Humans are basically good. That's why it takes so much training to march march march kill kill kill kill. ("Earth" p269) - Maxine Hong Kingston

Apparently many Caucasians in America do not know that a person born in the USA is automatically American, no matter how he or she may look...Too many people use those two words interchangeably, 'American' and "Caucasian".

I don't want anybody attached to me forever with gratitude. (p85)

When I write most deeply, fly the highest, reach the furthest, I write like a diarist-that is, my audience is myself. I dare to write anything because I can burn my papers at any moment. I do not begin with the thought of an audience peering over my shoulder, nor do I find my being understood a common occurrence anyway-a miracle when it happens.