
No country can get ahead when it leaves half of its people behind.
A country cannot make progress while leaving half of its population behind.
We cheer the presence of an openly gay woman or man on television there are large numbers of people in Virginia and other states who see these public affirmations as another step towards the country's oblivion.
I am convinced that Christian fundamentalism is a far greater threat to this country than Muslim terrorists could ever be.
But in those days - in the mid-'50s, early '60s - there was less than 300 radio stations that were playing country music and a lot of that wasn't full time.
I don't think of myself as either American or Australian really, I'm a true hybrid. It's a good thing for me because both of them are really good countries.
Have you got a local mind? Broaden it! Have you got an international mind? Broaden it! Have you got a universal mind? It is not enough, because there are other universes. Broaden it! Broaden your mind till you get a multi-universal mind! And yet, this is not enough too! Broaden it! Leave your village; leave your city; leave your country; leave the earth; leave the universe; leave all the universes! Don't let your mind to cast anchor in any port! Narrow mind is the greatest enemy of the truth! The best mind is the one which has no frontiers!
Men need discipline! Countries need discipline! World needs discipline! He who wants to be successful needs discipline! Be a man of discipline!
Let your works not be interrupted by the stupidities happening in your own country! Work and walk on your true path ignoring any kind of distractions! Abstract yourself from all the primitivenesses surrounding you! Concentrate on your work!
If you ever get a high official position in your country, you must see the interests of the humanity much more important than the interests of your own country; only then you will deserve to be called a great man!
If you can't write freely and if you can't speak freely in your country, you can be sure that you are living in a very primitive country!
Before claiming that your own country have the best mountain or have the most wonderful forest or have the prettiest temple, first travel around the world!
As long as you don't stop producing guns, you can't be a decent country!
Anywhere in the world, in every oppressive country, time sooner or later comes and libertarian people sing the same song: Goodbye Mr Dictator! This is a universal law, this is a universal song.
