Colum McCann Quotes

I wanted to do away with these divisions—here German, there Jews.

Patriotism is when love of your own people comes first; nationalism is when hate for people other than your own comes first.

Demonizing the other does not help our cause and does bad things to us.

A society which emphasizes uniformity is one which creates intolerance and hate.

I think patriotism is never racism.

I do not want to have anything to do with anybody who is racist or bigoted or anti-Semitic.

No nation is immune to anti-Semitism and xenophobia.

Xenophobia is dangerous, but patriotism is a good thing.

Borders I have never seen one. But I have heard they exist in the minds of some people.

Xenophobia doesn't benefit anybody unless you're playing high-stakes Scrabble.

Today a racist is synonymous with race hatred. Hating someone is a pretty unpleasant thing and few people are capable of hating others. Long-term hatred is a pathological disorder.

As a teenager I had never been able to accept the fact of having to go to the back of a bus or sit in the segregated section of a train. The first time I had been seated behind a curtain in a dining car, I felt as if the curtain had been dropped on my selfhood.

I would not be standing here today if my skin were white or my religion were Presbyterian. I am here today only because my skin is yellow and my religion is Unification Church. The ugliest things in this beautiful country of America are religious bigotry and racism.

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.

Now, the Star-Belly Sneetches had bellies with stars. The Plain-Belly Sneetches had none upon thars.

I want to be a human being, nothing more and nothing less. ... I don't suppose we can ever stop hating each other, but why encourage that by keeping the old labels with their ready-made history of millennial hate?

Hatred is not essential for nationalism. Race hatred will kill the real national spirit.

Racism is a doctrine of, by and for brutes.

I made it very clear that I rejected bigotry of all forms.

I've killed lots of Arabs in my life - and there's no problem with that.

There is no room for Donald Sterling in our league - there is no room for him.

Faced with intolerance and hatred, no debate is possible.

Who would thought only of themselves and kill their race? You would hate other people if you don't want to stay who you are.

if you learn to hate one or two persons... you'll soon hate millions of people.

Anyone who endorses violence, hatred or oppression is not welcome in America and never, ever will be!