--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was a kid, we said that we were…" description: "\"When I was a kid, we said that we were precluded from going to certain neighborhoods because of the color of our skin Now the neighborhoods are the nei..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd0/clarence-thomas-7661_certain_when-i-was-a-kid-we-said-that-we-were-pr_1550069.jpg" --- # When I was a kid, we said that we were precluded from… ![“When I was a kid, we said that we were precluded from going to certain neighborhoods because of the color of our skin Now the neighborhoods are the neighborhoods of ideas, youre not supposed to be there because of the color of your skin.” quote by Clarence Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd0/clarence-thomas-7661_certain_when-i-was-a-kid-we-said-that-we-were-pr_1550069.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd0/clarence-thomas-7661_certain_when-i-was-a-kid-we-said-that-we-were-pr_1550069.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd0/clarence-thomas-7661_certain_when-i-was-a-kid-we-said-that-we-were-pr_1550069.jpg) > “When I was a kid, we said that we were precluded from going to certain neighborhoods because of the color of our skin Now the neighborhoods are the neighborhoods of ideas, youre not supposed to be there because of the color of your skin.” [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. Segregation has shifted from physical spaces to ideological ones, still limiting people based on race. **In simple terms:** Racism now blocks ideas, not just neighborhoods. Key Takeaway Challenge ideological exclusion. Themes racism segregation ideas Mood critical hopeful Type philosophical inspirational When to use this quote - education - media consumption - political discourse - community building Key Concepts social justice intellectual freedom Questions to Reflect On - How do we recognize ideological barriers? - What steps can broaden inclusive dialogue? A Different Perspective Changing ideas can be as hard as changing places. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Certain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certain/) [Certain Neighborhoods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certain-neighborhoods-1392731/) [Color](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/color/) [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ideas/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [Neighborhood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neighborhood/) [Neighborhoods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neighborhoods/) [Neighborhoods Color](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neighborhoods-color-5791886/) [Neighborhoods Ideas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/neighborhoods-ideas-5791888/) [Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/said/) [Skin Neighborhoods](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skin-neighborhoods-5791887/) [Skins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/skins/) ## Related quotes > [In the days of segregation, when blacks were limited to certain neighborhoods, you could look around the black community and identify who the leaders…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roger-wilkins/in-the-days-of-segregation-when-blacks-were-limited-to-certain/) [Roger Wilkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roger-wilkins/) > [There are certain neighborhoods in America like that - like in Pittsburgh, where I'm from - where people wouldn't think it's even livable for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wiz-khalifa/there-are-certain-neighborhoods-in-america-like-that-like-in/) [Wiz Khalifa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/wiz-khalifa/) > [Detroit is a city that really stands out. It's been through a very difficult time. There's been a lot of pain here, and the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-imperioli/detroit-is-a-city-that-really-stands-out-it-s-been-through-a-very/) [Michael Imperioli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-imperioli/) > [. . .little has changed in our New York neighborhoods except the faces, the names, and the languages spoken. The same decent values of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-dinkins/little-has-changed-in-our-new-york-neighborhoods-except-the-faces-the/) [David Dinkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-dinkins/) > [We must do more to protect our neighborhoods and give integrity to our community plans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-autry/we-must-do-more-to-protect-our-neighborhoods-and-give-integrity-to/) [Alan Autry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-autry/) > [And not go to things that sound good that really did not have the kind of impact that we would want. Who disagrees with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hillary-clinton/and-not-go-to-things-that-sound-good-that-really-did-not-have-the/) [Hillary Clinton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hillary-clinton/) > [In Chicago, integrated neighborhoods do not stay integrated for long.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-dedman/in-chicago-integrated-neighborhoods-do-not-stay-integrated-for-long/) [Bill Dedman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-dedman/) > [Queens is famous throughout the world for diversity and tolerance. But really it's what we have in common that makes our neighborhoods work, our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/grace-meng/queens-is-famous-throughout-the-world-for-diversity-and-tolerance-but/) [Grace Meng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/grace-meng/) > [I am always drawn back to places where I have lived, the houses and their neighborhoods.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/truman-capote/i-am-always-drawn-back-to-places-where-i-have-lived-the-houses-and/) [Truman Capote](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/truman-capote/) > [Contradictions, most of all, a balance between chaos and order. It needs neighborhoods vibrating with energy just as much as cozy little corners and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-landry/contradictions-most-of-all-a-balance-between-chaos-and-order-it-needs/) [Charles Landry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-landry/) > [I wrote about real people and real circumstances and real neighborhoods. There was no crypt or castles or H.P. Lovecraft-type environments. They were just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-matheson/i-wrote-about-real-people-and-real-circumstances-and-real/) [Richard Matheson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-matheson/) > [New York doesn't exactly have neighborhoods, the way most cities do. What it has is closer to distinct and separate villages, some of them…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-e-westlake/new-york-doesn-t-exactly-have-neighborhoods-the-way-most-cities-do/) [Donald E. Westlake](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-e-westlake/) > [What I hear from folks all the time is 'us against them.' It is a core part of what they feel is happening with…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lori-lightfoot/what-i-hear-from-folks-all-the-time-is-us-against-them-it-is-a-core/) [Lori Lightfoot](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lori-lightfoot/) > [Another option, which I think is the thing that makes more sense, is this fact that the police are a reflection of the occupation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/oren-moverman/another-option-which-i-think-is-the-thing-that-makes-more-sense-is/) [Oren Moverman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/oren-moverman/) > [Some of the highest vibratory places one can visit have become very expensive. They are the domains of the rich. The rich figured out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/some-of-the-highest-vibratory-places-one-can-visit-have-become-very/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) ## 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. His view was that you had obligations or you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-thomas/my-grandfather-was-a-man-when-he-talked-about-freedom-his-attitude/) [Clarence Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-thomas/) > [Perhaps some are confused because they have stereotypes of how blacks should be and I respectfully decline, as I did in my youth, to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-thomas/perhaps-some-are-confused-because-they-have-stereotypes-of-how-blacks/) [Clarence Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-thomas/) > [ The Constitution does not vest in Congress the authority to protect society from every bad act that might befall it…\[I\]f followed to its logical… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-thomas/the-constitution-does-not-vest-in-congress-the-authority-to-protect/) [Clarence Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-thomas/) > [The job of a judge is to figure out what the law says, not what he wants it to say. 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. If I had been as sensitive…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-thomas/differences-in-race-differences-in-sex-somebody-doesn-t-look-at-you/) [Clarence Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-thomas/) > [ A theory deeply etched in our law \[is that\] a free society prefers to punish the few who abuse the rights of free speech… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-thomas/a-theory-deeply-etched-in-our-law-is-that-a-free-society-prefers-to/) [Clarence Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-thomas/) > [I don't know one of my friends who is considered a conservative who has not had to go back and thoroughly think through everything.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-thomas/i-don-t-know-one-of-my-friends-who-is-considered-a-conservative-who/) [Clarence Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-thomas/) > [I' been very partial to Malcolm X, particularly his self-help teachings.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-thomas/i-been-very-partial-to-malcolm-x-particularly-his-self-help-teachings/) [Clarence Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-thomas/) > [When you look at where the real problems are among minorities in our society, particularly blacks, it's at the bottom. 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 Certain quotes > [I am certain that children always know more than they are able to tell, and that makes the big difference between them and adults,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacques-lusseyran/i-am-certain-that-children-always-know-more-than-they-are-able-to/) [Jacques Lusseyran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacques-lusseyran/) > [One can put some trust in the gratitude of a sovereign, and also in that of his family; under certain conditions, one can even…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/otto-von-bismarck/one-can-put-some-trust-in-the-gratitude-of-a-sovereign-and-also-in/) [Otto von Bismarck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/otto-von-bismarck/) > [For successful education there must always be a certain freshness in the knowledge dealt with. It must be either new in itself or invested…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-north-whitehead/for-successful-education-there-must-always-be-a-certain-freshness-in/) [Alfred North Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-north-whitehead/) > [People don't always realize that a record is forever. It'll always be there under your name. You've got to be certain that it's right.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-iero/people-don-t-always-realize-that-a-record-is-forever-it-ll-always-be/) [Frank Iero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-iero/) > [Faith gives you a certain structure and meaning to your life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riffat-hassan/faith-gives-you-a-certain-structure-and-meaning-to-your-life/) [Riffat Hassan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riffat-hassan/) > [I started out dancing on a reality TV show, but always with the intention of making my way over to film. I transitioned into…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julianne-hough/i-started-out-dancing-on-a-reality-tv-show-but-always-with-the/) [Julianne Hough](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julianne-hough/) > [One of the deepest and strangest of all human moods is the mood which will suddenly strike us perhaps in a garden at night,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/one-of-the-deepest-and-strangest-of-all-human-moods-is-the-mood-which/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [A dialogue is very important. It is a form of communication in which question and answer continue till a question is left without an…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jiddu-krishnamurti/a-dialogue-is-very-important-it-is-a-form-of-communication-in-which/) [Jiddu Krishnamurti](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jiddu-krishnamurti/) > [I mean those people who are interested in good government will certainly contribute in order to make certain there's some counter-balance to those whose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-breyer/i-mean-those-people-who-are-interested-in-good-government-will/) [Stephen Breyer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-breyer/) > [Why do we love certain homes, and why do they seem to love us? It is the warmth of our individual hearts reflected in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-h-robsjohn-gibbings/why-do-we-love-certain-homes-and-why-do-they-seem-to-love-us-it-is/) [T. H. Robsjohn-Gibbings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-h-robsjohn-gibbings/) > [Human life consists of doing certain things ... to take part in the life of the community; to be able to talk about subjects…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amartya-sen/human-life-consists-of-doing-certain-things-to-take-part-in-the-life/) [Amartya Sen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amartya-sen/) > [We've all seen talented young players who get to a certain level but there comes a point where that talent will only take you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-gatland/we-ve-all-seen-talented-young-players-who-get-to-a-certain-level-but/) [Warren Gatland](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-gatland/) > [The concept of humanity is an especially useful ideological instrument of imperialist expansion, and in its ethical-humanitarian form it is a specific vehicle of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carl-schmitt/the-concept-of-humanity-is-an-especially-useful-ideological/) [Carl Schmitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carl-schmitt/) > [I think that at a certain age, say fifteen or sixteen, poetry is like masturbation. But later in life good poets burn their early…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/umberto-eco/i-think-that-at-a-certain-age-say-fifteen-or-sixteen-poetry-is-like/) [Umberto Eco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/umberto-eco/) > [If a person does not listen to the demands of their own spiritual and heart life and insists on a certain program, you're going…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-campbell/if-a-person-does-not-listen-to-the-demands-of-their-own-spiritual-and/) [Joseph Campbell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-campbell/) [Browse all 13,673 Certain quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/certain/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "When I was a kid, we said that we were precluded from going to certain neighborhoods because of the color of our skin Now the neighborhoods are the neighborhoods of ideas, youre not supposed to be there because of the color of your skin.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Clarence Thomas" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-thomas/when-i-was-a-kid-we-said-that-we-were-precluded-from-going-to-certain/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Certain" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-thomas/when-i-was-a-kid-we-said-that-we-were-precluded-from-going-to-certain/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd0/clarence-thomas-7661_certain_when-i-was-a-kid-we-said-that-we-were-pr_1550069.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd0/clarence-thomas-7661_certain_when-i-was-a-kid-we-said-that-we-were-pr_1550069.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fd0/clarence-thomas-7661_certain_when-i-was-a-kid-we-said-that-we-were-pr_1550069.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“When I was a kid, we said that we were precluded from going to certain neighborhoods because of the color of…” — Clarence Thomas", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Clarence Thomas", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/clarence-thomas/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "When I was a kid, we...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-thomas/when-i-was-a-kid-we-said-that-we-were-precluded-from-going-to-certain/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/clarence-thomas/when-i-was-a-kid-we-said-that-we-were-precluded-from-going-to-certain/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```