--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: So many of our conversations (about…" description: "\"So many of our conversations (about affirmative action) have been dishonest\" — Clarence Thomas" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/506/clarence-thomas-7661_action_so-many-of-our-conversations-about-affir_1816187.jpg" --- # So many of our conversations (about affirmative action)… ![“So many of our conversations (about affirmative action) have been dishonest” quote by Clarence Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/506/clarence-thomas-7661_action_so-many-of-our-conversations-about-affir_1816187.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/506/clarence-thomas-7661_action_so-many-of-our-conversations-about-affir_1816187.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/506/clarence-thomas-7661_action_so-many-of-our-conversations-about-affir_1816187.jpg) > “So many of our conversations (about affirmative action) have been dishonest” [Clarence Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-thomas/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Discussions about affirmative action have lacked honesty. **In simple terms:** Affirmative action talks are often dishonest. Key Takeaway Demand truth in dialogue. Themes honesty politics affirmative action Mood critical serious Type analytical inspirational When to use this quote - political debates - media coverage - legislative hearings Key Concepts ethics policy debate social justice Questions to Reflect On - How can we ensure honest conversations? - What evidence reveals the dishonesty? A Different Perspective Some may argue the claim is overly broad. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/action/) [Affirmative](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affirmative/) [Affirmative action](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/affirmative-action/) [Communication](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/communication/) [Conversation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conversation/) [Conversations](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conversations/) ## Related quotes > [ Government cannot make us equal; it can only recognize, respect, and protect us as equal before the law. That \[affirmative action\] programs may have… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-thomas/government-cannot-make-us-equal-it-can-only-recognize-respect-and-2/) [Clarence Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-thomas/) > [The third fallacy is that affirmative action doesn't work.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harold-washington/the-third-fallacy-is-that-affirmative-action-doesn-t-work/) [Harold Washington](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harold-washington/) > [What is Kanye West's message? Like most rap, "I am the greatest person ever and you're not." I used to call it affirmative action…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/what-is-kanye-west-s-message-like-most-rap-i-am-the-greatest-person/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [One thing has not changed: to doubt the worth of minority students' achievement when they succeed is really only to present another face of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonia-sotomayor/one-thing-has-not-changed-to-doubt-the-worth-of-minority-students/) [Sonia Sotomayor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonia-sotomayor/) > [Opinion polls consistently show that only about 5 percent of blacks have sensible political opinions, i.e. support the free market, individual liberty and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-paul/opinion-polls-consistently-show-that-only-about-5-percent-of-blacks/) [Ron Paul](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-paul/) > [Affirmative action has a negative effect on our society when it means counting us like so many beans and dividing us into separate piles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-kasich/affirmative-action-has-a-negative-effect-on-our-society-when-it-means/) [John Kasich](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-kasich/) > [The purpose of affirmative action is to give our nation a way to finally address the systemic exclusion of individuals of talent on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-j-clinton/the-purpose-of-affirmative-action-is-to-give-our-nation-a-way-to/) [William J. Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-j-clinton/) > [If Barack Obama believes there are no victims in U.S, then I assume he'll shut down all the civil rights offices throughout the federal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rush-limbaugh/if-barack-obama-believes-there-are-no-victims-in-u-s-then-i-assume-he/) [Rush Limbaugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rush-limbaugh/) > [Who knows what Yale thought it was getting when it hired Richard Rodriguez? The people who offered me the job thought there was nothing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rodriguez/who-knows-what-yale-thought-it-was-getting-when-it-hired-richard/) [Richard Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rodriguez/) > [My decision was sparked by affirmative action. There was a point in my life when affirmative action would have meant something to me -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-rodriguez/my-decision-was-sparked-by-affirmative-action-there-was-a-point-in-my/) [Richard Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-rodriguez/) > [The need of black conservatives to gain the respect of their white peers deeply shapes certain elements of their conservatism. In this regard, they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cornel-west/the-need-of-black-conservatives-to-gain-the-respect-of-their-white/) [Cornel West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cornel-west/) > [I read American sagas (of the west) and I do not see people who went in search of material things. I see people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-keyes/i-read-american-sagas-of-the-west-and-i-do-not-see-people-who-went-in/) [Alan Keyes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-keyes/) > [Affirmative action was designed to recognize the uniquely difficult journey of African-Americans. This policy was justifiable and understandable, even to those who came from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-webb/affirmative-action-was-designed-to-recognize-the-uniquely-difficult/) [Jim Webb](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-webb/) > [Without application of the mind; there is no drive for taking affirmative action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-mercado/without-application-of-the-mind-there-is-no-drive-for-taking/) [Joseph Mercado](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-mercado/) > [The fact is that in too many parts of our country, we still have discrimination. And affirmative action is not just something that applies…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/the-fact-is-that-in-too-many-parts-of-our-country-we-still-have/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) ## More by Clarence Thomas > [You have a number of choices. You could continue to always fight against people who are really distractions. They're people in the cheap seats…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-thomas/you-have-a-number-of-choices-you-could-continue-to-always-fight/) [Clarence Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-thomas/) > [I disagree with the prevailing point of view of some black leaders that special treatment for blacks is acceptable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-thomas/i-disagree-with-the-prevailing-point-of-view-of-some-black-leaders/) [Clarence Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-thomas/) > [My grandfather was a man, when he talked about freedom, his attitude was really interesting. 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There is a difference…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-thomas/the-job-of-a-judge-is-to-figure-out-what-the-law-says-not-what-he/) [Clarence Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-thomas/) > [Differences in race, differences in sex, somebody doesn’t look at you right, somebody says something. Everybody is sensitive. 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It's the people who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-thomas/when-you-look-at-where-the-real-problems-are-among-minorities-in-our/) [Clarence Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-thomas/) > [The only people who have quick answers don't have the responsibility of making the decisions.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-thomas/the-only-people-who-have-quick-answers-don-t-have-the-responsibility/) [Clarence Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-thomas/) > [Today, now, it is time to move forward, a time to look for what is good in others, what is good in our country.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-thomas/today-now-it-is-time-to-move-forward-a-time-to-look-for-what-is-good/) [Clarence Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-thomas/) > [The Constitution contains no 'dignity' Clause, and even if it did, the government would be incapable of bestowing dignity. ... Slaves did not lose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-thomas/the-constitution-contains-no-dignity-clause-and-even-if-it-did-the/) [Clarence Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-thomas/) > [There's a difference between someone who's 'harsh' and someone who is 'hard.' Life was hard. You lived in the South, as my grandparents did,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-thomas/there-s-a-difference-between-someone-who-s-harsh-and-someone-who-is/) [Clarence Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-thomas/) [Explore all 89 Clarence Thomas quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-thomas/) ## More Action quotes > [I always say there are two things to be successful. 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