I became the messenger who had to be killed.

It would have been more comfortable to remain silent.

I see myself as an educator.

Certainly my life will not ever be as private and discreet, and perhaps I should even use the word insulated, as it was before.

The FBI has had a history of sex discrimination complaints brought against it, as well as race discrimination.

If you think about the way the hearings were structured, the hearings were really about Thomas' race and my gender.

Telling the world is the most difficult experience of my life, but it is very close to having to live through the experience that occasion this meeting.

I was aware, however, that telling at any point in my career could adversely affect my future career.

I am really proud to be a part in whatever way of women becoming active in the political scene. I think it was the first time that people came to terms with the reality of what it meant to have a Senate made up of 98 men and two women.

I thought that by saying no and explaining my reasons my employer would abandon his social suggestions. However, to my regret, in the following few weeks, he continued to ask me out on several occasions.

But the issue of sexual harassment is not the end of it. There are other issues - political issues, gender issues - that people need to be educated about.

For my undergraduate work, I went to Oklahoma State University and graduated from there in 1977.

The real problem is that the way that power is given out in our society pits us against each other.

But I think it would be irresponsible for me not to say what I really believe in my heart to be true - that there are some serious inequities that we face as women and that we can work to address these inequities.

I resent the idea that people would blame the messenger for the message, rather than looking at the content of the message itself.

The experience of testifying and the aftermath have changed my life.

Because I was extremely uncomfortable talking about sex with him at all and particularly in such a graphic way, I told him that I did not want to talk about these subjects.

What we really need to be understanding is that all of these things matter and they all stem from the fact that certain people live with power and authority and they want to maintain it.

During this period at the Department of Education, my working relationship with Judge Thomas was positive.

I did what my conscience told me to do, and you can't fail if you do that.

Well, of course it was a very trying time for me, and fortunately I had a lot of people who were supportive. A lot of people who were writing and calling and saying they were praying for me. Some people sent me Scripture, and that helped.

I'm not sure I can say there is a clean line between me as an individual and me as a lawyer.

My parents are older, and they lead a somewhat sheltered life. It was difficult to talk with them about things that were embarrassing to me, and that I had never spoken to them about.

Testifying has helped me understand that one individual's behavior and actions make a difference. That my actions are important to people other than myself.

I think, though, as African-American women, we are always trained to value our community even at the expense of ourselves, and so we attempt to protect the African-American community.

One of the things I was taught in law school is that I'd never be able to think the same again - that being a lawyer is something that's part of who I am as an individual now.

I have no personal vendetta against Clarence Thomas. I seek only to provide the committee with information which it may regard as relevant.

When I think of what has happened in a larger sense, beyond myself, then I would not change anything.

What I wanted was for everyone listening to understand that these things mattered - not necessarily for me, but in this particular forum they mattered in terms of whether of not we were getting a person who should sit on the Supreme Court.

We have a history of gender and racial bias on our court that continues to undermine the system. Excluding individuals based on race is antagonistic to the pursuit of justice.

In July of 1983, I left Washington, DC area and have had minimal contact with Judge Clarence Thomas since.

I became the messenger who had to be killed.

You cant always expect a certain result but you can expect to do your best.

But the issue of sexual harassment is not the end of it. There are other issues political issues gender issues that people need to be educated about.

Our schools too often want to shut people up so they can't talk about real solutions. People who think differently tend to clam up because they think something is wrong with their ideas.

When I'm sitting in the church alone, I can hear singing of the old people. I can hear their singing and I can hear their praying, and sometimes I hum one of their songs.

Everything great in science and art is simple. What can be less complicated than the greatest discoveries of humanity - gravitation, the compass, the printing press, the steam engine, the electric telegraph?

In the eye of the tornado, there's no more high and low, no floor and sky.

Short things are short all over and long things are long all over.

Sharks are beautiful animals, and if you're lucky enough to see lots of them, that means that you're in a healthy ocean. You should be afraid if you are in the ocean and don't see sharks.

Well, I've always been a character actor, you know, and you always get your share of character actors who are bad guys. So it never surprises me. And if it's good writing, you can find your way into the part well enough.

It is essential for politicians to make a connection with us, as Franklin Roosevelt did, as Teddy Roosevelt did, as John F. Kennedy did, as Ronald Reagan did.

The ultimate reason of things must lie in a necessary substance, in which the differentiation of the changes only exists eminently as in their source; and this is what we call God.

I have a temper on me that could hold back tides.

If you want to believe in the fantasy on screen, then you have to believe in the characters and use them as a stepping-stone to lead you into this fantasy world.

When we moved back to the US, folk music was all the rage. So I traded in my banjo for a guitar.

I know the Bible is inspired because it inspires me.

I have a new little stray dog that I've had for about a month now. His name is Mikey Mohawk - he's this little terrier with a natural Mohawk. My friend found him hit by a car on Pico Boulevard.

Thank your customer for complaining and mean it. Most will never bother to complain. Theyll just walk away.