--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There are a lot of leaders that talk…" description: "\"There are a lot of leaders that talk about ending things like oppression - whether it's discrimination or getting a job - but the reason for all of thi..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eae/boots-riley-3549_black-people_there-are-a-lot-of-leaders-that-talk-abo_1649269.jpg" --- # There are a lot of leaders that talk about ending things… ![“There are a lot of leaders that talk about ending things like oppression - whether it's discrimination or getting a job - but the reason for all of this stuff is somebody's making a profit off our backs. That's the reason why black people were brought here in the first place. It was a profit motive.” quote by Boots Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eae/boots-riley-3549_black-people_there-are-a-lot-of-leaders-that-talk-abo_1649269.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eae/boots-riley-3549_black-people_there-are-a-lot-of-leaders-that-talk-abo_1649269.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/eae/boots-riley-3549_black-people_there-are-a-lot-of-leaders-that-talk-abo_1649269.jpg) > “There are a lot of leaders that talk about ending things like oppression - whether it's discrimination or getting a job - but the reason for all of this stuff is somebody's making a profit off our backs. That's the reason why black people were brought here in the first place. It was a profit motive.” [Boots Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boots-riley/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The quote highlights how systemic oppression is often driven by profit motives rather than genuine concern for equality. **In simple terms:** Oppression is profit‑driven, not altruistic. Key Takeaway Recognize profit motives behind injustice. Themes systemic injustice profit motive racism economic exploitation Mood angry critical determined Type political activist critical. When to use this quote - labor movements - policy reform - education on history - activism - community organizing Key Concepts capitalism colonialism structural inequality Questions to Reflect On - Who benefits financially from oppression? - How can we expose profit motives in policy? A Different Perspective Profit motives can be obscured by rhetoric of reform, making change harder. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Black people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-people/) [Discrimination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discrimination/) [Discrimination Getting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/discrimination-getting-635124/) [Ending](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ending/) [First place](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-place/) [Getting A Job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/getting-a-job/) [Job](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/job/) [Leadership](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leadership/) [Like Oppression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-oppression-635123/) [Oppression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oppression/) [Oppression Discrimination](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oppression-discrimination-635122/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) ## Related quotes > [The Gelaming regarded themselves as a force for good, and in many ways they were, but they were also inexorable and their compassion could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/storm-constantine/the-gelaming-regarded-themselves-as-a-force-for-good-and-in-many-ways/) [Storm Constantine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/storm-constantine/) > [I'm a fan of the kind of political correctness that is about not promoting prejudice. But some people in America are offended by equality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-gervais/i-m-a-fan-of-the-kind-of-political-correctness-that-is-about-not/) [Ricky Gervais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-gervais/) > [In fact, the religious right consists of an alliance of several groups that, without experiencing anything like the oppression visited on black Americans, have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ross-douthat/in-fact-the-religious-right-consists-of-an-alliance-of-several-groups/) [Ross Douthat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ross-douthat/) > [When you're accustomed to privilege, parity and equity and equality may feel like oppression.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raphael-warnock/when-you-re-accustomed-to-privilege-parity-and-equity-and-equality/) [Raphael Warnock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raphael-warnock/) > [Ending discrimination and extending equality should always be a national priority.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-shorten/ending-discrimination-and-extending-equality-should-always-be-a/) [Bill Shorten](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-shorten/) > [The Way I See It: If you're worried about getting a job-or keeping one-start a company of your own. By doing so, you'll reap…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruce-campbell/the-way-i-see-it-if-you-re-worried-about-getting-a-job-or-keeping-one/) [Bruce Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruce-campbell/) > [Coming from a working-class background, where my father did manual labor, was a good grounding; I was obsessed with getting a job or getting…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/johnny-marr/coming-from-a-working-class-background-where-my-father-did-manual/) [Johnny Marr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/johnny-marr/) > [Many kids only think about the present moment and don't realize that they are creating a digital footprint, which will follow you forever! You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tyra-banks/many-kids-only-think-about-the-present-moment-and-don-t-realize-that/) [Tyra Banks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tyra-banks/) > [The current economic climate means getting out of college is no guarantee of getting a job, and no guarantee of a satisfying work life.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lena-dunham/the-current-economic-climate-means-getting-out-of-college-is-no/) [Lena Dunham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lena-dunham/) > [There are real tricks to getting a job that I just don't like or understand - it feels too close to pandering. I've tried…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/f-murray-abraham/there-are-real-tricks-to-getting-a-job-that-i-just-don-t-like-or/) [F. Murray Abraham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/f-murray-abraham/) > [“nothing better in the world than getting a job the day after your ass gets canned.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-s-a-corey/nothing-better-in-the-world-than-getting-a-job-the-day-after-your-ass/) [James S.A. Corey](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-s-a-corey/) > [When you have to cast movies from a producer's standpoint - when you've been on the other side of casting sessions - you just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/max-minghella/when-you-have-to-cast-movies-from-a-producer-s-standpoint-when-you-ve/) [Max Minghella](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/max-minghella/) > [You know, it's kind of a shame in a way but the more seasoned directors a lot of times have more difficult getting a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bridges/you-know-it-s-kind-of-a-shame-in-a-way-but-the-more-seasoned/) [Jeff Bridges](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bridges/) > [“See, because being Cool is obviously the most important thing on earth. It’s more important than getting a job, or having a girlfriend, or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ned-vizzini/see-because-being-cool-is-obviously-the-most-important-thing-on-earth/) [Ned Vizzini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ned-vizzini/) > [There may be luck in getting a job, but there is none involved in keeping it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vikrant-parsai/there-may-be-luck-in-getting-a-job-but-there-is-none-involved-in/) [Vikrant Parsai](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vikrant-parsai/) ## More by Boots Riley > [Making movies seemed so impossible as far as getting my ideas funded.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boots-riley/making-movies-seemed-so-impossible-as-far-as-getting-my-ideas-funded/) [Boots Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boots-riley/) > [I think it's important for us not just to edit the culture that capitalism creates but to create the material basis for a culture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boots-riley/i-think-it-s-important-for-us-not-just-to-edit-the-culture-that/) [Boots Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boots-riley/) > [The tech world is not a new phenomenon; it's a new era.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boots-riley/the-tech-world-is-not-a-new-phenomenon-it-s-a-new-era/) [Boots Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boots-riley/) > [What I'm trying to do is make music that people relate to, that talks about ideas that are personal but also make that connection…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boots-riley/what-i-m-trying-to-do-is-make-music-that-people-relate-to-that-talks/) [Boots Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boots-riley/) > [I thought my parents were always having card parties - and they were - but they were actually also having meetings to organize people.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boots-riley/i-thought-my-parents-were-always-having-card-parties-and-they-were/) [Boots Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boots-riley/) > [Going to school in San Francisco, you're not going to meet as many people that are making films as you would if you went…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boots-riley/going-to-school-in-san-francisco-you-re-not-going-to-meet-as-many/) [Boots Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boots-riley/) > [What I like about music is that you make a song, you've got your ideas in it, and people make that song part of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boots-riley/what-i-like-about-music-is-that-you-make-a-song-you-ve-got-your-ideas/) [Boots Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boots-riley/) > [What first got me involved in politics was being 14, and a youth organizer comes to my house with a van full of 14…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boots-riley/what-first-got-me-involved-in-politics-was-being-14-and-a-youth/) [Boots Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boots-riley/) > [I think most people would love for us to be a socialist society.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boots-riley/i-think-most-people-would-love-for-us-to-be-a-socialist-society/) [Boots Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boots-riley/) > [A lot of organizers tell me that while they are making signs or doing whatever they do, they are listening to the Coup.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boots-riley/a-lot-of-organizers-tell-me-that-while-they-are-making-signs-or-doing/) [Boots Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boots-riley/) > [When we were doing shows in the mid-'90s, the audiences were 95% black. What's happened now is the gentrification of hip-hop. A lot of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boots-riley/when-we-were-doing-shows-in-the-mid-90s-the-audiences-were-95-black/) [Boots Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boots-riley/) > [You make art, you make it from what you know, and that's the best way to make art. You get lost in the details…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boots-riley/you-make-art-you-make-it-from-what-you-know-and-that-s-the-best-way/) [Boots Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boots-riley/) > [If the only time you bang the drum is when it's time to get someone elected, and you don't get involved in a mass…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boots-riley/if-the-only-time-you-bang-the-drum-is-when-it-s-time-to-get-someone/) [Boots Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boots-riley/) > [The Coup does not support the American flag.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boots-riley/the-coup-does-not-support-the-american-flag/) [Boots Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boots-riley/) > [I'm not a classically trained composer, and I can't sing very well.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/boots-riley/i-m-not-a-classically-trained-composer-and-i-can-t-sing-very-well/) [Boots Riley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boots-riley/) [Explore all 128 Boots Riley quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/boots-riley/) ## More Black people quotes > [I wanted to write about voodoo tradition that I feel has been very important to survival of black people here: people of the African…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/i-wanted-to-write-about-voodoo-tradition-that-i-feel-has-been-very/) [Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/) > [“In any case, white people, who had robbed black people of their liberty and who profited by this theft every hour that they lived,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-baldwin/in-any-case-white-people-who-had-robbed-black-people-of-their-liberty/) [James Baldwin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-baldwin/) > [We have to build our own power. We have to win every single political office we can, where we have a majority of black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-lou-hamer/we-have-to-build-our-own-power-we-have-to-win-every-single-political/) [Fannie Lou Hamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-lou-hamer/) > [Hollywood is so fixated on keeping it that way because it's generating the buzz, but that representation isn't right. I definitely feel like it's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-boyega/hollywood-is-so-fixated-on-keeping-it-that-way-because-it-s/) [John Boyega](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-boyega/) > [Black Privilege is a concrete motive that black people benefit from, such as racism but racism on whites. Black people don't know it but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/black-privilege-is-a-concrete-motive-that-black-people-benefit-from/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Acknowledging that my skin was, in fact, Cocoa as it is, would have destroyed their narrative about who I really was. Therefore they had…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mitta-xinindlu/acknowledging-that-my-skin-was-in-fact-cocoa-as-it-is-would-have/) [Mitta Xinindlu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mitta-xinindlu/) > [Well of course there's been a great deal of progress over the last 40 years. We don't have laws that segregate black people within…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-davis/well-of-course-there-s-been-a-great-deal-of-progress-over-the-last-40/) [Angela Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-davis/) > [Adam Clayton Powell's entire political career has to be looked at in the entire context of the American history and the history of, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/adam-clayton-powell-s-entire-political-career-has-to-be-looked-at-in/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [What would America be like if we loved black people as much as we loved black culture?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amandla-stenberg/what-would-america-be-like-if-we-loved-black-people-as-much-as-we/) [Amandla Stenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amandla-stenberg/) > [“Any ministry to black people which is not designed to effect their empowerment is designed to perpetuate their enslavement.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/any-ministry-to-black-people-which-is-not-designed-to-effect-their/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [All black people who are even minimally conscious, black people who have ever experienced Europe's technological power crusading in the vanguard of a civilizing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lewis-nkosi/all-black-people-who-are-even-minimally-conscious-black-people-who/) [Lewis Nkosi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lewis-nkosi/) > [Even during my youth, I can recall very few black people living on any kind of public assistance. 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