“Never mind that from the 1600s until the late twentieth century the population the United States was 85% white, 12% black, and there have been changes demographically in the United States since the days of its founding. So they're trying to tell you that the United States' greatness happened because of diversity. Well, go back and look at the days the country was founded, and they do. When they do that, they see how racist and bigoted this country was. they see the seeds for bigotry and racism and discrimination were sown at the founding, is how it's now taught.” TryingMindWellsLooksHas BeensCountryStatesBlackWhiteUnitedUnited StatesHappenedCenturyGreatnessTaughtDiversityLateRacismPopulationSeedsDiscriminationRacistBigotryFoundingTwentieth Century Author:Rush Limbaugh
“Diversity means, when the left teaches it, the people responsible for building America and maintaining it get the short end of the stick from now on. With this singular American culture that people came and wanted to be part of, they were proud, couldn't wait to become Americans, tears in their eyes when it happened. It was a special place. Defending it now, defending that America, defending our cultural, defending our founding, defending all of the things that made this country great is now called racism or xenophobia or hate.” PeopleMeanMadeEndsCountryEyeWantedAmericaHateCultureLeftWaitingTeachHappenedSpecialTearsBuildingProudDiversityRacismResponsibleSticksFoundingMaintainingAmerican CultureXenophobiaSpecial Places Author:Rush Limbaugh
“We got a wonderful present from Stalin and Hitler that they never meant to give us. We were immune for 60 years or so to aggression, racism and militarism. They made us partly immune to these things. Now it appears this Stalin-Hitler present has reached its expiration date. We were spoiled by this. So maybe we are just emerging out of a relatively golden age.” GivingYearsMadeAgeWonderfulRacismGoldenAggressionEmergingImmuneSpoiledGolden AgeMilitarismStalin And Hitler Author:Amos Oz
“Until we have a serious discussion, this problem [racism] will continue to occur.” ProblemSeriousRacismDiscussion Author:Ilyasah Shabazz
“Malcolm X finally became the person he was meant and raised to be. He fought against the forces of racism to return to that. Malcolm wanted to inspire other people to find their own strength.” PeoplePersonsWantedForceInspireReturnRacismRaisedInspire Others Author:Kekla Magoon
“Racism in our countries is a fact in that the indian is not allowed to be a politician or aspire to being head of state. It has reached the point that 99% of the indigenous women have not gone to school. The indigenous are condemned to live in a situation designed to exterminate them. They receive a pittance of a salary, they neither speak nor write the language, politics dictates their situation. Is this slavery? I don't know what it's called. It is not the same as before because we are in modern times.” KnowsWritingCountryStatesFactsSchoolSpeakLanguageSituationGoneModernPoliticianRacismSlaveryOur CountryIndianAspireIndigenousSalaryModern TimesHead Of State Author:Rigoberta Menchu
“I look at racism as one of the social demons. And, in its worst, it's violent and it's a systemic commitment to oppression.” LooksSocialWorstRacismCommitmentViolentOppressionDemon Author:Jordan Peele
“The way racism works in Canada, it's very subtle. You may feel you're a victim of racism or have experienced racism, but you can't necessarily prove it - unless you get a [white] friend to go check out that rental, go check out that job, whatever. Unless you're willing to really dig to prove you're a victim of racism, it might be difficult to do that. And so what you're dealing with then is feeling, it's emotion.” WayFeelsMayFeelingsMightJobsDifficultWhiteEmotionWillingProveRacismVictimChecksCanadaSubtleProve It Author:George Elliott Clarke
“Even though I'm appalled when racism surfaces, and I personally don't agree with certain policy solutions and a lot of what they believe in, as someone who is very concerned about reinvigorating democracy the Tea Parties are an answer to what I asked for.” BelieveCertainAnswersPartyDemocracyPolicyRacismSolutionsConcernedAgreeSurfaceTeaTea Party Author:Naomi Wolf
“I don't really know exactly how it happened but I don't like the idea that I would ever have said I'm going to write about racism or puberty or bullying.” KnowsWritingSaidIdeasHappenedRacismBullyingPuberty Author:Judy Blume
“Part of our identity is the idea that racism is still there and that we are vulnerable to it. So, the question is, 'How vulnerable?' In other words, is it really a problem for us, or is it just a small thing. How do you evaluate racism in America on a scale of 1 to 10? My suspicion is that most blacks overrate it a bit. Not to say it's not there, but we overrate it because this masking is part of our relationship to the larger society. This is a way we keep whites on the hook. We keep them obligated, and we keep ourselves entitled. There's an incentive, you see, to inflate it a little bit.” WayLittlesStillsIdeasProblemAmericaBitsIdentityLittle BitRacismScalesVulnerableOur RelationshipSuspicionEntitledHookIncentivesSmall ThingsEvaluateRacism In America Author:Shelby Steele
“If you're getting harassed, it's not helpful to know that racism has generally declined in America, when you're still experiencing it. That is a reality that we're still vulnerable to.” IfsKnowsStillsRealityAmericaRacismVulnerableHelpful Author:Shelby Steele
“We have laws on the books. If somebody's discriminating against you, I strongly advocate suing them. That's the most effective thing you can do in terms of fighting racism. People understand that they're vulnerable to lawsuit.” PeopleIfsBookLawFightingTermCan DoRacismVulnerableLawsuitSuing Author:Shelby Steele
“Racism is the most divisive force in our society, so until it is dealt with we cannot hope for much.” ForceRacismOur Society Author:Michael Yates
“I think the two issues, racism and chauvinism, are linked. Look at how much weaker was support for U.S. actions in Iraq among black people.” PeopleThinkingLooksTwoActionBlackSupportIssuesRacismIraqBlack PeopleLinkedChauvinism Author:Michael Yates
“I was born in the late '70s and grew up in the deep South, and I was very much still of an era where racism was a casual part of white people's public and private lives, though it had been pushed more into its own little echo chamber by then. As a five year old, I saw a fully costumed Klan circle, complete with burning cross, on a town square in rural Alabama at high noon.” PeopleYearsLittlesStillsBornWhiteFiveSawsGrewLateGrew UpRacismCrossesTownsSouthCirclesBurningErasFive YearsSquaresEchoesChamberPrivate LifeCasualNoonAlabamaFive Year Olds Author:Nate Powell
“The biggest thing is we need to stop acting like racism don't exist.” NeedsActingRacism Author:Lil Rel Howery
“People thought once Obama got into office that racism was over with. But, what we ended up learning was that it just came more into the light.” PeopleLightOfficeRacism Author:Lil Rel Howery
“Is it different to come out now than it was to come out thirty-five years ago? Sometimes. But if you come out now and you come from poverty and you come from racism, you come from the terror of communities that are immigrant communities or communities where you're already a moving target because of who you are, this is not a place where it's any easier to be LGBT even if there's a community center in every single borough.” IfsYearsDifferentSometimesMovingCommunityPovertyFiveEasierRacismYears AgoWho You AreTerrorThirtyFive YearsImmigrantsTargetLgbtCommunity Centers Author:Amber Hollibaugh
“I warn young people that I interact with about this - you get into unrealistic expectations where you think that, "Oh, we're gonna eliminate racism like that. After Obama's elected how could there be any racism?".” PeopleThinkingYoungRacismExpectationsUnrealistic Expectations Author:Barack Obama
“In the West or anywhere else, the treatment of people in an undignified way (structural and institutionalized racism against Latinos or African American citizens) as well as a dangerous dehumanization of some people (in Palestine, Iraq, Africa or Asia) are simply unacceptable.” PeopleWayWellsDangerousCitizensRacismWestIraqAfrican AmericanTreatmentAsiaPalestineLatinoAmerican CitizensDehumanization Author:Tariq Ramadan
“Shouldn't the American leadership be addressing what is happening in America, with its domestic policies on racism, discrimination, illegal monitoring, solitary confinement, torture, Guantanamo Bay and any other social and political issues related to the American society not directly connected to Islam? American Muslims must speak out and be involved as well in international policies and, through their institutions, they should raise their voice. This is the way you serve the community.” WayShouldWellsAmericaPoliticalSpeakSocialVoiceCommunityIssuesPolicyInvolvedRacismHappeningsRaisesInstitutionsIslamInternationalConnectedDiscriminationRelatedTortureIllegalSolitarySpeaks OutAmerican SocietyConfinementMonitoringGuantanamoPolitical IssuesSolitary ConfinementGuantanamo BayAmerican LeadershipDomestic Policy Author:Tariq Ramadan
“One of the ongoing crises in America is institutional racism. We have a very broken criminal justice system. We live in a country where there are more people in jail than any other country on Earth. There are some 2.2 million people currently incarcerated and they are disproportionally African American and Hispanic. Unarmed African Americans have been abused and sometimes killed while in police custody. Clearly these are issues that must be dealt with and changed.” PeopleHas BeensCountrySometimesEarthAmericaJusticeMillionsIssuesChangedBrokenRacismPoliceCrisisCriminalsAfrican AmericanJailOther CountriesOngoingJustice SystemHispanicCriminal JusticeCriminal Justice SystemUnarmedCustodyInstitutional Racism Author:Bernie Sanders
“You never really saw the racism in Europe in the past because it was so homogeneous. When everyone is blonde and blue-eyed, you don't see racism. But as soon as there was the beginnings of immigration, it just came out very dramatically.” PastSawsRacismEuropeBlueImmigrationBlondeHomogeneousBlue Eyed Author:Noam Chomsky
“A part of being black in America and, you know, I presume being any minority, is constantly being told that we're being too aware of race somehow, we're obsessed with it or we're seeing racism where there just isn't racism.” KnowsAmericaBlackRaceSeeingRacismObsessedMinorities Author:Jordan Peele
“Even in the era of the first black president, racism is still the most intractable issue in USA. Regarding poverty, half of all Americans are either in or near poverty. Poverty is certainly worse for African-Americans now than it was during King's lifetime.” FirstsStillsBlackPresidentHalfPovertyIssuesKingsRacismLifetimeAfrican AmericanErasUsa Author:Tavis Smiley
“If there had been a charismatic figure in the United States who could mobilize fears, anger, racism, a sense of loss of the future that belongs to us, this country could be in real danger. We're lucky that there never has been an honest, charismatic figure. McCarthy was too much of a thug, you know? Nixon was too crooked. Trump, I think, is too much of a clown. So, we've been lucky.” IfsThinkingKnowsHas BeensRealCountryStatesLossUnitedUnited StatesToo MuchHonestFiguresDangerTrumpLuckyRacismClownCrookedThugCharismaticHug You Author:Noam Chomsky
“All of my history as an African-American woman, as a Jewish woman, as a Muslim woman. I'm bringing everything I ever knew, and all the stories I've read - everything good, strong, kind and powerful. I bring it all with me into every situation, and I will not allow my life to be minimized by anybody's racism or sexism or ageism.” KindStoriesStrongPowerfulSituationRacismAfrican AmericanSexismAmerican WomanAfrican American WomenAgeismMuslim Women Author:Maya Angelou
“We do not put enough emphasis on early childhood years. We neglect children in this society; as a society we're guilty of child neglect. If we could eliminate the vestiges of racism, if we could develop a more powerful agenda for child care, child development, and a more powerful education system, we could prevent a lot of the incapacities which in turn tend to generate structural unemployment.” ChildrenEnoughCarePowerfulChildhoodRacismGuiltyNeglectEducation SystemEarly Childhood Author:Bruce Babbitt
“First and foremost, I want people to have a good read, because I want everything I write to entertain people. There are always different layers to the story, though, so if you want to think about social justice, or sexism or racism or homophobia, or really drill down into why the world is a better place when the police force looks like the people they are policing, then that's there, too.” PeopleThinkingWorldWritingDifferentJusticeRacismPoliceSocial JusticeSexismHomophobia Author:Karin Slaughter
“I have touched here on a problem that is masked if one speaks of racism. And that is the fact that the major differences between the established and outsiders group, which create tension and irritation, is not the form of the face or the skin color but the form of behavior: something learned. The form of behavior and feeling, of sentiment, is different in the immigrant groups from that of the established groups, and that may give rise to an enormous irritation.” GivingDifferentFeelingsProblemSpeakBehaviorRacismSkinsTensionSentimentsOutsiders Author:Norbert Elias
“Donald Trump is american neo-fascist. The word "neo" meaning "new", has a lot to do with it, a new kind of fascist in our culture, dealing with an authoritarian demagogic point of view, nativist, anti-immigrant, racism, bigotry that he appeals to.” KindCultureRacismPoint Of ViewBigotry Author:Carl Bernstein
“A lot of people felt defeated and hopeless by Trump's election. But I feel his election should energize people to resist apathy, ignorance, sexism, xenophobia, and racism.” PeopleIgnoranceRacismElectionHopelessSexismApathyDefeated Author:Shepard Fairey
“I don't understand racism. I have many black friends and many others have been my opponents. Respect is basic. Unfortunately racism is a social problem, and football belongs to society.” ProblemBlackFootballRacism Author:Francesco Totti
“When you’re young, your world is pretty limited. My parents, my family, my church dominated my world. And because Birmingham was so segregated, I didn’t really have to encounter the slings and arrows of racism on a daily basis. Obviously, from time to time I did, like when my parents took me to see Santa Claus and he wasn’t letting black children sit on his knee. But my parents tried to insulate me as much as they could.” WorldChildrenParentBlackChurchRacismMy FamilySanta ClausSlings And Arrows Author:Condoleezza Rice
“Acknowledging the realities of structural and institutional racism is hard for conscionable white people. It might ask them to consider how they're personally implicated, or have gained from systems that have oppressed and rejected others. It might require them to take a next step. It's easier to say, "I don't see race," or to dismiss the Black Lives Matter movement as structureless and theatrical than to embrace and promote its most basic premise, which is to believe that black lives have worth.” PeopleBelieveRealityBlackRacismEmbraceRejectedOppressedTheatrical Author:Emily Raboteau
“We hide our racism. We just go on about our lives - may I say, white Canadians go on about their lives. African-Canadians understand racism, Indigenous Canadians understand racism: they see it all the time, they live with it.” RacismIndigenous Author:Constance Backhouse
“White people are so unappreciative, they don't even acknowledge and understand what it means to be white in Canada, and all the layers of privilege that come with that. So they're shocked when somebody says, 'What just happened is racist,' and they said, 'Oh no, couldn't possibly be.' They see racism as people with KKK gowns and pointy hoods with eyes cut out. And we had those too.” PeopleMeanEyeCuttingRacismAcknowledgeRacistHood Author:Constance Backhouse
“The Nova Scotian black community always remembered Viola Desmond - they didn't lose track of her, ever. Her memory was very much alive there, but the rest of us didn't know anything about her. It's just so typical of Canadians that we know Rosa Parks, in that "bad country to the south of us" - they needed this lovely, courageous woman to sit down in the front of the bus - but we wouldn't know ours, because of course we "don't have racism in Canada."” CountryBlackCommunityMemoriesRacismTrackLovelyCourageousBusRosaViola Author:Constance Backhouse
“There is a certain amount of racist behaviour, a certain amount of this mindset, in the darker recesses of every community. It needs to be called what it is, which is vile and hateful. It's starting a national conversation, which is probably long overdue. Because we do, as a country, have an awkward problem with a certain amount of racism in the hearts of I believe a small number of people, but I still believe we have to chase it out.” PeopleBelieveHeartLongCountryProblemI BelieveCommunityRacismMindsetRacistAwkwardHatefulI Still Believe Author:Don Iveson
“Mainstream Canadians, what some might call the dominant culture, like to think this racism doesn't happen. It's important to remind people that it does and that we have work to do to end it.” PeopleThinkingImportantCultureRacism Author:Don Iveson
“A lot of people thought oh, we caught the dictionary in racism, or all it takes is a whole bunch of people saying that a word is bad for the dictionary to change it. That's not the case. For nude, things that are called nude color, that color palate has broadened very recently, in the last maybe seven to 10 years, and now covers all skin tones.” PeopleRacismSkinsSevenDictionary Author:Kory Stamper
“I think everyone is "racist," to differing degrees, in that everyone's brain will automatically associate information with other information, based on the information they are looking at, but I think focusing on race in any manner that isn't neutral or self-aware probably increases racism.” ThinkingBrainRacismRacist Author:Tao Lin
“Most people will agree that they would like if they were treated by other people based on what they have concretely done in their life, not what other people have done, with their lives. Focusing on being a person instead of an Asian or an anything seems to promote a worldview that encourages people to treat others based on what each person has specifically done in their life, which seems like it would reduce such things as war, racism, unfairness, "hate crimes".” PeopleWarDoneHateCrimeRacismAgreeWorldviewUnfairness Author:Tao Lin
“There's still massive racism in the United States today that is rooted in sexual fears, but it's at least considered unacceptable. In Israel it's a mainstream phenomenon that's encouraged and supported by the state because it supports Israel's demographic imperative in its ethnocratic political structure.” TodayPoliticalSupportRacismPhenomenonIt Support Author:Max Blumenthal
“The racism is so profound and the recognition - the kind of deep recognition that you have to humiliate. It's not about to killing or torture. It's to humiliate. So the oppressed feel degraded. And both the oppressed understand and the oppressors understand. It's constant.” KindRacismProfoundKillingRecognitionTortureOppressedHumiliate Author:Noam Chomsky
“My mom experienced racism. She was harassed by the KKK several times. And I experienced racism myself, growing up. In New Jersey, we had trash thrown on our lawn every day. And we had the lines to our Christmas lights cut three years in a row. We just stopped putting up Christmas lights after that. That's probably why I still don't put up any lights during the holidays.” Growing UpCuttingMomRacismMy MomHoliday Author:Aldis Hodge
“I'll always remember the phrase of my husband: "Racism is never surprising, but it is always disappointing." Anytime I see it or I feel it, that quote comes back. This is something that has to be constantly talked about in order to be changed.” RememberChangedHusbandRacismMy HusbandDisappointing Author:Ashley Graham
“It's a cause for great concern because a lot of people have said and done repulsive things in terms of racism and misogyny and marginalizing people - it's really come to fruition, something I've spent the last 21 years of my life trying to expose and educate people on. This really is kind of a dream scenario for white nationalists at the moment.” PeopleTryingKindDoneMomentsDreamTermRacismConcernEducateMisogyny Author:Christian Picciolini
“We've seen hate groups rise across the country. But we've also seen an increase in the average person, who looks like your doctor, your lawyer, your mechanic, your dentists, starting to say the same types of rhetoric. Sometimes it's a little bit more polished, something the average person who has underlying racism can attach himself to. I'm less concerned about skinheads and Klansmen now than the average person who feels emboldened, and the militia and sovereign-citizen groups who are certainly tied to white supremacist organizations, training in paramilitary camps.” CountrySometimesHateLike YouRacismTrainingConcernedLawyerRhetoricMechanicDentist Author:Christian Picciolini