--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: But race is an issue that I believe this…" description: "\"But race is an issue that I believe this nation cannot afford to ignore right now. We would be making the same mistake that Reverend Wright made in his..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/364/barack-obama-17_america_but-race-is-an-issue-that-i-believe-this_548026.jpg" --- # But race is an issue that I believe this nation cannot… ![“But race is an issue that I believe this nation cannot afford to ignore right now. We would be making the same mistake that Reverend Wright made in his offending sermons about America - to simplify and stereotype and amplify the negative to the point that it distorts reality.” quote by Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/364/barack-obama-17_america_but-race-is-an-issue-that-i-believe-this_548026.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/364/barack-obama-17_america_but-race-is-an-issue-that-i-believe-this_548026.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/364/barack-obama-17_america_but-race-is-an-issue-that-i-believe-this_548026.jpg) > “But race is an issue that I believe this nation cannot afford to ignore right now. We would be making the same mistake that Reverend Wright made in his offending sermons about America - to simplify and stereotype and amplify the negative to the point that it distorts reality.” [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He warns that ignoring racial issues repeats past mistakes of oversimplification and stereotyping, urging honest dialogue. **In simple terms:** Ignoring race repeats harmful simplifications. Key Takeaway Address race openly and honestly. Themes race justice politics history Mood serious reflective Type political educational When to use this quote - community meetings - educational curricula - media coverage - legislative debates Key Concepts social equity public policy Questions to Reflect On - What steps can foster nuanced conversations? - How can stereotypes be dismantled? A Different Perspective Complex issues may resist simple solutions. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [Inspiring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspiring/) [Issues](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/issues/) [Mistake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/mistake/) [Nations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nations/) [Race](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/race/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) [Reality](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/reality/) [Same mistakes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/same-mistakes/) [Sermons](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sermons/) [Stereotype](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/stereotype/) ## Related quotes > [Reverend Wright has been my friend and mentor for over 20 years.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/reverend-wright-has-been-my-friend-and-mentor-for-over-20-years/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The profound mistake of Reverend Wright's sermons is not that he spoke about racism in our society. It's that he spoke as if our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-profound-mistake-of-reverend-wright-s-sermons-is-not-that-he/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [For we have a choice in this country. We can accept a politics that breeds division, and conflict, and cynicism. We can tackle race…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/for-we-have-a-choice-in-this-country-we-can-accept-a-politics-that-2/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [“The only reason you say that race was not an issue is because you wish it was not. We all wish it was not.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/the-only-reason-you-say-that-race-was-not-an-issue-is-because-you/) [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) > [“To pay attention to the American political process, and what the candidates for this nation’s highest office have to say and not say about…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-wise/to-pay-attention-to-the-american-political-process-and-what-the/) [Tim Wise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-wise/) > [“Race was an issue because in every assignment I have had in Special Operations, racism has been as much a part of the social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stan-goff/race-was-an-issue-because-in-every-assignment-i-have-had-in-special/) [Stan Goff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stan-goff/) > [The issue of race is not an issue of choice. It's an issue of birth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-evans/the-issue-of-race-is-not-an-issue-of-choice-it-s-an-issue-of-birth/) [Tony Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-evans/) > [ \[Barack\] Obama has a grasp of language and the presentation of language, particularly in times of crisis. And he did this over the race… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-luntz/barack-obama-has-a-grasp-of-language-and-the-presentation-of-language/) [Frank Luntz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-luntz/) > [Being born in Jamaica, race was never an issue. It was always about the type of person I wanted to be, not the colour…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tessanne-chin/being-born-in-jamaica-race-was-never-an-issue-it-was-always-about-the/) [Tessanne Chin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tessanne-chin/) > [The main dividing line is still race. This is the issue that must be focused upon in all working class organizations.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-yates/the-main-dividing-line-is-still-race-this-is-the-issue-that-must-be/) [Michael Yates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-yates/) > [I'm looking for projects where race is not an issue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tamlyn-tomita/i-m-looking-for-projects-where-race-is-not-an-issue/) [Tamlyn Tomita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tamlyn-tomita/) > [My race was never an issue in my life until C and I got engaged, after that, no one could stop talking about it.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emma-weymouth/my-race-was-never-an-issue-in-my-life-until-c-and-i-got-engaged-after/) [Emma Weymouth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emma-weymouth/) > [What would it take for you to acknowledge that race is an issue? Maybe you don't want to acknowledge that race is an issue.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marc-morial/what-would-it-take-for-you-to-acknowledge-that-race-is-an-issue-maybe/) [Marc Morial](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marc-morial/) > [“This is not about you. Nobody gives a shit whether you like pot or hate it. This is a race issue. It's a civil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-barcott/this-is-not-about-you-nobody-gives-a-shit-whether-you-like-pot-or/) [Bruce Barcott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-barcott/) > [“The only reason you say that race was not an issue is because you wish it was not. We all wish it was not.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/the-only-reason-you-say-that-race-was-not-an-issue-is-because-you-2/) [Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chimamanda-ngozi-adichie/) ## More by Barack Obama > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The peaceful transition of power is one of the hallmarks of our democracy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-peaceful-transition-of-power-is-one-of-the-hallmarks-of-our/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [As opposed to getting into arguments about, well, these folks have been treated fairly so now we're going to be doing things that, very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/as-opposed-to-getting-into-arguments-about-well-these-folks-have-been/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Donald Trump is temperamentally unfit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/donald-trump-is-temperamentally-unfit/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [What we've said to the girls is: 'If you guys ever decide that you're going to get a tattoo, then mommy and me will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/what-we-ve-said-to-the-girls-is-if-you-guys-ever-decide-that-you-re/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Nobody is listening to your telephone calls.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/nobody-is-listening-to-your-telephone-calls/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [All of us take offense to anyone who reaps the rewards of living in America without taking on the responsibilities of living in America.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/all-of-us-take-offense-to-anyone-who-reaps-the-rewards-of-living-in/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [The world is complicated and full of grays, but there's still truth there to be found.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/the-world-is-complicated-and-full-of-grays-but-there-s-still-truth/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ That is another theme in the book \[Dreams from My Father\]. How do we exercise more empathy in our public discourse? How do we… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/that-is-another-theme-in-the-book-dreams-from-my-father-how-do-we/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I can say across Europe that many principles that have been taken for granted here around free speech, and around civil liberties and an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-can-say-across-europe-that-many-principles-that-have-been-taken-for/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [So Americans understand the costs of war. Yet as a country, we will never tolerate our security being threatened, nor stand idly by when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-americans-understand-the-costs-of-war-yet-as-a-country-we-will/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [I want to thank the Greek people publicly for their humanitarian response to the crisis of so many migrants and refugees seeking safety in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/i-want-to-thank-the-greek-people-publicly-for-their-humanitarian/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [We had a farewell dinner for some of my senior staff, and generally everybody likes to talk about how cool I was.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/we-had-a-farewell-dinner-for-some-of-my-senior-staff-and-generally/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [ It's good to get fresh legs in \[the White house\]. I think that it refreshes our democracy. ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/it-s-good-to-get-fresh-legs-in-the-white-house-i-think-that-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Believe it or not, entertainment is part of our American diplomacy, it is part of what makes us exceptional, part of what makes us…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/believe-it-or-not-entertainment-is-part-of-our-american-diplomacy-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) [Explore all 3,624 Barack Obama quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [The image of blacks usually is one of people who are suffering from hunger, unemployment, and poverty. The idea of them as agents and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-lee-boggs/the-image-of-blacks-usually-is-one-of-people-who-are-suffering-from/) [Grace Lee Boggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-lee-boggs/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [In the nineteenth century some parts of the world were unexplored, but there was almost no restriction on travel.:; Up to 1914 you did…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/george-orwell/in-the-nineteenth-century-some-parts-of-the-world-were-unexplored-but/) [George Orwell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-orwell/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. It's AIDS, it's herpes, it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-nicholson/freedom-in-every-sense-but-primarily-political-sense-a-rise-in/) [Jack Nicholson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-nicholson/) > [“In American terms, the accomplishment of Genghis Khan might be understood if the United States, instead of being created by a group of educated…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jack-weatherford/in-american-terms-the-accomplishment-of-genghis-khan-might-be/) [Jack Weatherford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jack-weatherford/) [Browse all 20,382 America quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "But race is an issue that I believe this nation cannot afford to ignore right now. 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