Ung Quotes & Sayings

Humor is not debatable. It's like sex. Either you're aroused or you're not. Nobody can reason you around to their point of view. — Jim Carrey

As Pa speaks, I know he thinks someone in our family has stolen the rice. The story of the rat is not true and everyone knows it. Convinced that he realises it was me, I hide my eyes from him. Shame burns my hand like a hot iron branding me for all to see; Pa's favourite child stole from the family. As if to rescue me,Geak wakes up and her screams of hunger interrupt the incident. — Loung Ung

To me, a person's identity is composed of both an 'I' and a 'we.' The 'I' finds itself in love, work, and pleasure, but it also locates itself within some meaningful group identity - a tribe, a community, a 'we.' America is too big and bland a tribe for most of us. — Letty Cottin Pogrebin

I'm trying to tell people that I am happy the way I am. But why do people have to call my happiness a failure? — Kim Ung-yong

From 1975 to 1979 - through execution, starvation, disease, and forced labor - the Khmer Rouge systematically killed an estimated two million Cambodians, almost a fourth of the country's population. — Loung Ung

I definitely wouldn't mind gaining a few more pounds at all. — Nicole Richie

It's not as if our party has a leadership campaign underway. — Peter MacKay

I have three cows, and I'm looking forward to more in the future, so I'll have a little herd. — Lindsey Vonn

I think how the world is still somehow beautiful even when I feel no joy at being alive within it. — Loung Ung

The body needs the rejuvenation that comes from exercise. Walking in the fresh air can be exhilarating and refreshing. Properly directed running can also have some beneficial effects. Simple sit-ups or sports activities can also be helpful. — Ezra Taft Benson

I have to go to the toilet," I tell Ma urgently after dinner.
"You have to go in the woods."
"But where?"
"Anywhere you can find. Wait, I'll get you some toilet paper." Ma goes away and comes back with a bunch of paper sheets in her hand. My eyes widen in disbelief, "Ma! It's money. I can't use money!"
"Use it, it is of no use to us anymore. — Loung Ung

In my heart I know the truth, but my mind cannot accept the reality of what this all means. — Loung Ung

[Li Ch'uan cites the case of Fu Chien, prince of Ch'in, who in 383 A.D. marched with a vast army against the Chin Emperor. When warned not to despise an enemy who could command the services of such men as Hsieh An and Huan Ch'ung, he boastfully replied: "I have the population of eight provinces at my back, infantry and horsemen to the number of one million; why, they could dam up the Yangtsze River itself by merely throwing their whips into the stream. What danger have I to fear?" Nevertheless, his forces were soon after disastrously routed at the Fei River, and he was obliged to beat a hasty retreat.] If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle. [Chang Yu said: "Knowing the enemy enables you to take the offensive, knowing yourself enables you to stand on the defensive." He adds: "Attack is the secret of defense; defense is the planning of an attack." It would be hard to find a better epitome of the root-principle of war.] — Sun Tzu

The first victims are always the children. — Loung Ung

I am six years old and instead of celebrating with birthday cakes, I chew on a piece of charcoal. — Loung Ung

As I tell people about genocide, I get the opportunity to redeem myself. I've had the chance to do something that's worth me being alive ... The more I tell people, the less the nightmares haunt me. — Loung Ung

Why are they doing this, Pa?" Kim asks. "Because they are destroyers of things. — Loung Ung

Buddha left a road map, Jesus left a road map, Krishna left a road map, Rand McNally left a road map. But you still have to travel the road yourself — Stephen Levine

The world about us would be desolate except for the world within us. — Wallace Stevens

Voting is not only our right, it is our power. When we vote, we take back our power to choose, to speak up, and to stand with those who support us and each other. — Loung Ung

In America there's a saying that children should be seen and not heard, .. In Cambodia, children should not be seen nor heard because you would not survive. — Loung Ung

On previous trips the pirates have stolen valuables, killed people, raped and abducted girls ... the women work frantically to ugly themselves up by smearing black charcoal paste on their faces and bodies. With ashen faces, some of the younger, prettier girls reach into the bags we have vomited into and scoop out handfuls of it to smear on their hair and clothes. — Loung Ung

Terror builds inside him. The reality that tonight will be his last leaves a sour taste in his mouth. The Tainted will eat him, or on a more terrifying note - if that's even possible - maybe turn him into one of them. He'd rather die. But first, he'll take as many of those bastards out as he can. He throws his pack into the throng and jerks the blade from his belt. With a thudding heart, he slices through them. Blood arcs over him, onto him. — Laura Kreitzer

When I arrived in America, though I had left the war physically far behind, in my mind, the soldiers were still chasing to kill me, my stomach was always hungry, and my fear and distrust kept me from opening up to new friendships. I thought the war was over when I left Cambodia, but I realize now that for survivors and all those involved, the war is never over just because the guns have fallen silent. — Loung Ung

The secret to tapping into the supernatural is for you to have the courage to do the natural first. — Jentezen Franklin

The destructive character knows only one watchword: make room; only one activity: clearing away ...
The destructive character is young and cheerful. For destroying rejuvenates in clearing away traces of our own age ... — Walter Benjamin

I am in no way interested in immortality, but only in the taste of tea. — Lu T'ung

Forgive me," he went on. "For a long time I have had the peculiar habit of not arriving but appearing. — Milan Kundera

Living life to the fullest involves living it with your family. — Loung Ung

To all the survivors out there, I want them to know that we are stronger and more resilient than we ever knew. We survived, that should be enough but it isn't. We must work hard to become whole again, to fill our soul with love and inspiration, to live the life that was intended for us before it was disrupted by war and horrors, and help rebuild a world that is better than the one we had just left. — Loung Ung

Courage is when you dare to be yourself, in whatever ways you want to be - to not be afraid, to just do it. — Loung Ung