WIST Quotations

Douglass, Frederick -- Speech (1886-04-16), “Strong to Suffer, and Yet Strong to Strive,” Israel Bethel Colored Methodist Episcopal Church, Washington, D.C.

Dave — Wed, 22 Oct 2025 22:59:03 +0000

The American people have this lesson to learn: That where justice is denied, where poverty is enforced, where ignorance prevails, and where any one class is made to feel that society is an organized conspiracy to oppress, rob, and degrade them, neither persons nor property will be safe.

Frederick Douglass (1817–1895) American abolitionist, orator, writer
Speech (1886-04-16), “Strong to Suffer, and Yet Strong to Strive,” Israel Bethel Colored Methodist Episcopal Church, Washington, D.C.
(Source)

Richard II -- Speech (1381-06-22) to the peasant followers of Wat Tyler at Walthamstow, St Alban’s Chronicle

Dave — Sun, 02 Mar 2025 23:35:09 +0000

You wretches, detestable on land and sea; you who seek equality with lords are unworthy to live. Give this message to your colleagues: rustics you were and rustics you are still: you will remain in bondage, not as before but incomparably harsher. For as long as we live we will strive to suppress you, and your misery will be an example in the eyes of posterity. How ever, we will spare your lives if you remain faithful and loyal. Choose now which course you want to follow .

Richard II of England (1367–1400) King of England (1377–1399) [Richard of Bordeaux]
Speech (1381-06-22) to the peasant followers of Wat Tyler at Walthamstow, St Alban’s Chronicle
(Source)

More on the Peasant Rebellion here.

Martin, Judith -- Star-Spangled Manners, ch. 1 (2003)

Dave — Mon, 10 Feb 2025 18:03:20 +0000

Etiquette systems of one kind or another govern all social intercourse, formal and informal, which is why faulty ones are able to do so much damage. A system that denies the innate human need for dignity to specific categories of people, typically the poor and the enslaved, fosters incendiary resentment.

Judith Martin (b. 1938) American author, journalist, etiquette expert [a.k.a. Miss Manners]
Star-Spangled Manners, ch. 1 (2003)
(Source)

Reeves, Richard V. -- “Stop Pretending You’re Not Rich,” New York Times (10 Jun 2017)

Dave — Thu, 24 Jun 2021 20:16:56 +0000

I see now that English class consciousness has an important silver lining. At least there we know that class is a real fact of social life. Posh Brits are more likely to see that their position is at least in part the result of good fortune. For Americans to solve the problem of their deepening class divisions, we will have to start by admitting their existence and our complicity in maintaining them. We need to raise our consciousness about class. And yes, I am looking at you.

Richard V. Reeves (b. 1969) British historian, journalist, political theorist
“Stop Pretending You’re Not Rich,” New York Times (10 Jun 2017)
(Source)

Baldwin, James -- Speech (1965-02-17), Opening Comments, “The American Dream is at the Expense of the American Negro,” debate with William F. Buckley, Jr., Cambridge University, England

Dave — Tue, 27 Oct 2020 18:10:56 +0000

It comes as a great shock around the age of 5, or 6, or 7, to discover that the flag to which you have pledged allegiance, along with everybody else, has not pledged allegiance to you.

James Baldwin (1924–1987) American novelist, playwright, activist
Speech (1965-02-17), Opening Comments, “The American Dream is at the Expense of the American Negro,” debate with William F. Buckley, Jr., Cambridge University, England
(Source)

(Source (Video))

Smith, Adam -- The Theory of Moral Sentiments, 1.3.2 (1759)

Dave — Wed, 14 Sep 2016 23:57:38 +0000

A stranger to human nature, who saw the indifference of men about the misery of their inferiors, and the regret and indignation which they feel for the misfortunes and sufferings of those above them, would be apt to imagine that pain must be more agonizing, and the convulsions of death more terrible, to people of higher rank than to those of meaner stations.

Adam Smith (1723–1790) Scottish economist
The Theory of Moral Sentiments, 1.3.2 (1759)

Roosevelt, Theodore -- Letter to S. Stanwood Menken (10 Jan 1917)

Dave — Wed, 29 Jan 2014 13:23:43 +0000

Everything is un-American that tends either to government by a plutocracy, or government by a mob. To divide along the lines of section or caste or creed is un-American. All privilege based on wealth, and all enmity to honest men merely because they are wealthy, are un-American — both of them equally so. Americanism means the virtues of courage, honor, justice, truth, sincerity, and hardihood — the virtues that made America. The things that will destroy America are prosperity-at-any-price, peace-at-any-price, safety-first instead of duty-first, the love of soft living, and the get-rich-quick theory of life.

Theodore Roosevelt (1858–1919) American politician, statesman, conservationist, writer, US President (1901–1909)
Letter to S. Stanwood Menken (10 Jan 1917)

Ivins, Molly -- Essay (1987-09-11), “We the People,” Texas Observer

Dave — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 13:46:49 +0000

In my opinion, there’s not a thing wrong with the ideals and mechanisms outlined and the liberties set forth in the Constitution of the United States. The only problem was, the founders left a lot of people out of the Constitution. They left out poor people and black people and female people. It is possible to read the history of this country as one long struggle to extend the liberties established in our Constitution to everyone in America. And it still goes on today.

Molly Ivins (1944–2007) American writer, political columnist [Mary Tyler Ivins]
Essay (1987-09-11), “We the People,” Texas Observer
(Source)

Collected in Molly Ivins Can't Say That, Can She? (1991).

Sayers, Dorothy -- Speech (1938), “Are Women Human?” to a Women’s Society

Dave — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 09:31:37 +0000

What is repugnant to every human being is to be reckoned always as a member of a class and not as an individual person.

Dorothy Sayers (1893–1957) English author, translator
Speech (1938), “Are Women Human?” to a Women’s Society
(Source)

Collected in Unpopular Opinions (1946).