We live in a society of an imposed forgetfulness, a society that depends on public amnesia.
Angela DavisRead
There is so much history of this racist violence that simply to bring one person to justice is not going to disturb the whole racist edifice.
Interpretation
What this quote means
True justice requires more than just individual accountability; systemic issues must also be addressed.
Angela Davis asserts that addressing racist violence necessitates a broader approach than merely holding one individual accountable. The quote highlights the deep-rooted nature of racism in society, suggesting that until the overall structure that preserves such violence is dismantled, true justice cannot be achieved.
Themes
JusticeRacismViolenceAccountabilitySystemic
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be used in a speech at a civil rights rally to emphasize the need for systemic change.
More from Angela Davis
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Racism is a much more clandestine, much more hidden kind of phenomenon, but at the same time it's perhaps far more terrible than it's ever been.
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Imprisonment has become the response of first resort to far too many of our social problems.
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It's true that it's within the realm of cultural politics that young people tend to work through political issues, which I think is good, although it's not going to solve the problems
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Radical simply means 'grasping things at the root.'
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