When the scary subject of race is finally broached, kids want to talk and talk. It's very satisfying.
Ruby BridgesRead
Racism is a form of hate. We pass it on to our young people. When we do that, we are robbing children of their innocence.
Interpretation
Racism harms individuals and perpetuates hatred, affecting the innocence of children.
In this quote, Ruby Bridges emphasizes that racism is not only an expression of hate but also a harmful legacy passed down to future generations. By fostering a culture of racism, society robs children of their natural innocence, influencing their perceptions and interactions in a way that can perpetuate division and negativity. This highlights the need for awareness and change to protect the purity of childhood and promote acceptance over hate.
In practice
In a speech about social justice, one could use this quote to highlight the impact of racism on future generations.
When the scary subject of race is finally broached, kids want to talk and talk. It's very satisfying.
I felt like there was something I needed to do - speaking to kids and sharing my story with them and helping them understand racism has no place in the minds and hearts of children.
Schools should be diverse if we are to get past racial differences.
I've seen schools in Detroit where the windows are broken, where there's no heat, and children are sitting with their coats on in class in the middle of a snowstorm. I've also seen schools in California with Olympic-sized swimming pools and cafeterias like five-star restaurants.
Throughout my life, my prayers have actively sustained me - held me up, carried me through.
My message is really that racism has no place in the hearts and minds of our children.
When it comes to everybody else's thing and their lane and their timing, I'm never doing anything intentional to, like, come after somebody. That will always be my biggest mistake or anybody's biggest mistake if that's their intention.
Many Palestinians have been living for decades in camps, disconnected from the environment in which they grew up, wallowing in poverty, in neglect, alienation, bitterness, and a deep, unrelenting sense of humiliation.
Such lonely, lost things you find on your way. It would be easier, if you were the only one lost. But lost children always find each other, in the dark, in the cold. It is as though they are magnetized and can only attract their like. How I would like to lead you to brave, stalwart friends who would protect you and play games with dice and teach you delightful songs that have no sad endings. If you would only leave cages locked and turn away from unloved Wyverns, you could stay Heartless.
If it is possible, as far as it depends on you, live at peace with everyone.
Making the majors is not as hard as staying there, staying interested day after day. It's like being married. The hardest part is to stay married.
Don't flatter yourselves that friendship authorizes you to say disagreeable things to your intimates. On the contrary, the nearer you come into relation with a person, the more necessary do tact and courtesy become.
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