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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

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
In some cases non-violence requires more militancy than violence.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Deep Violence
There is enough love and good will in our movement to give energy to our struggle and still have plenty left over to break down and change the climate of hate and fear around us.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Break Change Enough Fear Hate Love Ourselves
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
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
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
It is possible to become discouraged about the injustice we see everywhere. But God did not promise us that the world would be humane and just. He gives us the gift of life and allows us to choose the way we will use our limited time on earth. It is an awesome opportunity.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Courage Gift God Human Justice Life Limitation Opportunity Possible Promise Time World
Our very lives are dependent, for sustenance, on the sweat and sacrifice of the campesinos. Children of farm workers should be as proud of their parents’ professions as other children are of theirs.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Children Live Ourselves Parents Sacrifice
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 believe that unions have always been about much more than the industries in which they operate. The fight is never about grapes or lettuce, It is always about people.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Believe Fight Food People
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
We’ll organize workers in this movement as long as we’re willing to sacrifice. The moment we stop sacrificing, we stop organizing.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Moments Sacrifice Stop Willing
In giving of yourself, you will discover a whole new life full of.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Discover Life Yourself
Because we have suffered, and we are not afraid to suffer in order to survive, we are ready to give up everything – even our lives – in our struggle for justice.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Give Up Justice Struggle Suffering Survive
If we are full of hatred, we can’t really do our work. Hatred saps all that strength and energy we need to plan.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Hate Planning Strength
The first principle of non-violent action is that of non-cooperation with everything humiliating.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Principle Violence
History will judge societies and governments – and their institutions – not by how big they are or how well they serve the rich and the powerful, but by how effectively they respond to the needs of the poor and the helpless.
CESAR CHAVEZ

History Judgement Need Powerful Rich
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
I became a vegetarian after realizing that animals feel afraid, cold, hungry and unhappy like we do. I feel very deeply about vegetarianism and the animal kingdom.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Animal Fear Feeling Happiness Myself
The people united will never be defeated.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Defeat People True Unity
Years of misguided teaching have resulted in the destruction of the best in our society, in our cultures and in the environment.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Best Destruction Ourselves Teaching
You cannot oppress the people who are not afraid anymore.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Oppression Scare Yourself
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
If you give yourself totally to the nonviolence struggle for peace and justice you also find that people give you their hearts and you will never go hungry and never be alone.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Alone Heart Justice Peace People Struggle Violence Yourself
Preservation of one’s own culture does not require contempt or disrespect for other.
CESAR CHAVEZ

History Respect
Non-violence has suffered its biggest defeat in the hands of people who most want to talk about it.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Defeat Hands People Suffering Talk Violence
When any person suffers for someone in greater need, that person is a human.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Greatness Human Person Suffering

If you’re not frightened that you might fail, you’ll never do the job. If you’re frightened, you’ll work like crazy.

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If you’re not frightened that you might fail, you’ll never do the job. If you’re frightened, you’ll work like crazy.

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