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 CHAVEZWhen you have people together who believe in something very strongly – whether it’s religion or politics or unions – things happen.
More Cesar Chavez Quotes
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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.
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What is at stake is human dignity. If a man is not accorded respect he cannot respect himself and if he does not respect himself, he cannot demand it.
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Dr. King challenged us to work for a greater humanity. I only hope that we are worthy of his challenge.
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You cannot oppress the people who are not afraid anymore.
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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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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.
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We do not need to kill or destroy to win. We are a movement that builds and not destroys.
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We must understand that the highest form of freedom carries with it the greatest measure of discipline.
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It’s ironic that those who till the soil, cultivate and harvest the fruits, vegetables, and other foods that fill your tables with abundance have nothing left for themselves.
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The love for justice that is in us is not only the best part of our being but it is also the most true to our nature.
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Every time we sit at a table at night or in the morning to enjoy the fruits and grain and vegetables from our good earth, remember that they come from the work of men and women and children who have been exploited for generations.
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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.
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Talk is cheap. It is the way we organize and use our lives everyday that tells what we believe in.
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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.
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In some cases non-violence requires more militancy than violence.
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Years of misguided teaching have resulted in the destruction of the best in our society, in our cultures and in the environment.
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Preservation of one’s own culture does not require contempt or disrespect for other.
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Self dedication is a spiritual experience.
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Non-violence has suffered its biggest defeat in the hands of people who most want to talk about it.
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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.
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To make a great dream come true, the first requirement is a great capacity to dream; the second is persistence.
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When any person suffers for someone in greater need, that person is a human.
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The end of all knowledge must be the building up of character.
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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.
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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.
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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