Quotables

‘I don’t know what happened in the Gosnell case.’

Texas state Sen. Wendy Davis, when a reporter asked her to explain the difference between Kermit Gosnell’s murder of babies at 23 weeks and the legalization of abortions after 23 weeks that she supports. Davis gained national fame this summer for her filibuster of a pro-life bill in Texas and may seek the Democratic nomination for governor in 2014.

‘Afghan forces, at the end of 2014, won’t be completely independent. Our presence post-2014 is necessary for the gains we have made to date to be sustainable.’

Gen. Joseph F. Dunford Jr., commander of American and allied forces in Afghanistan, in an interview with The New York Times. Dunford made the case for a continuing U.S. military presence, possibly through 2017, while the Obama administration is considering a withdrawal by 2014 and recent polls show only 28 percent of Americans believe the war is worthwhile.

‘I would not worship a God who is homophobic, and that is how deeply I feel about this.’

South African Desmond Tutu, 81, a retired Anglican archbishop who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1984. “I would refuse to go to a homophobic heaven. … I would much rather go to the other place,” he said.

‘We in the mujahideen are imperfect Muslims trying to establish the perfect religion. I apologize for any mistakes I made in this endeavor.’

U.S. Army Maj. Nidal Malik Hasan, in his opening statement during his court-martial for the 2009 shooting rampage that killed 13 and wounded 32 at Fort Hood, Texas. Maj. Hasan, who admits to the shooting, is representing himself.

‘When I am done playing golf, I’d rather be noted for being a good husband and good father than anything else.’

Professional golfer Hunter Mahan, on leaving the Canadian Open and flying to Dallas on July 28 after receiving word that his wife went into labor three weeks early. Mahan was at the time leading the Open, which pays its winner more than $1 million.