The methods of peaceful protests are not capable of being effective, because in reality most people pay little attention to things that are not abrasive. Assata Shakur More Quotes by Assata Shakur More Quotes From Assata Shakur When Black people seriously organize and take up arms to fight for our liberation, there will be a lot of white people who will drop dead from no other reason than their own guilt and fear. Assata Shakur fighting white people I think that spirituality is important for all people to develop. I don't mean there necessarily has to be a religious aspect to spirituality. Some people are spiritual in a religious way, other people are spiritual in their work and in their art and in their treatment of other people. Assata Shakur religious spiritual art People think that in order for something to work, it has to be complicated, but a lot of times the opposite is true. We usually reach success by putting the simple truths that we know into practice. Assata Shakur simple order thinking If you're deaf, dumb, and blind to what's happening in the world, you're under no obligation to do anything. But if you know what's happening and you don't do anything but sit on your ass, then you're nothing but a punk Assata Shakur blind dumb world I was sentenced to life plus 30 years by an all-White jury. What I saw in prison was wall-to-wall Black flesh in chains. Women caged in cells. But we're the terrorists. It just doesn't make sense. Assata Shakur wall cells years And if I know anything at all, it's that a wall is just a wall and nothing more at all. It can be broken down. Assata Shakur wall broken knows I think that the greatest betrayal that a revolutionary can participate in is to become like the people you are struggling against. To become like your persecutors. I think that is a betrayal and a sin. Assata Shakur betrayal struggle thinking We're living in a very tricky world, and unless we become analytical and expose the tricknology, people will become sucked into that. It is very easy, it is very, very easy. Assata Shakur easy people world My life wasn't beautiful and creative before I became politically active. My life was totally changed when I began to struggle. Assata Shakur creative struggle beautiful It is the obligation of every person who claims to oppose oppression to resist the oppressor by every means at his or her disposal. Not to engage in physical resistance, armed resistance to oppression, is to serve the interests of the oppressor; no more, no less. There are no exceptions to the rule, no easy out. Assata Shakur exception-to-the-rule resistance mean I have been a political activist most of my life and many groups have attempted to label me as a criminal because of my outspoken beliefs. I am not a criminal and I have never been one. Assata Shakur criminals groups political The more you understand what you're dealing with, the stronger you get. People see fear as a bad thing. Fear is healthy when you're dealing with Amerika. But when fear controls you, when you're afraid to struggle fear is a bad thing. I'm more afraid of what will happen if I don't struggle, than what will happen if I do Assata Shakur healthy struggle people That was one of the big problems in the [Black Panther] Party. Criticism and self-criticism were not encouraged, and the little that was given often wasn’t taken seriously. Constructive criticism and self-criticism are extremely important for any revolutionary organization. Without them, people tend to drown in their mistakes, not learn from them. Assata Shakur party taken mistake I realized that I was connected to Africa. I wasn't just a Colored girl. I was part of a whole world that wanted a better life. I'm part of a majority and not a minority. My life has been a life of growth. If you're not growing, you're not going to understand real love. If you're not reaching out to help others then you're shrinking. My life has been active. I'm not a spectator Assata Shakur girl real helping-others I found that people had all kinds of levels of consciousness, all kinds of levels of education, but that Cubans in general were very educated politically. I could go sit in a bus and get into a conversation with someone and that person had a wealth of knowledge. And energy! Assata Shakur wealth-of-knowledge energy people To have one's race brutally treated for so many years, even after the end of slavery and segregation, people are going to rise up with violence to attain what they believe is rightfully theirs. The most important thing at this time is raising the awareness of everyone; people need to be educated everywhere about all aspects of racism and how it affects people still today. Assata Shakur race believe years We are pregnant with freedom. Assata Shakur pregnant The people who are running this planet are insane - they are literally destroying it. I don't know where they think they're gonna drink water, breathe air. Assata Shakur air running thinking I couldn't see how we could seriously struggle without having a strong sense of collectivity, without being responsible FOR each other and TO each other. Assata Shakur responsible strong struggle There is a down side to everything if you don't understand what the consequences of what you are saying in your music you could possibly end up getting yourself killed or hurting other people because of your carelessness. Assata Shakur hurt sides people
