Remember and help America remember that the fellowship of human beings is more important than the fellowship of race and class and gender in a democratic society.
Marian Wright EdelmanRead
If parents snicker at racial and gender jokes, another generation will pass on the poison adults still have not had the courage to snuff out.
Interpretation
What this quote means
Ignoring prejudiced jokes allows harmful beliefs to persist across generations.
Marian Wright Edelman's quote emphasizes the responsibility of adults to confront and dismiss racial and gender jokes. When parents or guardians dismiss these jokes with laughter instead of challenge, they inadvertently propagate harmful stereotypes and prejudices to future generations, indicating a lack of courage to address societal issues directly.
Themes
PrejudiceCourageParentingJokesStereotypesResponsibility
In practice
Example use cases
In a discussion about the impact of family influence on children, this quote can highlight the importance of addressing biases.
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All quotes βFar less wealthy industrialized countries have committed to end child poverty, while the United States is sliding backwards. We can do better. We must demand that our leaders do better.
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The outside world told black kids when I was growing up that we weren't worth anything. But our parents said it wasn't so, and our churches and our schoolteachers said it wasn't so. They believed in us, and we, therefore, believed in ourselves.
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I was taught that the world had a lot of problems; that I could struggle and change them; that intellectual and material gifts brought the privilege and responsibility of sharing with others less fortunate; and that service is the rent each of us pays for living - the very purpose of life and not something you do in your spare time or after you have reached your personal goals.
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We must always refill and ensure there is a critical mass of leaders and activists committed to nonviolence and racial and economic justice who will keep seeding and building transforming movements.
Marian Wright EdelmanRead
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