John F. Kennedy Quotes

I suspect that it would be impossible to arrange an affirmative action program in a racially neutral way and have it successful. To ask that this be so is to demand the impossible.

In the long run it is more important to us as a nation to show the world that we believe in equality of opportunity, that we realize that any kind of segregation is discrimination whether it comes about because of race, color, or creed, and that we are determined to show the world that we believe in the things we preach.

Win on your merit, not your skin color.

I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.

There should be no discrimination against languages people speak, skin color, or religion.

This country demands that every race measure itself by the American standard. By it a race must rise or fall, succeed or fail…

True Americanism is opposed utterly to any political divisions resting on race and religion. To the race or to the sect, which as such attempts to take possession of the politics or the public education of the country, true Americanism says, Hands off!

Judges cannot mandate Black or Hispanic excellence.

This country's policies should be heavily biased in favor of non-discrimination.

Affirmative action is the majority’s constitutional prerogative, through the use of the democratic process—and a means of taking responsibility for the community’s past wrongdoing.

… avoid the use of language which may discriminate on grounds of race, ethnicity, gender, age or culture.

We are justified in believing that the success of this movement for equality of the sexes means more progress toward equality of the races.

The cost of remaining segregated when others integrated was too high …. Society’s best safeguard against persistent discrimination is competition.

… the color of the skin is a condition entirely to be disregarded … I have little patience with … any other tests than those of regularity, character, manhood, and intelligence.

You do not take a person who, for years, has been hobbled by chains and liberate him, bring him up to the starting line of a race and then say, “you are free to compete with all the others”, and still justly believe that you have been completely fair. Thus it is not enough just to open the gates of opportunity. All our citizens must have the ability to walk through the those gates.

I look to a day when people will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.

I think that affirmative action programs can be very important.

I want racial and gender equality.

I will be so happy when 'diversity' is not a word.

I think it's important for people of colour to have similar opportunities to white people; that's what is most important.

Diversity and inclusion are always something industries should strive for.

I want things to be great for people of color and for women.

Some kind of affirmative action is important in a democracy and for economic competitiveness and national security. The Army was the first to realize that you had to have desegregation of a military to have it working properly.

Perhaps McCain has opposed affirmative action for so long that he doesn't know it's about inviting more people to meet standards, not lowering them.

The University has a moral obligation to provide equal opportunities to women, minority persons and all other groups who work or seek to work at Harvard.