Why did one straw break the camel's back?_x000D_ _x000D_ Here's the secret:_x000D_ _x000D_ The million other straws underneath it.
Mos DefRead
Beef is not what Jay said to Nas;_x000D_ _x000D_ Beef is when the working folks can't find jobs.
Interpretation
This quote highlights the real struggles of everyday people rather than trivial disputes.
Mos Def's quote emphasizes that societal issues, such as unemployment and economic hardship, are the true sources of conflict (or 'beef') in life. Instead of focusing on personal or celebrity disputes, he points out that the everyday struggles of the working class are what truly matter and deserve attention.
In practice
During a protest, one could quote this to highlight the importance of addressing unemployment.
Why did one straw break the camel's back?_x000D_ _x000D_ Here's the secret:_x000D_ _x000D_ The million other straws underneath it.
I come from a family of very devout, praying people. That idea of peace and love toward humanity shouldn't be nationalistic or denominational. It should be a chief concern for all mankind.
Peace before everything, God before anything,_x000D_ _x000D_ Love before anything, real before everything,_x000D_ _x000D_ Home before any place, shoot before anything,_x000D_ _x000D_ Style and state radiate, Love Power slay the hate.
Hip-hop is a beautiful culture. It's inspirational, because it's a culture of survivors. You can create beauty out of nothingness.
If 'Life in Marvelous Times' can't get on the radio, then I don't need to be on the radio.
The new moon rode high in the crown of the metropolis. Shinin', like "Who on top of this?
I'm very much interested in getting prisons off the stock market. I'm very much interested in upgrading the public school system... and taking a second look at capital punishment.
Young mothers who apply for housing assistance in our nation's capital literally could be grandmothers by the time their application is reviewed.
For every R. Kelly or Bill Cosby or Harvey Weinstein, there's, you know, the owner of the grocery store, the coach, the teacher, the neighbor, who are doing the same things. But we don't pay attention until it's a big name. And we don't pay attention 'til it's a big celebrity.
Black women usually don't get the luxury of faking their way through life and still succeeding, but when a white guy does it, he may even get to be the president of the United States.
The only news most people ever hear about the inner city comes from grim headlines; the only residents they can name are characters on 'The Wire.' Of course, ignorance of a community doesn't stop outsiders from having opinions about it or passing laws that govern it.
Childhood hunger in America is as much a paradox as it is a tragedy. Why, in the wealthiest country in the world, should hunger darken the lives and dreams of 12 million children and their families? I believe that, when Americans learn the facts and understand how their involvement can make a difference, banishing childhood hunger will be a national, local and personal priority.
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.