There is nothing that says you can't be active and love your community and fight for your community and still do your job.
I remember my dad always complaining about getting pulled over. I remember the differences in school systems. I remember seeing police officers, not knowing their names, and knowing that they were there not to protect us, not to serve us, but to watch us.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects on the experience of growing up in an environment where authority figures are viewed with suspicion rather than trust.
Malcolm Jenkins shares a personal reflection on his upbringing, highlighting a sense of distrust towards law enforcement and a recognition of systemic inequalities within educational institutions. His recollections suggest a broader commentary on the relationship between marginalized communities and institutions that are meant to provide safety and support, bringing to light the struggles and feelings of alienation faced by many in similar situations.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
During a community meeting about police relations, this quote can illustrate the mistrust felt by residents.
More from Malcolm Jenkins
All quotes →I grew up playing in the streets. We played two-hand touch from street pole to street pole. That's how I learned the game.
Our biggest thing is, any player who's protesting will tell you that the only reason we use the anthem is because it's a platform like no other. We use it to draw attention to other issues. We've heard from many people, 'Use a different venue. Use a different platform.' Quite frankly, this is the most effective one.
When I look at our communities, our country, our justice system, those are things I want to change and I'm committed to changing, and that's going to take sacrifice. Laying the foundation is the hardest part and requires a lot of sacrifice and time.
The people who have been unjustly disenfranchised by our criminal justice system and the people who daily fight for them always have, and always will be, the inspiration and focus of my efforts.
Communities of color have also had to watch video after video of unarmed black men and women being handled without regard for their lives or well-being. As a black man, I see these images, and I see myself; I wonder whether this will happen to me or one of my loved ones.
Similar quotes
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What does it say about our society that we invest more in a golf course than the homes of Black and brown Americans?
There are people getting screwed in our country every single second, minute, hour of the day. And if by our work, we can decrease that number, we'll make a difference; we'll be doing our jobs.
Caste is about dividing people up in ways that preclude every form of solidarity, because even in the lowest castes, there are divisions and sub-castes, and everyone's co-opted into the business of this hierarchical, silo-ised society.
'The Accursed' is very much a novel about social injustice as the consequence of the terrible, tragic division of classes - the exploitation not only of poor and immigrant workers but of their young children in factories and mills - and as the consequence of race hatred in the aftermath of the Civil War and the freeing of the slaves.
Injustice boils in men's hearts as does steel in its cauldron, ready to pour forth, white hot, in the fullness of time.