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Culture

10 Infamous Quotes That Are Relevant Right Now

This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UCD chapter.

When things could not possibly get any worse, they did. My heart goes out to George Floyd, his family and friends, and especially those who must still fight for equality. It saddens me to live in a world where  the efforts of millions have still not brought justice for the Black Lives Matter movement. While it is easy to fight violence with violence, it is important to remember that words can speak louder than actions. Here are a few quotes with some extremely powerful words to fuel your fight.

1) “Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” –Martin Luther King Jr.

2) “People learn to hate, and if they learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than it’s opposite.” –Nelson Mandela

3) “We’ve all got light and dark inside us. What matters is the part we choose to act on. That’s who we really are.” –Sirius Black, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

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4) “If you are afraid to use your voice, give up your seat at the table.” –Michelle Obama

5) “We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” –Elie Wiesel

6) “Justice will not be served until those who are unaffected are as outraged as those who are.” –Benjamin Franklin

7) “Unless someone like you cares a whole awful lot, nothing is going to get better. It’s not.” –The Lorax

8) “I am no longer accepting the things I cannot change. I am changing the things I cannot accept.” –Angela Y. Davis

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9) “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor.” –Desmond Tutu

10) If you can’t fly, run. If you can’t run, walk. If you can’t walk, crawl. But by all means keep moving.” –Martin Luther King Jr.

I hope in the future we can drive out ALL prejudice, but first we must focus on those that need help now. There are several petitions to sign and foundations to give to. Anything helps, no matter how small the effort.

Lauren Wharton is a third year UC Davis student majoring in Animal Sciences. In her free time, she enjoys weightlifting, CrossFit, eating copious amounts of Halo Top, and spending time with her family, friends, and Shiba Inu, Mable.
Drew Watson studies English at UC Davis. She enjoys reading young adult fantasy, listening to old school R&B, and watching cartoons! Drew is interested in a career in education, or editing/publishing after college, and is hoping to explore all of her options while at Davis.