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In this world it is possible to achieve great material wealth, to live an opulent life. But a life built upon those things alone leaves a shallow legacy. In the end, we will be judged by other standards.

Cesar Chavez

Non-violence is not inaction. It is not discussion. It is not for the timid or weak. Non-violence is hard work.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Action Violence Weakness
If you’re not frightened that you might fail, you’ll never do the job. If you’re frightened, you’ll work like crazy.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Crazy Failure Job Yourself
When a man or woman, young, or old, takes a place on the picket line for even a day or two, he will never be the same again.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Himself Man Place Woman
Only when we have become nonviolent towards all life will we have learned to live well with others.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Learning Life Live Violence
We do not need to kill or destroy to win. We are a movement that builds and not destroys.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Destroy Kill Need Win
You are never strong enough that you don’t need help.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Enough Help Need Strong Yourself
I’ve always maintained that it isn’t the form that’s going to make the difference. It isn’t the rule or the procedure or the ideology, but it’s human beings that will make it.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Difference Human Ideas Myself
There are many reasons for why a man does what he does. To be himself he must be able to give it all. If a leader cannot give it all he cannot expect his people to give anything.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Expectation Himself Leadership Man People Reason
We have looked into the future and the future is ours.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Future Love Ourselves Relationship
Being of service is not enough. You must become a servant of the people. When you do, you can demand their commitment in return.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Commitment Enough People
The fight is never about grapes or lettuce. It is always about people.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Fight People
There is no substitute for hard work, 23 or 24 hours a day. And there is no substitute for patience and acceptance.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Acceptance Patience
When workers fall back on violence, they are lost. Oh, they might win some of their demands and might end a strike a little earlier, but they give up their imagination, their creativity, their will to work hard and to suffer for what they believe is right.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Believe Creation Fall Give Up Imagination Lost Suffering Violence Win
Do not romanticize the poor. We are all people, human beings subject to the same temptations and faults as all others. Our poverty damages our dignity.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Dignity Human Ourselves People Poor
From the depth of need and despair, people can work together, can organize themselves to solve their own problems and fill their own needs with dignity and strength.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Need People Problem Strength Togetherness
We need to help students and parents cherish and preserve the ethnic and cultural diversity that nourishes and strengthens this community – and this nation.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Community Help Nation Need Parents Strength Student
It is my deepest belief that only by giving our lives do we find life.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Believe Deep Life Live
Nonviolence is really tough. You don’t practice nonviolence at conferences; you practice it on picket-lines.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Battle Practice Violence
Our language is the reflection of ourselves. A language is an exact reflection of the character and growth of its speakers.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Character Growth Language Ourselves Reflection
Students must have initiative; they should not be mere imitators. They must learn to think and act for themselves – and be free.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Freedom Learning Student Thinking
Our struggle is not easy. Those who oppose our cause are rich and powerful and they have many allies in high places. We are poor. Our allies are few. But we have something the rich do not own. We have our bodies and spirits and the justice of our cause as our weapons.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Body Justice Ourselves Poor Powerful Rich Spirit Struggle Weapon
Our language is the reflection of ourselves.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Language Ourselves Reflection
I am convinced that the truest act of courage, the strongest act of manliness, is to sacrifice ourselves for others in a totally nonviolent struggle for justice. To be a man is to suffer for others. God help us to be men!
CESAR CHAVEZ

Act Courage God Man Myself Ourselves Sacrifice Suffering True
When any person suffers for someone in greater need, that person is a human.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Greatness Human Person Suffering
Organizing is an educational process. The best educational process in the union is the picket line and the boycott. You learn about life.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Education Learning Life Unity Yourself
I’m not going to ask for anything unless the workers want it. If they want it, they’ll ask for it.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Leadership Myself
When we are really honest with ourselves we must admit our lives are all that really belong to us. So it is how we use our lives that determines the kind of men we are.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Determination Honesty Kind Live Men Ourselves

In this world it is possible to achieve great material wealth, to live an opulent life. But a life built upon those things alone leaves a shallow legacy. In the end, we will be judged by other standards.

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In this world it is possible to achieve great material wealth, to live an opulent life. But a life built upon those things alone leaves a shallow legacy. In the end, we will be judged by other standards.

Related Topics

Popular Authors

More Cesar Chavez Quotes