Human Struggle & Stamina

I have been hitting the same walls of how people with power are thinking, over and over. It is time to acknowledge these walls are not moving so far.

Searching for a new path to continue.  I turned to a wider community through the ages, cultures, geographies…..exploring quotes about fighting for justice, I am reminded this seems like part of our evaluation of life. I notice that there are many groups not well represented on the quote sites. This might be why the themes tend to be similar—mostly western/European/male points of view. Not new to me but still useful to be reminded that this struggle may just be part of human life for many of us.

My next search is to see if I can find quotes from less commonly represented cultures, times, geographies–maybe there is something new to help me find the way. Meanwhile courage and inspiration from quotes and this song that keeps going through my head.

Throughout history, it has been the inaction of those who could have acted; the indifference of those who should have known better; the silence of the voice of justice when it mattered most; that has made it possible for evil to triumph.

Haile Selassie

Many are attracted to social service – the rewards are immediate, the gratification quick. But if we have social justice, we won’t need social service.

Julian Bond

Where justice is denied, where poverty is enforced, where ignorance prevails, and where any one class is made to feel that society is an organized conspiracy to oppress, rob and degrade them, neither persons nor property will be safe.

Frederick Douglass

Until the great mass of the people shall be filled with the sense of responsibility for each other’s welfare, social justice can never be attained.

Helen Keller

We should have a State in which we could live and breathe as free men and which we could develop according to our own lights and culture and where principles of Islamic social justice could find free play.

Muhammad Ali Jinnah

Law and order exist for the purpose of establishing justice and when they fail in this purpose they become the dangerously structured dams that block the flow of social progress.

Martin Luther King, Jr.

The Universal Zulu Nation stands to acknowledge wisdom, understanding, freedom, justice, and equality, peace, unity, love, and having fun, work, overcoming the negative through the positive, science, mathematics, faith, facts, and the wonders of God, whether we call him Allah, Jehovah, Yahweh, or Jah.

Afrika Bambaataa

Finally, let understand that when we stand together, we will always win. When men and women stand together for justice, we win. When black, white and Hispanic people stand together for justice, we win.

Bernie Sanders

Justice in the life and conduct of the State is possible only as first it resides in the hearts and souls of the citizens.

Plato

The fight for justice against corruption is never easy. It never has been and never will be. It exacts a toll on our self, our families, our friends, and especially our children. In the end, I believe, as in my case, the price we pay is well worth holding on to our dignity.

Frank Serpico

Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice. And moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.

Barry Goldwater

In the absence of justice, what is sovereignty but organized robbery?

Saint Augustine

Revolution is about the need to re-evolve political, economic and social justice and power back into the hands of the people, preferably through legislation and policies that make human sense. That’s what revolution is about. Revolution is not about shootouts.

Bobby Seale

I encourage everyone to pay attention to the issues that matter to you, from jobs and the economy, to education and our schools, to criminal justice reform. Whatever it is that you care about, make sure you use your voice.

Two Chainz

Freedom and justice cannot be parceled out in pieces to suit political convenience. I don’t believe you can stand for freedom for one group of people and deny it to others.

Coretta Scott King

Unlike a lot of people, I don’t feel powerless. I know I can do something. But anyone can do something, it’s not about being special. It’s about deciding to do it – to dive into work for peace and justice and care for everybody on the planet.

Patch Adams

Rosa Parks was the queen mother of a movement whose single act of heroism sparked the movement for freedom, justice and equality. Her greatest contribution is that she told us a regular person can make a difference.

Marc Morial

So the people will pay the penalty for their kings’ presumption, who, by devising evil, turn justice from her path with tortuous speech.

Hesiod