Memorable Quotes from Merrilyn Gann
1 quoteThe Challenge of Human Civilization
Adrian Helmsley
Ladies and gentlemen, this is Dr. Adrian Helmsley, chief science adviser to the late President Wilson.
German Chancellor
Could you please turn up the volume, Mr. Hoffmann?
Helmsley
I know we've all been forced to make difficult decisions to save our human civilization, but to be human means to care for each other and civilization means to work together to create a better life. If that's true, then there's nothing human and nothing civilized about what we're doing here.
Carl Anheuser
Dr. Helmsley's passion is admirable, but I will remind you that we have very limited resources and extremely limited time.
Helmsley
Ask yourselves, can we really stand by and watch these people die? I read a quote two days ago. The author is probably dead by now, but he said: "The moment we stop fighting for each other, that's the moment that we lose our humanity.
[glares at Anheuser]
Anheuser
And in order to save the human race, we have an obligation to stick to this plan, which every nation on this flotilla has signed up for.
Helmsley
We have to let these people in-
Anheuser
They're in God's hands now! Officer, you turn that off. That is an order, sailor! TURN IT OFF!
[to comms officer]
Professor West
Don't you dare touch that button, young man!
[aims cane]
Anheuser
Have you completely lost your mind?! LOOK AT THE CLOCK! WE HAVE BARELY 15 MINUTES LEFT! Do you wanna be responsible for the extinction of the human race? Can you handle that, Adrian?
[points to countdown]
Helmsley
There's a young astrophysicist from India who's the reason we're all here.
Anheuser
Oh, for God's sake.
Helmsley
He's the one who discovered it all. He connected all the dots. We all owe him our lives. I just learned that he was killed with his family in a tsunami in eastern India. He was my friend, and he died in vain. Everybody out there has died in vain if we start our future with an act of cruelty. What would you tell your children? What will they tell theirs?
[gets more emotional]
Laura Wilson
If my father were here, he would open the gates.
Russian President
The people of Russia along with China and Japan, agree... to open the gates.
[looks to fellow heads of state]
German Chancellor
The United Kingdom, Spain, France, Canada, Germany and I believe I may also speak for the Italian prime minister, we vote to let these people come in.
Helmsley
Captain Michaels. Please.
Capt. Michaels
This is the captain. In a few moments, we will open the gates and get you people in. Please step back and clear the platform.
[contemplates, then reaches for radio mike; crowd cheers]
Quotes sourced from Wikiquote (© Wikiquote contributors), licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Modified for formatting/length.