Many well-meaning intelligent people have argued since the May 17, 1954, decision of the United States Supreme Court outlawing segregation in the public schools that communication between the races has broken down.
Interpretation
The quote discusses the misguided belief that segregation's end has hindered communication between races.
Benjamin E. Mays highlights a paradox where despite the well-intentioned efforts to abolish segregation in schools, there is a perception that communication between racial groups has suffered. This suggests that legal changes alone do not necessarily bridge social divides, emphasizing the complexity of human relationships and the deeper societal issues that influence communication.
In practice
In a speech addressing community issues, one might use this quote to illustrate the complexities of racial relations post-segregation.
The tragedy of life doesn't lie in not reaching your goal. The tragedy lies in having no goal to reach. It isn't a calamity to die with dreams unfulfilled, but it is a calamity not to dream...It is not a disgrace not to reach the stars, but it is a disgrace to have no stars to reach for. Not failure, but low aim is sin.
In this perilous world, if a black boy wanted to live a halfway normal life and die a natural death he had to learn early the art of how to get along with white folks.
It isn't more light we need, it isn't more truth, and it isn't more scientific data. It is more Christ, more courage, more spiritual insight to act on the light we have.
A child must learn early to believe that she is somebody worthwhile, and that she can do many praiseworthy things.
Whatever you do,strive to do it so well that no man living and no man dead and no man yet to be born could do it any better.
He who starts behind in the great race of life must forever remain behind or run faster than the man in front.
Fear can supplant our real problems only to the extent -unwilling either to assimilate or to exhaust it -we perpetuate it within ourselves like a temptation and enthrone it at the very heart of our solitude.
The guest will judge better of a feast than the cook
If the Constitution is adopted (and it was) the Union will be in fact and in theory an association of States or a Confederacy.
There is nothing we like to communicate to others as much as the seal of secrecy together with what lies under it.
So long as you are still worried about what others think of you, you are owned by them. Only when you require no approval from outside yourself can you own yourself.
Faith is not believing that God can, but that God will.
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