When a man or woman, young, or old, takes a place on the picket line for even a day or two, he will never be the same again.
Interpretation
Taking a stand for one's beliefs transforms a person's perspective and commitment to social justice.
Cesar Chavez's quote highlights the profound impact that participating in activism, such as standing on a picket line, can have on an individual. It suggests that even a brief engagement in the struggle for rights and justice can lead to lasting changes in a person's understanding and dedication to these causes, underlining the transformative power of collective action and courage in the face of adversity.
In practice
In a speech about social responsibility, one might use this quote to encourage young people to stand up for their beliefs.
I became a vegetarian after realizing that animals feel afraid, cold, hungry and unhappy like we do. I feel very deeply about vegetarianism and the animal kingdom. It was my dog Boycott who led me to question the right of humans to eat other sentient beings.
I think one of the great, great problems...is confusing people to the point where they become immobile. In fact, the more things people can find out for themselves, the more vigor the organization is going to have.
In the final analysis it doesn't really matter what the political system is...We don't need perfect political systems; we need perfect participation.
There is enough love and good will in our movement to give energy to our struggle and still have plenty left over to break down and change the climate of hate and fear around us.
Our union represents a breaking away...represents sharing a power, represent questioning, represents a new force...however long it takes, we are geared for a struggle.
Every time we sit at a table at night or in the morning to enjoy the fruits and grain and vegetables from our good earth, remember that they come from the work of men and women and children who have been exploited for generations.
Overcoming difficulties leads to courage, self-respect, and knowing yourself.
We were marooned in a frozen desert. There was not a sign of life on the horizon and a thousand signs of death... The marvel is we did not all die of cold.
O God of battles! steel my soldiersβ hearts. Possess them not with fear.
Tonight, savagery in the streets of Iraq. Ten Americans die in a single day, four of them civilians murdered, mutilated and dragged through the streets....What drives American civilians to risk death in Iraq? In this economy it may be, for some, the only job they can find.
Heroes are those who can somehow resist the power of the situation and act out of noble motives, or behave in ways that do not demean others when they easily can.
Battling racism and battling heterosexism and battling apartheid share the same urgency inside me as battling cancer.
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