"Black people are the magical faces at the bottom of society's well. Even the poorest whites, those who must live their lives only a few levels above, gain their self-esteem by gazing down on us. Surely, they must know that their deliverance depends on letting down their ropes. Only by working together is escape possible. Over time, many reach out, but most simply watch, mesmerized into maintaining their unspoken commitment to keeping us where we are, at whatever cost to them or to us (Bell)."

Source : Derrick Bell (2008). “Faces At The Bottom Of The Well: The Permanence Of Racism”, p.5, Basic Books

Derrick Bell

#Life Quotes #Self Esteem Quotes #Commitment Quotes

“It is easier to hide behind philosophical arguments, heavily footnoted for effect, than it is to admit our hurts, our confusions, our loves, and our passions in the marketplace of life's heartfelt transactions.”
“Gout is not relieved by a fine shoe nor a hangnail by a costly ring nor migraine by a tiara.”
“Don't accept that you are in crisis just because everyone says you are.”
“I once stayed in a roach-infested hotel in Istanbul for a work trip. I had to share my room with a male model, and pointedly all we talked about was our other halves.”
“I hated the whole idea of being an actress. I used to throw up before every performance and cry afterward.”
“I had been hearing on-the-ground buzz that white folks were moving to places like Bend, Oregon, and Coeur d'Alene, Idaho, and St. George, Utah. That led me to discover through census data that these towns were already extremely white and they were becoming, in most cases, even whiter. Statistics could only tell me so much; in order to get to the spirit and essence of it, I had to immerse myself.”

Source : Source: www.motherjones.com
“In general, I think very few people have a sustained interest in news.”

Source : "The Mother Jones Interview: John Hockenberry" by Ana Marie Cox, www.motherjones.com. May/June 1999.
“England did nothing in that World Cup, so why were they bringing books out? 'We got beat in the quarter-finals. I played like s**t. Here's my book.'”

Source : "Barton: fans are vicious, misled and shocking" by Louise Taylor, www.theguardian.com. November 30, 2007.

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