Quotessence
Home / Quotes / Quote by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy

Quote by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy

“The young boys I speak with say to me: Why would I want to live in this world - where they rely on charity, dry pieces of bread and water, where they are subjected to harsh treatment, when they can be free and be the envy of their colleagues in the afterlife. They are only too eager to sign on the dotted line and join the ranks of the Taliban.”

Quote by Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy

Author

Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy
Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy

Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy is a Pakistani journalist known for her exceptional contributions to the documentary field. She is recognized internationally for her in-depth reporting on social issues in South Asia, particularly her focus on women's rights. more

You May Also Like

“The problem is that white people see racism as conscious hate, when racism is bigger than that. Racism is a complex system of social and political levers and pulleys set up generations ago to continue working on the behalf of whites at other people's expense, whether whites know/like it or not. Racism is an insidious cultural disease. It is so insidious that it doesn't care if you are a white person who likes Black people; it's still going to find a way to infect how you deal with people who don't look like you.”

“Yes, racism looks like hate, but hate is just one manifestation. Privilege is another. Access is another. Ignorance is another. Apathy is another, and so on. So while I agree with people who say no one is born racist, it remains a powerful system that we're immediately born into. It's like being born into air: you take it in as soon as you breathe.”

“It's not a cold that you can get over. There is no anti-racist certification class. It's a set of socioeconomic traps and cultural values that are fired up every time we interact with the world. It is a thing you have to keep scooping out of the boat of your life to keep from drowning in it. I know it's hard work, but it's the price you pay for owning everything.”