Tarana Burke Quotes

Taught to regard a part of our own Species in the most abject and contemptible Degree below us, we lose that Idea of the dignity of Man which the Hand of Nature had implanted in us, for great and useful purposes.

Put people first.

There is always a human being behind the titles and the status.

Denying any person their humanity is a game we should all stop playing.

To be seen to be human, provided you're doing your job at the same time, is definitely not a negative, not at all.

I cannot abide anyone treating another human being like a piece of dirt, whatever the context.

And every human being is precious.

In real life, the most practical advice for leaders is not to treat pawns like pawns, nor princes like princes, but all persons like persons.

We must never relinquish the vision of a humane society and a humane world.

Everyone's values are defined by what they will tolerate when it is done to others.

But, you know, the issues of humanity and what is fair treatment and good treatment of a fellow human being should not really be based on a personal sense of right and wrong or judgment.

I'm a human being before anything else.

Our country is not the only thing to which we owe our allegiance. It is also owed to justice and to humanity.

I'd like to be remembered as somebody who tried to promote justice.

This hour we are stretching forth our hands with the desire to teach the world the true principles of mercy and justice.

I cannot do the piece-of-talking-meat thing, the 'Here's your money, wear a pretty dress and take the cheque.' I'm not made that way. I have to be as good as I can be at whatever I do.

I don't use the word 'artists' lightly.

On the contrary, if they are treated with justice and humanity, proper example and the advantages of education given them, the coming years will be as bright and prosperous to the unfortunate race as the past has been dark and painful.

I think it's a very central tenet to it yes, it is. I can't bear it, I can't bear inequality, I can't bear bad behaviour to other people. I cannot bear it that people are mean to people who can't help what they are.

No one can live under degradation.

It is not what a lawyer tells me I may do; but what humanity, reason, and justice tell me I ought to do.

Justice is the foremost virtue of the civilizing races. It subdues the barbarous nations, while injustice arouses the weakest.

Unless man is committed to the belief that all mankind are his brothers, then he labors in vain and hypocritically in the vineyards of equality.

Whoever tramples on the plea for justice temperately made in the name of peace only outrages peace and kills something fine in the heart of man which God put there when we got our manhood.

Nobody should consider himself superior to another nor do him harm.