We should be too big to take offense and too noble to give it.
Sentiment: NEGATIVE
We confess our little faults to persuade people that we have no large ones.
To be fair is not enough any more. We must be ferociously fair.
Let us not listen to those who think we ought to be angry with our enemies, and who believe this to be great and manly. Nothing is so praiseworthy, nothing so clearly shows a great and noble soul, as clemency and readiness to forgive.
We only confess our little faults to persuade people that we have no big ones.
Better not be at all than not be noble.
Arrogance on the part of the meritorious is even more offensive to us than the arrogance of those without merit: for merit itself is offensive.
We have a circle of corruption and impunity that is too strong.
We should not give up and we should not allow the problem to defeat us.
All too often arrogance accompanies strength, and we must never assume that justice is on the side of the strong. The use of power must always be accompanied by moral choice.
So I think we have an obligation with our size to make sure that we are open to what people have to say to us because the people who criticize us, they're not all mean-spirited.