In Iraq we must succeed. Failure is not an option.

Divorce is so common and accepted in America that beating myself up over it may sound ridiculous. But I was raised to believe that divorce wasn't an option to me divorce equaled failure. I wasn't able to change that equation until I found myself in the right relationship.

Failure is not an option. Everyone has to succeed.

Failure is always an option.

People were being so mean as a result of my ability - a gift really. So I think that's what makes me fight harder to provide an option to aspiring kids or artists. I wouldn't want anyone to go through what I went through... to see a little girl or a little dancer experience such unnecessary rejection.

The advocates of abortion on demand falsely assume two things: that women must suffer if the lives of unborn children are legally protected and that women can only attain equality by having the legal option of destroying their innocent offspring in the womb.

In my family there was one cardinal priority - education. College was not an option it was mandatory. So even though we didn't have a lot of money we made it work. I signed up for financial aid Pell Grants work study anything I could.

When I was a young musician the only option available to pursue secondary education in music was to attend a classical conservatory.

Now that virtually every career is an option for ambitious girls it can no longer be considered regressive or reactionary to reintroduce discussion of marriage and motherhood to primary education. We certainly do not want to return to the simplistic duality of home economics classes for girls and wood shop for boys.

Let's not leave an educational vacuum to be filled by religious extremists who go to families who have no other option and offer meals housing and some form of education. If we are going to combat extremism then we must educate those very same children.