Judgment of the people in the situation is not helpful. How can you help them is the question. Russell Simmons More Quotes by Russell Simmons More Quotes From Russell Simmons I don't want to appease everyone. It seems very difficult to be steadfast on truth and be a politician. Russell Simmons difficult politician want I applaud what the Oscars are doing to promote diversity. I think it's great. Russell Simmons oscars diversity thinking You don't expect a 94-year-old white guy to pick "Dope," which was an awesome movie not even close to being considered by the Academy. And that's what it's all about, like, promoting people who might not otherwise get promoted and celebrating people who might not get celebrated. Russell Simmons dope white years That was never my intention to compete with the Oscars. Russell Simmons oscars intention I just try to, in my own way, contribute to making a better Hollywood, to move Hollywood to be a leader in social justice, as it always has been, and not to have any holes in their own backyard while they continue to push for equality and all the things that they always stand up for. Russell Simmons leader justice moving I think that's what made rap such a stable footprint in culture, that it's so honest. Russell Simmons rap culture thinking We need to hear everyone. We need dialogue between police and the community. They're angry. They're hurt. A dialogue can cause a shift in consciousness in the person if he's understanding you and listening. Russell Simmons community understanding hurt I feel the choices our president Barack Obama is making now are safer and better. Russell Simmons choices president feels Nowhere in the Bible, Koran, or Torah does it say, "If you curse, then you're going to hell." But everywhere it says that if you kill, you're going to wherever they send you, depending on the religion. Russell Simmons torah hell doe I know a lot of angry liberals right now. Hell, I know a lot of angry vegans. Russell Simmons vegan hell right-now I'm always surrounded by smart talented people. I had talented partners. Stan Latham for one. Talent scouts. Russell Simmons smart talent people I look for people who have insight in places where I don't. Russell Simmons insight people looks I just said let's get some poets on tv. And when they said that sounded unlikely, I made it worse. I said, no man, I want to put a bunch of black poets on stage, too. Some Latino poets who barely speak English and Asian poets who can't believe how discriminated against they are. It was luck nad being in the right place. I wasn't saying nothing somebody else wasn't saying but they wouldn't hear it from them. Russell Simmons speak-english men believe Black actors on the road, flying around the country working as poets. Those people are inspirations for millions of kids who write. Russell Simmons inspiration writing country Music is the noise that surrounds the stillness of the art form. Russell Simmons form noise art The poets who do this are uniquely conscious of this silence, this stillness. Russell Simmons poet silence conscious The soundtrack in the poetry is the soundtrack from your own heartbeat. Russell Simmons soundtracks heartbeat poetry-is Suffering will always be there. You'll always have the poor. You have to own your own progress. It is true that because of the economy and the fear factor the president [Barack Obama] is able to execute a lot of promises that it would be difficult to deliver it not for the fear factor. It's funny. He's delivering on what he promised and we call it fear. Russell Simmons progress suffering promise I mean people are sexist and racist and homophobic and violent. But I don't think of the rappers as being any more sexist or racist or homophobic than their parents. Certainly less, in all those cases, less homophobic or racist or sexist, and then less gangster than our government. It's stuff that people normally don't speak on, subjects they don't speak on, and ideas they kind of keep to themselves. Russell Simmons rapper mean thinking The best way to protect both the policemen and the community going forward is by creating a system that's just, where everyone feels safe. Russell Simmons creating community safe
