If we had done the work that we should have done in the 20th century to combat our history of racial inequality, no one could win national office after demonizing people because they're Mexican or Muslim. We would be in a place where we would find that unacceptable.
Interpretation
The quote highlights the importance of addressing historical racial inequalities to create a more just society.
Bryan Stevenson emphasizes the need for society to confront and resolve the legacies of racial inequality from the past. He argues that if adequate efforts had been made in the 20th century to combat such inequalities, the current political climate, characterized by the demonization of marginalized groups like Mexicans and Muslims, would be deemed unacceptable. This statement serves as a call to action for individuals and leaders to prioritize justice and equity in order to foster a more inclusive and respectful society.
In practice
This quote can be used during a speech on social justice at a public rally.
That's my mission: I really want to get in the heads and hearts of kids and persuade them that they can believe things they haven't seen, they can do things that maybe others haven't done before them, that they are more than their worst acts.
We all have a responsibility to create a just society
One of the things that pains me is we have so tragically underestimated the trauma, the hardship we create in this country when we treat people unfairly, when we incarcerate them unfairly, when we condemn them unfairly.
Somebody has to stand when other people are sitting. Somebody has to speak when other people are quiet.
I grew up in a segregated community: I couldn't go to the public schools, beaches, certain parts of town.
The opposite of poverty is not wealth. I don't believe that. I actually think, in too many places, the opposite of poverty is justice.
For me, feminism is a movement for which the end goal is to make itself no longer needed.
It is 10 years since I used drugs or drank alcohol and my life has improved immeasurably. I have a job, a house, a cat, good friendships and generally a bright outlook.
Anyone who knows anything of history knows that great social changes are impossible without feminine upheaval. Social progress can be measured exactly by the social position of the fair sex, the ugly ones included.
Isn't it funny how day by day nothing changes, but when you look back, everything is different.
We need an energy revolution by breaking our dependence on fossil fuels, polluting fuels... I am very, very confident our small state will lead this. We will be noticed by the country and the world.
I knew hundreds and hundreds of women like me, who had traveled in and out of prison in a revolving door. They needed support and help just like I had received. And it could make a difference, just like it had made a difference in my life. I wanted to see them come back to the community and have a chance at a different life, too.
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