Never be bullied into silence. Never allow yourself to be made a victim. Accept no one's definition of your life; define yourself.
Harvey FiersteinRead
The real point is that you cannot harbor malice toward others and then cry foul when someone displays intolerance against you. Prejudice tolerated is intolerance encouraged. Rise up in righteousness when you witness the words and deeds of hate, but only if you are willing to rise up against them all, including your own. Otherwise suffer the slings and arrows of disrespect silently.
Interpretation
What this quote means
You cannot complain about others' intolerance if you hold onto your own prejudices. Stand against hate universally, including your own biases.
This quote emphasizes the importance of self-reflection and the necessity of confronting our own biases if we are to speak out against the intolerance of others. It asserts that holding onto malice or prejudice not only undermines our credibility when opposing hate but also contributes to a culture of intolerance. To truly rise against hatred, we must acknowledge and challenge our own prejudices, or else we risk facing the consequences of our silence and complicity.
Themes
ToleranceIntolerancePrejudiceSelf-ReflectionHateCourage
In practice
Example use cases
During a speech on social justice, this quote can be used to encourage people to examine their own beliefs.
More from Harvey Fierstein
All quotes →Accept no one's definition of your life; define yourself.
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CBS really wants me on TV. That's their aim. My aim is to have an all-gay sitcom someday, with heterosexuals as token guest stars. Let them be the next-door neighbors for a change.
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Theater is my temple and my religion and my act of faith. Strangers sit in a room together and believe together.
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Theater has to resonate in your heart in a way that movies don't.
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I really am a theater person. That means you put something out there, and you let it go. Tomorrow night is a new performance.
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