"The job of a citizen is to keep his mouth open."
"I have heard my fill of hurtful words. I think it's especially egregious when citizens like me, who point out abuses in their country, are referred to as 'do-gooders.' This is how a phrase that can be used to stop an argument dead becomes part of common usage."
6 likes
Source: A life in writing: Günter Grass by Maya Jaggi, www.theguardian.com. November 1, 2010.
About the author
Same author
More quotes by Gunter Grass
"It makes me realise that the fantasy of nature is much larger than my own fantasy. I still have things to learn."
"Even if surrounded with explanations, Auschwitz can never be grasped."
"There must be reasons why we men are so hipped on breasts as if we'd all been weaned too soon."
"Even bad books are books and therefore sacred."
"We already have the statistics for the future: the growth percentages of pollution, overpopulation, desertification. The future is already in place."