I am forced to get my living by the labour of my hand; and the sweat of my brow... for bitter bread, earned under the frowns of some who have no natural or divine right to be above me, and entirely owe their grandeur and honor to grinding the faces of the poor.
Interpretation
This quote reflects the struggle of the working class and critiques the societal structures that privilege the wealthy at the expense of the poor.
James Otis's quote encapsulates the plight of workers who toil tirelessly yet receive little recognition or reward compared to those in power who benefit from their labor. It emphasizes the injustice faced by the labor force, as their hard work is often taken for granted and exploited by the privileged elite, who owe their status to the oppression of the poor. This sentiment highlights the need for social equity and a reevaluation of the societal hierarchies that perpetuate inequality.
In practice
This quote is powerful for a labor rights speech advocating for fair wages.
There can be no prescription old enough to supersede the Law of Nature and the grant of God Almighty, who has given to all men a natural right to be free, and they have it ordinarily in their power to make themselves so, if they please.
I will to my dying day oppose with all the powers and faculties God has given me, all such instruments of slavery on the one hand, and villainy on the other, as this writ of assistance is.
If we are not represented, we are slaves.
Now, one of the most essential branches of English liberty is the freedom of one's house.
It is a clear truth that those who every day barter away other men's liberty will soon care little for their own.
An act against the Constitution is void; an act against natural equity is void.
This existence of ours is as transient as autumn clouds To watch the birth and death of beings is like looking at the movements of a dance. A lifetime is like a flash of lightning in the sky, Rushing by, like a torrent down a steep mountain.
There is but one way left to save a classic; to give up revering him and use him for our own salvation.
The most vulnerable and yet most unconquerable of things is human vanity; nay, through being wounded its strength increases and can grow to giant proportions.
The mission of the press is to spread culture while destroying the attention span.
Man prefers to blame himself for all possible sins and crimes rather than come to the conclusion that God is capable of the most flagrant injustice. I still blush every time I think of the way God makes fun of human beings, his favorite toys.
Why is a raven like a writing desk? - Mad Hatter I haven't the slightest idea. - Alice
Subscribe for the occasional hand-picked quote. No noise.