Bigotry Quotes

• Those who will not reason, are bigots, those who cannot, are fools, and those who dare not, are slaves.

  Lord Byron

  Inspirational, Doubt, Atheism

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• Bigotry is the disease of ignorance, of morbid minds; enthusiasm of the free and buoyant. Education and free discussion are the antidotes of both.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Education, Ignorance, Racism

  Thomas Jefferson, Joyce Appleby, Terence Ball (1999). “Jefferson: Political Writings”, p.53, Cambridge University Press

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• Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all peoples cry, laugh, eat, worry, and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends.

  Maya Angelou

  Life, Travel, Laughter

  Maya Angelou (2011). “Wouldn't Take Nothing for My Journey Now”, p.8, Bantam

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• The sad truth about bigotry is that most bigots either don't realize that they are bigots, or they convince themselves that their bigotry is perfectly justified.

  Wayne Gerard Trotman

  Realizing, Justified, Sad Truth

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• We must never remain silent in the face of bigotry. We must condemn those who seek to divide us. In all quarters and at all times, we must teach tolerance and denounce racism, anti-Semitism and all ethnic or religious bigotry wherever they exist as unacceptable evils. We have no place for haters in America -- none, whatsoever.

  Ronald Reagan

  Hater, Religious, America

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• I believe all Americans who believe in freedom, tolerance and human rights have a responsibility to oppose bigotry and prejudice based on sexual orientation.

  Coretta Scott King

  Believe, Responsibility, Rights

  "Shadow in the Land : Homosexuality in America" by William Dannemeyer, (p. 148), 1989.

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• Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.

  Mark Twain

  Travel, Fun, Adventure

  Mark Twain (2008). “The Innocents Abroad”, p.650, Velvet Element Books

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• Ignorance and bigotry, like other insanities, are incapable of self-government.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Ignorance, Government, Self

  Thomas Jefferson (1829). “Memoir, correspondence, and miscellanies from the papers of T. Jefferson”

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• Bigotry is the disease of ignorance.

  Thomas Jefferson

  Ignorance, Disease

  Thomas Jefferson, Joyce Appleby, Terence Ball (1999). “Jefferson: Political Writings”, p.53, Cambridge University Press

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• All our silences in the face of racist assault are acts of complicity.

  Bell Hooks

  Silence, Racist, Faces

  "Killing Rage: Ending Racism". Book by Bell Hooks, www.huffingtonpost.com. September 15, 1995.

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• We know that silence equals consent when atrocities are committed against innocent men, women and children. We know that indifference equals complicity when bigotry, hatred and intolerance are allowed to take root. And we know that education and hope are the most effective ways to combat ignorance and despair.

  Gabrielle Giffords

  Children, Ignorance, Men

  "Giffords Tragedy: What’s the Message to Young Women Considering Public Service?" by Gloria Feldt, www.huffingtonpost.com. January 11, 2011.

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• No mind is so good that it does not need another mind to counter and equal it, and to save it from conceit and bigotry and folly

  C. S. Lewis

  Mind, Doe, Needs

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• Whenever we discover a dislike in us, toward any one, we should ever be a little suspicious of ourselves.

  Herman Melville

  Littles, Should, Suspicious

  Herman Melville (2013). “Delphi Complete Works of Herman Melville (Illustrated)”, p.1578, Delphi Classics

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• So when you spot violence, or bigotry, or intolerance or fear or just garden-variety misogyny, hatred or ignorance, just look it in the eye and think, 'The good outnumber you, and we always will.'

  Patton Oswalt

  Inspirational, Positive, Fear

  "Celebrity Bostonians react to bombings" by Brandon Griggs, www.cnn.com. April 16, 2013.

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• Bigotry may be roughly defined as the anger of men who have no opinions.

  Gilbert K. Chesterton

  Anger, Men, May

  'Heretics' (1905) ch. 20

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• A great deal of what passes by the name of patriotism in these days consists of the merest bigotry and narrow-mindedness; exhibiting itself in national prejudice, national conceit, and national hatred. It does not show itself in deeds, but in boastings--in howlings, gesticulations, and shrieking helplessly for help--in flying flags and singing songs--and in perpetual grinding at the hurdy-gurdy of long-dead grievances and long-remedied wrongs. To be infested by such a patriotism as this is perhaps among the greatest curses that can befall any country.

  Samuel Smiles

  Country, Song, Names

  Samuel Smiles (1872). “Character”, p.27

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• Bigotry and judgment are the height of insecurity.

  Jasmine Guy

  Insecurity, Racist, Height

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• Homophobia is like racism and anti-Semitism and other forms of bigotry in that it seeks to dehumanize a large group of people, to deny their humanity, their dignity and personhood.

  Coretta Scott King

  Racism, People, Humanity

  Chicago Defender newspaper, April 01, 1998.

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• As a nation, we began by declaring that 'all men are created equal.' We now practically read it 'all men are created equal, except negroes.' When the Know-Nothings get control, it will read 'all men are created equal, except negroes, and foreigners, and Catholics.' When it comes to this I should prefer emigrating to some country where they make no pretense of loving liberty – to Russia, for instance, where despotism can be taken pure, and without the base alloy of hypocrisy.

  Abraham Lincoln

  Country, Freedom, Taken

  Letter to Joshua F. Speed, 24 Aug. 1855

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• The world in which we live would benefit greatly if men and women everywhere would exercise the pure love of Christ, which is kind, meek, and lowly. It is without envy or pride. It is selfless because it seeks nothing in return. It does not countenance evil or ill will, nor rejoice in iniquity; it has no place for bigotry, hatred, or violence. It refuses to condone ridicule, vulgarity, abuse, or ostracism. It encourages diverse people to live together in Christian love regardless of religious belief, race, nationality, financial standing, education, or culture.

  Howard W. Hunter

  Christian, Religious, Pride

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• Bigotry or prejudice in any form is more than a problem; it is a deep-seated evil within our society.

  Judith Light

  Evil Within, Prejudice, Racist

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• It is almost impossible to convince people who are under the influence of ideological bigotry that whose whom they regard as belonging to the enemy species are human.

  Louis J. Halle

  People, Enemy, Atheism

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• Superstition, bigotry and prejudice, ghosts though they are, cling tenaciously to life; they are shades armed with tooth and claw. They must be grappled with unceasingly, for it is a fateful part of human destiny that it is condemned to wage perpetual war against ghosts. A shade is not easily taken by the throat and destroyed.

  Victor Hugo

  War, Taken, Destiny

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• It is not bigotry to be certain we are right; but it is bigotry to be unable to imagine how we might possibly have gone wrong.

  Gilbert K. Chesterton

  Catholic, Doubt, Gone

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• Prejudice and bigotry are brought down...by the sheer force of determination of individuals to succeed and the refusal of a human being to let prejudice define the parameters of the possible.

  Condoleezza Rice

  Determination, Prejudice, Succeed

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