The March on Washington was a March for Jobs and Freedom. There are still too many people who are unemployed or underemployed in America - they're black, white, Latino, Native American and Asian American.
John LewisRead
People come up to me in airports, they walk into the office, and they say, 'I'm going to cry; I'm going to pass out.' And I say, 'Please don't pass out; I'm not a doctor.'
Interpretation
What this quote means
John Lewis uses humor to diffuse a tense situation where people express overwhelming emotions.
In this quote, John Lewis highlights the amusing interactions he has with people who are visibly emotional, emphasizing the absurdity of their reactions in a light-hearted manner. His response, while playful, also reflects a desire to comfort others and steer them away from panic, showcasing his humorous approach to connecting with individuals in vulnerable moments.
Themes
HumorEmotionsLightheartednessConnectionComfort
In practice
Example use cases
This quote can be shared during a speech about the importance of humor in stressful situations.
More from John Lewis
All quotes →The scars and stains of racism are still deeply embedded in the American society.
John LewisRead
Customs, traditions, laws should be flexible, within good reason, if that is what it takes to make our democracy work.
John LewisRead
I say to people today, 'You must be prepared if you believe in something. If you believe in something, you have to go for it. As individuals, we may not live to see the end.'
John LewisRead
We need someone who is going to stand up, speak up, and speak out for the people who need help, for the people who have been discriminated against.
John LewisRead
If it hadn't been for that march across the Edmund Pettus Bridge on Bloody Sunday, there would be no Barack Obama as President of the United States of America.
John LewisRead
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I would tell myself that I was about to address the largest mass assembly of idiots ever gathered in the history of mankind.
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I was kind of shy as a lad, and a lot of things that made me laugh, I found, did not make other people laugh.
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