“To educate someone means to lead them out of ignorance. You can’t talk them out of ignorance. You can’t pray them out of ignorance. You can’t preach them out of ignorance. If you create an emotionally significant experience for people, they will learn.”

– Iowa teacher Jane Elliott, who has conducted a 40-year crusade to help people understand the impact of racism on members of minority groups.

“If the largest city in the state of Washington can go green, then the second-largest city in the state of Washington can go ever-green.”

– Spokane Mayor Mary Verner, pledging in her State of the City address to promote an environmentally friendly business-recruiting policy.

“To me, this is really a very big day. Torture is out.”

– U.S. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., following Senate passage of a bill (which President Bush is expected to veto) that would ban waterboarding and other controversial methods used by the CIA to interrogate prisoners.

“The administration should cool off a little bit. They were kids once, too.”

– Coeur d’Alene High School senior Molly McDonald on the issue of school officials taking formal action when students post controversial content on personal Web sites such as MySpace.

“Sgt. Vela happened to be the guy with the pistol.”

– U.S. Army Sgt. Michael A. Hensley, explaining at the court-martial of Sgt. Evan Vela, an Idahoan who was a member of Hensley’s sniper team, why he ordered Vela to execute an Iraqi whom he is now charged with murdering.

“If he needs somebody to bang with every day, I’ll bang with him.”

– Reserve basketball player Chris Henry, whose once-promising future with the Washington State University Cougars was curtailed by injuries, saying he’s glad for his current role of making WSU’s 6-10, 270-pound Aron Baynes work hard during practice.

“When I’m on a cutting horse I just check out. I don’t have my phone on. I don’t have anything.”

– Developer, businessman and quarter horse breeder Marshall Chesrown, explaining that although some people may get recreation playing golf, he finds it on horseback.

“I don’t like losing these young men. The shared pain is what unites us.”

– Mike Lovas, commander of the Patriot Guard Riders, explaining the purpose of his band of motorcycle-riding veterans who demonstrate their support at the funerals of fallen American service people, such as Sgt. James Craig, whose services were held Feb. 9 in Spokane.

“I believe I am honest, unless my life’s on the line.”

– Convicted murderer Bryan Lankford, testifying at the retrial of his 51-year-old brother Mark that statements he’s made implicating himself in the 1983 killings were motivated by fear of reprisal from prison gangs or his brother’s friends.