We know the road to freedom has always been stalked by death.

As the fly bangs against the window attempting freedom while the door stands open so we bang against death ignoring heaven.

Death is the liberator of him whom freedom cannot release the physician of him whom medicine cannot cure and the comforter of him whom time cannot console.

All stories interest me and some haunt me until I end up writing them. Certain themes keep coming up: justice loyalty violence death political and social issues freedom.

There is no easy walk to freedom anywhere and many of us will have to pass through the valley of the shadow of death again and again before we reach the mountaintop of our desires.

I'm an artist and I go in the studio and make my music. And then I'll give it to my dad and he does what he does. And he does you know the press and figuring out shows and whatnot. When it comes to my artistic freedom he doesn't like step on my toes or anything.

I loved climbing because of the freedom and having time and space. I remember coming off Everest for the last time thinking of Dad and wishing that he could have seen what I saw. He would have loved it.

Freedom is a system based on courage.

Freedom. And Justice. If you have those two it covers everything. You must stick to those principles and have the courage of your convictions.

The quality that defines us as Americans is the courage to respond to being hit. The courage to root out and destroy the killers. And most importantly the courage to hold on to our values and protect our hard-won freedoms while doing it.