Elizabeth Blackwell Quotes

Ignorance breeds fear and hatred.

Bigotry is the disease of ignorance.

There will always be people for whom hate is easier when it’s not backed up by anything but fear.

It was obvious that bigotry was never a one-way operation, that hatred bred hatred!

Folks never understand the folks they hate.

The most violent element in society is ignorance.

Aversion toward the blind exists for the same reason that most prejudices exist: lack of knowledge. Ignorance is a powerful generator of fear. And fear slides easily into aggression and contempt.

The roots of homophobia are fear. Fear and more fear.

The singular evil of our time is prejudice. It is from this evil that all other evils grow and multiply.

The tools of conquest do not necessarily come with bombs and explosives and fallout. There are weapons that are simply thoughts, attitudes, prejudices, to be found only in the minds of men. For the record, prejudices can kill, and suspicion can destroy. And a thoughtless, frightened search for a scapegoat has a fallout all of its own

Color prejudice and religion are akin in one respect. Some folks have it and some don't, and the kernel that is responsible for it is present in us all.

In the days when hyenas of hate suckle the babes of men, and jackals of hypocrisy pimp their mothers’ broken hearts, may children not look to demons of ignorance for hope.

There's a difference between racism and "I don't know any better. I'm clueless." Racism is like, "I'm trying to make you feel bad." That's racism.

The stain of prejudice is often indelible.

Prejudices of all kinds have their strongest holds in the minds of the vulgar and the ignorant.

Truth is too weak to combat prejudice.

I was never concretely aware of the extent of anti-Semitism in the United States and in the upper levels of the State Department.

The worst mistake I made was that stupid, suburban prejudice of anti-Semitism.

If you belonged to a political party or a social club that was tied to as much bigotry, misogyny, homophobia, violence, and sheer ignorance as religion is, you'd resign in protest.

Prejudice is the child of ignorance.

Prejudices are not easily got rid of as an old coat which is no longer thought of.

The violence in the world comes about because we human beings are forever creating barriers between men who are like us and men who are not like us.

Teaching prejudice to a child is itself a form of bullying. You've got to be taught to hate.

Prejudices are what fools use for reason.

At my advanced age, I know I am not an anti-Semite, not even vaguely or remotely, but others would seem to know better, as false accusers always do.