We do not need to kill or destroy to win. We are a movement that builds and not destroys. Cesar Chavez More Quotes by Cesar Chavez More Quotes From Cesar Chavez Jesus' life and words are a challenge at the same time that they are Good News. They are a challenge to those of us who are poor and oppressed. By His life He is calling us to give ourselves to others, to sacrifice for those who suffer, to share our lives with our brothers and sisters who are also oppressed. He is calling us to "hunger and thirst after justice" in the same way that we hunger and thirst after food and water: that is, by putting our yearning into practice. Cesar Chavez sacrifice brother jesus "The life of the union depends upon more people getting to share the limelight, because with the limelight also comes responsibility and with the responsibility comes a little sharing of the load." "There isn't enough money to organize poor people. There never is enough money to organize anyone. If you put it on the basis of money, you're not going to succeed." Cesar Chavez unions responsibility people A movement with some lasting organization is a lot less dramatic than a movement with a lot of demonstrations and a lot of marching and so forth. The more dramatic organization does catch attention quicker. Over the long haul, however, it's a lot more difficult to keep together because you're not building solid...A lasting organization is one in which people will continue to build, develop and move when you are not there. Cesar Chavez organization long moving There are many reasons for why a man does what de does. To be himself he must be able to give it all. If a leader cannot give it all he cannot expect his people to give anything. Cesar Chavez leadership giving men Until the chance for political participation is there, we who are poor will continue to attack the soft part of the American system - its economic structure. We will build power through boycotts, strikes, new union - whatever techniques we can develop. These attacks on the status quo will come, not because we hate, but because we know America can construct a humane society for all its citizens - and that if it does not, there will chaos. Cesar Chavez political hate america Our very lives are dependent, for sustenance, on the sweat and sacrifice of the campesinos. Children of farm workers should be as proud of their parents' professions as other children are of theirs. Cesar Chavez sweat sacrifice children There are vivid memories from my childhood-what we had to go through because of low wages and the conditions, basically because there was no union. I suppose if I wanted to be fair I could say that I'm trying to settle a personal score. I could dramatize it by saying that I want to bring social justice to farm workers. But the truth is that I went through a lot of hell, and a lot of people did. If we can even the score a little for the workers then we are doing something. Besides, I don't know any other work I like to do better than this. I really don't. Cesar Chavez memories people commitment Just as Dr. King was a disciple of Gandhi and Christ, we must now be Dr. King's disciples. Cesar Chavez humanity kings challenges Kindness and compassion towards all living things is a mark of a civilized society. Conversely, cruelty, whether it is directed against human beings or against animals, is not the exclusive province of any one culture or community of people. Cesar Chavez compassion kindness animal Concentration is inspiration. You must be completely overtaken by your work and your subject. Only then do all your influences and experience come up to the surface. Cesar Chavez experience focus inspirational I'm not going to ask for anything unless the workers want it. If they want it, they'll ask for it. Cesar Chavez workers leadership want Only when we have become nonviolent towards all life will we have learned to live well with others. Cesar Chavez live-well cruelty animal Today, the growers are like a punch-drunk old boxer who doesn't know he's past his prime. The times are changing. The political and social environment has changed. The chickens are coming home to roost - and the time to account for past sins is approaching. Cesar Chavez times-are-changing home past When you sacrifice, you force others to sacrifice. It's an extremely powerful weapon. Cesar Chavez sacrifice powerful weapons There's no reason to be non-violent. There's no challenge unless you are living for people. Cesar Chavez challenges reason people Our language is the reflection of ourselves. Cesar Chavez language reflection We are suffering. We have suffered. And we are not afraid to suffer in order to win our cause. Cesar Chavez sacrifice winning order Because we have suffered, and we are not afraid to suffer in order to survive, we are ready to give up everything - even our lives - in our struggle for justice. Cesar Chavez giving-up struggle order Through Gandhi and my own life experience, I have learned about nonviolence. I believe that human life is a very special gift from God, and that no one has a right to take that away in any cause, however just. I am convinced that nonviolence is more powerful than violence. Cesar Chavez powerful peace believe The poor, you know, have a way of solving problems...they have a tremendous capacity for suffering. And so when you build a vehicle to get something done, as we've done here in the strike and the boycott, then they continue to suffer - and maybe a little bit more - but the suffering becomes less important because they see a chance of progress; sometimes progress itself. They've been suffering all their live.s It's a question of suffering with some kind of hope now. That's better than suffering with no hope at all. Cesar Chavez progress sacrifice suffering
