We can't get at crime unless we know what language it speaks. Otherwise, we are just suppressing the cough, not curing the disease.
Greg BoyleRead
Homeboy Industries has chosen to stand with the 'demonized' so that the demonizing will stop; it stands with the 'disposable' so that the day will come when we stop throwing people away.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote advocates for supporting marginalized individuals to end societal prejudice and disposability.
Greg Boyle highlights the importance of standing in solidarity with those who are often marginalized or deemed as 'disposable' by society. By choosing to uplift and defend these individuals, the hope is to foster a culture of dignity and respect, ultimately leading to a transformation in how society views and treats its most vulnerable members. The call to action is not only to stop the demonization of these people, but to recognize their humanity and worth.
Themes
SolidarityMarginalizedDignityHumanityRespect
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be shared at a community rally advocating for social justice.
More from Greg Boyle
All quotes →If there is a fundamental challenge within these stories, it is simply to change our lurking suspicion that some lives matter less than other lives.
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Relapse happens, especially when you're dealing with folks who are frankly the least likely to succeed based on their own pasts and difficulties. We can work with the most likely to succeed. I'm not interested in that.
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We ought not to demonize a single gang member, and we ought not to romanticize a single gang.
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Anyone who knows gangs knows that lawmakers cannot conceive of a law that would lead a hard-core gang member to 'think twice.'
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The idea that any law enforcement agency or person would ever know these gang members better than Homeboy Industries is impossible.
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