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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

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.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Dignity Himself Human Respect
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

Achievement Alone Judgement Live Material Possible Wealth World
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
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
There’s no turning back. We will win. We are winning because ours is a revolution of mind and heart.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Heart Mind Ourselves Revolution Win
You cannot oppress the people who are not afraid anymore.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Oppression Scare Yourself
The only ones who make things change are fanatics. If you’re not a fanatic around here, you can’t cut it.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Change Mad Oneself
The fight is never about grapes or lettuce. It is always about people.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Fight People
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
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.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Children Enjoyment Man Morning Night Oppression Time Women
When any person suffers for someone in greater need, that person is a human.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Greatness Human Person Suffering
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
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
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’s amazing how people can get so excited about a rocket to the moon and not give a damn about smog, oil leaks, the devastation of the environment with pesticides, hunger, disease.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Excitement Moon People
The first principle of non-violent action is that of non-cooperation with everything humiliating.
CESAR CHAVEZ

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

Deep Violence
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
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
You cannot uneducate the person who has learned to read.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Education Learning Reading Yourself
If you really want to make a friend, go to someone’s house and eat with him… the people who give you their food give you their heart.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Eat Food Friendship Heart Home Yourself
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
We draw our strength from the very despair in which we have been forced to live. We shall endure.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Difference Endurance Force Live Myself
Self dedication is a spiritual experience.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Dedication Experience Spiritual
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
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 1968, I became a vegetarian after realizing that animals feel afraid, cold, hungry, and unhappy like we do.
CESAR CHAVEZ

Animal Cold Feeling Happiness Myself

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.

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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.

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Popular Authors

More Cesar Chavez Quotes