Quotessence
Home / Quotes / Quote by Spencer Tracy

Quote by Spencer Tracy

Author

Spencer Tracy
Spencer Tracy

Spencer Tracy, born on April 5, 1900, and died on June 10, 1967, was a renowned American actor. Known for his masterful acting skills and unique charm, Tracy won the hearts of countless audiences. He is one of the most influential actors in the history of American cinema, having won four Academy Awards for Best Actor and leaving a lasting impact on the film industry. more

You May Also Like

“As a nonwhite person, the General, like myself, knew he must be patient with white people, who were easily scared by the nonwhite. Even with liberal white people, one could go only so far, and with average white people one could barely go anywhere. The General was deeply familiar with the nature, nuances, and internal differences of white people, as was every nonwhite person who had lived here a good number of years. We ate their food, we watched their movies, we observed their lives and psyche via television and in everyday contact, we learned their language, we absorbed their subtle cues, we laughed at their jokes, even when made at our expense, we humbly accepted their condescension, we eavesdropped on their conversations in supermarkets and the dentist’s office, and we protected them by not speaking our own language in their presence, which unnerved them. We were the greatest anthropologists ever of the American people, which the American people never knew because our field notes were written in our own language in letters and postcards dispatched to our countries of origin, where our relatives read our reports with hilarity, confusion, and awe. Although the Congressman was joking, we probably did know white people better than they knew themselves, and we certainly knew white people better than they ever knew us.”

AmericaRaceRacismImmigrantsVietnamWhite PeopleVietnamese AmericansAsian Americans
Book:The Sympathizer
Create image

“I was doing my best imitation of a Third World child on one of those milk cartons passed around elementary schools for American children to deposit their pennies and dimes in order to help poor Alejandro, Abdullah, or Ah Sing have a hot lunch and an immunization. And I was thankful, truly! But I was also one of those unfortunate cases who could not help but wonder whether my need for American charity was due to my having first been the recipient of American aid.”

CharityVietnamVietnam WarVietnameseVietnamese Americans
Book:The Sympathizer
Create image

“It was as if every Asian in Houston was here now, with plastic gloves on, breaking apart crab legs, crawfish, mussels, and clams in quick succession. A volcanic eruption of gossip, laughter, parental lectures, and roasts and jabs at their children dominated the restaurant, while garlic noodle slurpers and the squeaky sound of mussels being eaten played in tandem all around them.”

SeafoodVietnamese AmericansFamily ReunionsClambake
Book:The Family Recipe
Create image

“DreamMakers have an insatiable appetite for new information and different perspectives. They look to everyone and every situation to learn and grow. They are multi-dimensional-deeply involved in and with their formerly, their community, the arts, and the environment, as well as their work. They derive their knowledge and wisdom for all these sources, which gives them a rich array of idea and choices.”

Optimistic People
Book:DreamMakers: Innovating for the Greater Good
Create image