All the United States, it is a society that is split like to the bottom, that had very poor people in the country that is one of the wealthiest countries.
Interpretation
Desmond Tutu highlights the stark contrast between wealth and poverty in the United States, emphasizing societal division.
In this quote, Desmond Tutu draws attention to the significant economic disparity that exists within the United States, a nation often perceived as prosperous and affluent. He underscores the irony of a society that houses both extreme wealth and profound poverty, urging reflection on the implications of such a divide on social cohesion and justice. This statement serves as a critique of systemic inequalities and a call to acknowledge and address the struggles faced by the less fortunate in a nation celebrated for its riches.
In practice
This quote could be used during a discussion on economic inequality in a community meeting.
The fossil reserves that have already been discovered exceed what can ever be safely used. Yet companies spend half a trillion dollars each year searching for more fuel. They should redirect this money toward developing clean energy solutions
As much as the world has an instinct for evil and is a breeding ground for genocide, holocaust, slavery, racism, war, oppression, and injustice, the world has an even greateer instinct for goodness, rebirth, mercy, beauty, truth, freedom and love.
When the missionaries came to Africa they had the Bible and we had the land. They said 'Let us pray.' We closed our eyes. When we opened them we had the Bible and they had the land.
Children are a wonderful gift. They have an extraordinary capacity to see into the heart of things and to expose sham and humbug for what they are.
Religion is like a knife: you can either use it to cut bread, or stick in someone's back.
Gaza is going to test who believes in the worth of human beings.
In the plays - that's where I go crazy. But my prose has a much lighter touch; it's not trying to thrill with language, just to be more truthful. I'm not concerned with the accuracy of anything. We don't get to the truth of anything with facts.
I can recall no parallel in history where a great nation recently at war has so distinguished its former enemy commander.
Providence so orders the case, that faith and prayer come between our wants and supplies, and the goodness of God may be the more magnified in our eyes thereby.
The soul is innocent and immortal, it should never die ungodly in an armed madhouse.
Racism is a belief system. It was assembled over centuries from many component parts - bits of biblical scripture, the propaganda of the slave-owning lobby and the pseudo-science of academics working in universities in Europe and America.
As the different streams, having their sources in different places, all mingle their water in the sea; O Lord, so the different paths which men take through different tendencies, various though they appear, crooked or straight, all lead to Thee.
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