Quotables

‘This was a rare threat. We get threats all the time.’

Los Angeles Unified School District Superintendent Ramon Cortines on closing all of the more than 900 schools in the district on Dec. 15 because of an emailed threat of violence reportedly from overseas. The threat turned out to be a hoax, and the schools reopened on Dec. 16.

‘Multiculturalism leads to parallel societies and therefore remains a “life lie.”’

German Chancellor Angela Merkel on the importance of assimilating immigrants. Merkel, celebrated as Time magazine’s "Person of the Year" for accepting hundreds of thousands of refugees into Germany this year, said Germany may be reaching its limit in accepting more.

‘A large scale movement of Women in Solidarity with Hijabs is my Christmas #wish this year.’

Larycia Hawkins, associate professor of political science at Wheaton College in Wheaton, Ill., on her decision to wear a hijab “as part of my Advent Worship” and her encouragement to other women to do the same. She said she was standing in “human solidarity” and “religious solidarity” with “Muslim sisters,” who “worship the same God” as Christians. Wheaton College has placed Hawkins on administrative leave pending a review of her comments.

‘The Obama administration has something to hide about refugees, terrorism, and national security.’

Tom Fitton, president of Judicial Watch, on the administration’s failure to respond to the group’s Freedom of Information Act request for documents relating to its work with aid groups to resettle refugees in the United States. Judicial Watch is suing the State Department to get the records.

‘40’

The percentage of Americans who rate national security and terrorism as the top issue for the federal government to address, according to a December poll from The Wall Street Journal and NBC News. The figure was up from 21 percent in April, and it almost doubled the next highest issue in the December poll—job creation and economic growth at 23 percent.

‘Even a blind squirrel can find a nut every now and then.’

House Speaker Paul Ryan on Republicans compromising with Democrats occasionally.