What most impressed me about Cuba was the optimism. Assata Shakur More Quotes by Assata Shakur More Quotes From Assata Shakur There is something about Sundiata [Acoli] that exudes calm. From every part of his being you can sense the presence of revolutionary spirit and fervor. And his love for Black people is so intense that you can almost touch it and hold it in your hand. Assata Shakur black hands people There's something about approaching 50 that's very liberating. Political struggle has always been a 24-hour-a-day job for me. I felt I could never take time out for myself. Now I feel I owe it to myself to develop in ways I've been putting off all my life. Assata Shakur political struggle jobs I believe in life. And I have seen the death parade Assata Shakur parades i-believe believe I can't do nothin except try to find cloud nine. Assata Shakur nine clouds trying Black Revolutionaries do not drop from the moon. We are created by our conditions. We are shaped by our oppression. We are being manufactured in droves in the ghetto streets, places like attica, san quetin, bedford hills, leavenworth, and sing sing. They are turning out thousands of us. Assata Shakur ghetto black moon Cuba has its own moral system and priorities. That's what keeps it going, the belief that the country can control its own destiny. Assata Shakur priorities destiny country I think that any time anybody gets rid of oppression, intervention, exploitation, cruelty - that's positive. Assata Shakur cruelty oppression thinking I had grown up at a time when people were being lynched, being attacked with water hoses. Becoming active and learning a different way of viewing my life was a healthy reaction to what I was seeing every day. Assata Shakur healthy water people I think that one of the great things that the Cuban revolution has done is preserve history. Assata Shakur revolution done thinking This planet is a wonderful place, but a vulnerable place. Assata Shakur planets vulnerable wonderful Unless you are addressing the issues people are concerned about and contributing positive direction, they'll never support you. The first thing the enemy tries to do is isolate revolutionaries from the masses of people, making us horrible and hideous monsters so that our people will hate us Assata Shakur support-you issues hate I really wanted to know what happens in a place that is trying to build socialism, that's trying to construct some form of social justice. That's trying to feed people, to make health care and education a right. Assata Shakur justice trying people My fantasy of Cuba was that everybody was going to be going around looking like Fidel, with green uniforms - and it was very different from my vision of how Cuba was going to be. Assata Shakur cuba vision different I worked, studied, mothered and continued to be an activist. I found that Cuba was much different from the US; its government was genuinely trying to erase racism. Assata Shakur government racism trying I have advocated and I still advocate revolutionary change Assata Shakur revolutionary-change revolutionary stills If the U.S. succeeds in destroying the revolution, my status will be like that of most Cubans: I'll be up a creek without a paddle. It will be devastating for people worldwide who believe in justice. Assata Shakur justice believe people I'm truly blessed, because many of my friends come to Cuba. They like it here-they can relax and not worry about drive-by shootings or getting raped. Assata Shakur relax blessed worry Every person that steps up and commits to social change helps solidify the black movement cause. It is not easy for those who fill in the leader role. Assata Shakur black roles leader I own no TV stations, or Radio Stations or Newspapers. But I feel that people need to be educated as to what is going on, and to understand the connection between the news media and the instruments of repression in Amerika. All I have is my voice, my spirit and the will to tell the truth. But I sincerely ask, those of you in the Black media, those of you in the progressive media, those of you who believe in true freedom, to publish this statement and to let people know what is happening. We have no voice, so you must be the voice of the voiceless. Assata Shakur media voice believe The U.S. doesn't recognize the laws of Cuba. They can kidnap anybody and bring them back to the States to face the so-called justice system. There's no telling what the U.S. government will do to me. I'm in constant danger; I guess I've gotten used to it. Assata Shakur government law justice
