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In the no-nonsense school of adversity, which we did not choose for ourselves, we are learning how to operate a labor union.

Cesar Chavez

When you have people together who believe in something very strongly – whether it’s religion or politics or unions – things happen.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Believe People Politics Religion Strong Togetherness Unity
Through Gandhi and my own life experience, I have learned about nonviolence. I believe that human life is a very special gift from God, and that no one has a right to take that away in any cause, however just. I am convinced that nonviolence is more powerful than violence.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Believe Experience Learning Life Myself Powerful Violence
I am an organizer, not a union leader. A good organizer has to work hard and long. There are no shortcuts. You just keep talking to people, working with them, sharing, exchanging and they come along.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Leadership Myself People Talk
There is no such thing as defeat in non-violence.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Defeat Violence
The fight is never about grapes or lettuce. It is always about people.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Fight People
When the man who feeds the world by toiling in the fields is himself deprived of the basic rights of feeding, sheltering, and caring for his own family, the whole community of man is sick.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Community Family Himself Man Sick World
You know, if people are not pacifists, it’s not their fault. It’s because society puts them in that spot. You’ve got to change it. You don’t just change a man – you’ve got to change his environment as you do it.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Change Deep Man People Yourself
In the final analysis it doesn’t really matter what the political system is. We don’t need perfect political systems; we need perfect participation.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Need Perfection Politics
Violence just hurts those who are already hurt. Instead of exposing the brutality of the oppressor, it justifies it.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Hurt Oppression Violence
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
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
The first principle of non-violent action is that of non-cooperation with everything humiliating.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Principle Violence
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
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
Self dedication is a spiritual experience.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Dedication Experience Spiritual
Concentration is inspiration. You must be completely overtaken by your work and your subject. Only then do all your influences and experience come up to the surface.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Experience Inspirational Yourself

In the no-nonsense school of adversity, which we did not choose for ourselves, we are learning how to operate a labor union.

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In the no-nonsense school of adversity, which we did not choose for ourselves, we are learning how to operate a labor union.

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