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Laws on hate speech and hate crimes do important work in a world that has been rooted in racism and bigotry since the inception of this country, which was not founded on ideals of justice.
Deray Mckesson
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Interpretation

What this quote means

This quote highlights the crucial role of laws against hate speech and crimes in combating racism and bigotry.

Deray Mckesson's quote reflects on the historical context of racism and bigotry in America, asserting that hate speech and hate crimes legislation is essential in addressing and mitigating these deep-seated issues. It emphasizes that the foundations of the country were not based on justice, thus indicating the need for ongoing efforts to establish equality and protect marginalized communities through legal means.

Themes

Hate SpeechHate CrimesRacismBigotryJusticeLaws

In practice

Example use cases

In a speech about social justice, one might emphasize the importance of laws addressing hate speech.

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There is nothing romantic about teargas. Or smoke bombs or rubber bullets or sound cannons.
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If you close your eyes and think about where you feel the most safe, you're probably not going to tell me it's in a room full of police. You feel safe where you're around people that love you, when you have food and shelter, when you're being pushed to be your best self and learn.
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So many of us don't know what we want; we just know we don't want what we have. We spend 99% of the time talking about how bad it is, but only 1% of the time talking about how we can do something about it.
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I just couldn't believe that the police would fire tear gas into what had been a peaceful protest. I was running around, face burning, and nothing I saw looked like America to me.
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The difference between equity and equality is that equality is everyone get the same thing and equity is everyone get the things they deserve.
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