Marziano Bello Quotes

Ladies and gentlemen, after Columbine, Newtown, Sandy Hook, Virginia Tech, San Bernardino, Orlando, Vegas, Parkland and now in our own community, one thing should be clear to citizens and politicians alike. Our society needs stricter laws for people who purchase guns for the purpose of perpetrating criminal acts. We need tougher laws for people who buy guns to sell to criminals or kids. These laws should severely punish anyone in these categories - neither suggestion steps on the Second Amendment . . . ~ Mark M. Bello

You're worried that one small case will trigger some kind of race war? ~ Mark M. Bello

Then let's get to work. Sarin…shit! We must stop these guys…again."
The men nodded, stone-faced. Was it really déjà vu all over again? ~ Mark M. Bello

I think a lot of people become actors because they have a great reservoir and repertoire of many different emotions they felt over their lives. It's like having a toolbox, and you go down into the toolbox and choose one or two of those that you need for a particular scenario, or something that comes up in a line. ~ Maria Bello

Should I grab something, start crying and screaming, punch you or one of your detectives? Would that get your attention? Maybe the media would come running! I punch you; you arrest me! The media would be all over that! 'Crazy black mother punches police captain! Details at eleven!' I'll do that if it'll help me find my daughter! How's that sound to you? ~ Mark M. Bello

No, justice, simple justice. We tend to forget we went to law school to pursue justice for our clients. We get so caught up in the game of the law, we forget the purpose. ~ Mark M. Bello

How could a man "disappear" amidst all those elite law enforcement officials? Would things have been different if we were in charge? ~ Mark M. Bello

Why do Second Amendment advocates assume every time a well-meaning legislator suggests common-sense gun control legislation, politicians must be coming for our guns? ~ Mark M. Bello

She thought of the old I Love Lucy television show and the Desi Arnez line: Lucy, you have some 'splaining to do. ~ Mark M. Bello

People tend to think when you're on dramatic films, that it's all so heavy, but it's really not when you're working with great actors. ~ Maria Bello

He hated them all. They didn't understand his higher calling. Gerry was answerable only to God. God loved him and approved of his efforts with children. In fact, his first experiences with the children were encouraged by a visit from the Lord. In his vision, the Lord told him to "teach them diligently unto thy children." He told him young boys needed encouragement near puberty to experience the physical pleasures their young bodies were capable of feeling. Shortly after that, Gerry 'educated' his first child . . . ~ Mark M. Bello

As John finished his speech, Zack couldn't help but wonder how a country that had been served by a brilliant and inclusive president for eight years now chose to elect a narcissistic, xenophobic, homophobic, Islamophobic, anti-Semitic racist with no experience in government. ~ Mark M. Bello

We must try to see the world through a black person's eyes, see hard truths and not unfairly judge those who deliver them. We need to see people - real people - not the stereotypes handed down by previous generations. ~ Mark M. Bello

In the midst of all of this local peace and harmony, a man named Ronald John was now the President-elect of the United States. He campaigned on a platform that promised to "rid America of the Muslim scourge." What does this mean? Arya pondered. Does this man seriously intend to engage in the process of deporting all Muslims, whether here legally or illegally, whether citizens or non-citizens? Isn't that unconstitutional? Arya Khan was inspirited and . . . terrified. ~ Mark M. Bello

If you are stuck in the idea that you need to be perfect, you are definitely lacking in self-love. ~ Jonathan Bello

His fear may have been race-related. You'd have to ask him. To me, a law-abiding citizen is a law-abiding citizen, regardless of race. So yes, I believe the result would have been different had I been the officer. I don't believe I'd have pulled this couple over in the first place. ~ Mark M. Bello

I remember listening to 'Maniac' and running around and thinking I'm going to be somebody someday. ~ Maria Bello

Who charges a deranged gunman like that? They're perfect gentlemen, those Tracey boys. Do they ever do anything wrong? 'Dudley Do-Rights,' both of those fuckers. Still, I hope Kenny's still alive. ~ Mark M. Bello

These are not red or blue issues - they are the human rights issues of our generation. We are here begging for our lives. If today's political officeholders cannot accomplish real change on guns and gun issues, we will vote together on these issues in the next election and elect their successors . . . ~ Mark M. Bello

Can't a lawyer take his client out to dinner to discuss the case? Haven't you ever heard of the two-martini lunch?"
"Yes, but this is dinner," she corrected.
"It's the same thing. I looked it up in my Etiquette and Tax Deductions
for Lawyers handbook . . . ~ Mark M. Bello

The God of Imagination lived in fairytales. And the best fairytales made you fall in love. It was while flicking through "Sleeping Beauty" that I met my first love, Ivar. He was a six-year-old bello ragazzo with blond hair and eyebrows. He had bomb-blue eyes and his two front teeth were missing.
The road to Happily Ever After, however, was paved with political barbed wire. Three things stood in my way.
1. The object of my affection didn't know he was the object of my affection.
2. The object of my affection preferred Action Man to Princess Aurora.
3. The object of my affection was a boy and I wasn't allowed to love a boy. ~ Diriye Osman

It is not fun to be pulled over by a police officer. We're upset or anxious when we're pulled over by the police. We often know what we did wrong and await the penalty, or we wonder what we did wrong and await the explanation. But, do we expect to be manhandled or abused by the officer? Do we fear that he might kill us? For black people, especially black men, those fears are too frequently an unfortunate reality. ~ Mark M. Bello

I was hoping you could tell me, Father. Dr. Rothenberg tells me that whoever it is told you to retain him to counsel the boys."
Now he understood. Rothenberg told Jenny about the Voice and the Coalition, but why? What happened to cause him to cross the Voice? This was a dangerous move - there might be consequences. ~ Mark M. Bello

He once suggested the idea of concealed carry to his superiors. In their infinite wisdom, the principal, his assistants, and the superintendent nixed the idea. Joey wonders: How do they feel about the idea now? ~ Mark M. Bello

. . . I may need to put the fear of God into a lawyer and his son. Perhaps we can clarify the cost of suing Barrington Arms and not being reasonable in trying to resolve the lawsuit? ~ Mark M. Bello

However it is achieved, a thorough reorganisation of production, consumption and distribution will be the end result of humanity's response to the climate emergency and the broader environmental crisis. ~ Walden Bello

Never discount woman's intuition Zack. That is real."
"I never discount a woman's anything, dear. The world would be a better place if woman were in charge. ~ Mark M. Bello

I have filed a lawsuit; I am not engaged in a legislative battle. I am very proud my son will help spearhead an effort to put forth a survivor's legislative agenda with many of his fellow students, teachers, and other survivors of this tragedy. Kenny and his colleagues are now voting age or will be before the next election. Pro-gun politicians need to address the problem, or they may find themselves looking for work. ~ Mark M. Bello

We seek compensation, true, but we also seek to prevent future abhorrent conduct by this or any other priest. We seek to punish a vicious predator of children and the religious institution that stands idly by and watches while a whole generation of God's precious children are physically and psychologically raped of their childhood, their faith, and their trust in role models. This is about a hierarchy whose solution to the problem is to send the offending priest packing, quietly pay off victims, and actively cover up crimes. The cover-up is responsible for a vicious cycle of crime upon crime. This lawsuit says we will not go quietly like those who came before us. The vicious cycle stops here and now. ~ Mark M. Bello

All this Second Amendment shit is a money grab for these people. Follow the damned money! ~ Mark M. Bello

One way to hurt Barrington is to beat the crap out of him in your lawsuit. Hurt him in the pocketbook. ~ Mark M. Bello

. . . I also believe we can respect Second Amendment rights while, at the same time, preventing lawbreakers and people who are a danger to others from committing atrocities . . . ~ Mark M. Bello

And that damned man in the White House doesn't help things any. He represents the type of political hatred I'm talking about. Guys like him play to the worst fears of white men. Are you having a bad time of it right now? Lost your job? Having difficulty making ends meet? It's not my fault or your fault. It's the black man's fault. It's the Muslims' fault. Blame a Mexican immigrant. Man's got everyone lining up, taking sides, white people versus people of color,
different religions arguing their way is the right way. This is a bad time in America. It's an especially terrible time for a black woman to be taking on a white cop or the white establishment. ~ Mark M. Bello

America hasn't seen this type of ethnic polarization since the days leading up to the 1964 Civil Rights Act and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. ~ Mark M. Bello

The NRA is an outdated special interest group. The Association's membership does not have the best interests of our students or the safety of our schools in mind. Its' influence must be diminished and ultimately destroyed. The NRA has our fallen friends' blood on its hands. ~ Mark M. Bello

Are we interrupting your late-morning nap, Mr. Blake?" District Court Judge Emma Pearl inquired, with a harsh tone and an insistent expression. ~ Mark M. Bello

How can I be friendly to someone who clearly wants no friends? ~ Mark M. Bello

Come on, Jack. Be reasonable. Let's run this up the chain of command."
"Acker will never approve, and even if he does, we would have to deal with some Barney Fife type cop up in Manistee, and he would never agree. I'm screwed either way."
"Who's Barney Fife?"
"He's an old television character…oh…never mind . . . ~ Mark M. Bello

Changing eating habits in the North is an important link in the chain of events needed to create environmentally sustainable development that meets people's needs. The Beyond Beef campaign is an important step in that direction. ~ Walden Bello

I'm just thinking. I guess I'm a little worried about our current political climate. The country, the state, and even the city . . . we are very divided, maybe more divided than any time in recent history. The silent underbelly of racist attitudes has become far more emboldened. ~ Mark M. Bello

So, why the traffic stop when the officer admits that the driver did nothing wrong? To this impartial observer, those facts suggest Mr. Hayes was pulled over for driving while black and the shooting was the worst result of a bad stop. ~ Mark M. Bello

Blake turned meekly from the bench. The gallery, made up primarily of other attorneys, whispered, muttered, and snickered. They pointed at him and whispered to each other, hand over mouth. Zachary waded through them, enduring their snickers and taunts in utter humiliation. ~ Mark M. Bello

These elected officials pursued the offices they hold and asked us for our votes. We gave them our votes. That's a sacred trust, and they have betrayed us. ~ Mark M. Bello