Journalism is not a precise science, it's a crude art
Covering the civil-rights movement was a mind- and eye-opener for me. Houston was a segregated society, as was Texas as a whole - some of it by law, a lot of it by fear and tradition. But there was no violence where I lived, and if there was hate, it was either concealed from me or I just didn't recognize it.
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote reflects on the realization of segregation and social injustices experienced during the civil rights movement.
In his reflection, Dan Rather describes how the civil rights movement opened his mind to the realities of segregation and racial discrimination present in Houston and Texas at large. He acknowledges that while some aspects of segregation were legally enforced, much of it stemmed from deep-rooted fear and tradition, highlighting the underlying hate that might have been either hidden from him or unrecognized in his upbringing, illustrating the complexity of societal issues and the evolution of awareness.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about social justice during a community gathering.
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