--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I decided to go around the country and…" description: "\"I decided to go around the country and sit down with Klan leaders and Klan members to find out: How can you hate me when you don't even know me?\" — Dar..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/702/daryl-davis-7572_country_i-decided-to-go-around-the-country-and-s_3144603.jpg" --- # I decided to go around the country and sit down with Klan… ![“I decided to go around the country and sit down with Klan leaders and Klan members to find out: How can you hate me when you don't even know me?” quote by Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/702/daryl-davis-7572_country_i-decided-to-go-around-the-country-and-s_3144603.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/702/daryl-davis-7572_country_i-decided-to-go-around-the-country-and-s_3144603.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/702/daryl-davis-7572_country_i-decided-to-go-around-the-country-and-s_3144603.jpg) > “I decided to go around the country and sit down with Klan leaders and Klan members to find out: How can you hate me when you don't even know me?” [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Engaging with hate groups directly reveals the irrationality of prejudice and opens paths to understanding. **In simple terms:** Talk to enemies to expose their ignorance. Key Takeaway Dialogue can dismantle hatred. Themes prejudice dialogue humanity Mood courageous empathetic Type educational activist When to use this quote - community outreach - education - activism - personal safety Key Concepts social psychology conflict resolution Questions to Reflect On - What fears hold you back from confronting hate? - How can you protect yourself while fostering dialogue? A Different Perspective Risk of personal harm and limited impact without broader support. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Country](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) [Find](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/find/) [Go](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/go/) [Hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate/) [Klan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/klan/) [Klan Leaders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/klan-leaders-5618253/) [Klan Members](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/klan-members-5513693/) [Leaders Klan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/leaders-klan-5618254/) [Sit Klan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sit-klan-5618255/) ## Related quotes > [In most of my encounters with Klan members, we would discuss reasons for why they were members in the first place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/in-most-of-my-encounters-with-klan-members-we-would-discuss-reasons/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [I knew as much about the Klan, if not more than many of the Klan people that I interviewed. When they see that you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/i-knew-as-much-about-the-klan-if-not-more-than-many-of-the-klan/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [A Klan member is not stamped from a standard cookie cutter. They come from all walks of life and various education levels and environmental…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/a-klan-member-is-not-stamped-from-a-standard-cookie-cutter-they-come/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [I have a former Baltimore City police officer's uniform and his robe and hood. He was the grand dragon, which means state leader. His…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/i-have-a-former-baltimore-city-police-officer-s-uniform-and-his-robe/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [I have just about every book written on the Klan and I've read them all.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/i-have-just-about-every-book-written-on-the-klan-and-i-ve-read-them/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [I never set out to convert anyone in the Klan. I just set out to get an answer to my question: 'How can you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/i-never-set-out-to-convert-anyone-in-the-klan-i-just-set-out-to-get/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [Some people have compared the Klan images to ecclesiastical figures.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andres-serrano/some-people-have-compared-the-klan-images-to-ecclesiastical-figures/) [Andres Serrano](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andres-serrano/) > [Be sure you avoid the Ku Klux Klan. Don't get that albatross around your neck. Once you've made that mistake, you inhibit your operations…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-byrd/be-sure-you-avoid-the-ku-klux-klan-don-t-get-that-albatross-around/) [Robert Byrd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-byrd/) > [That was one thing that we learned, that the Klan was making an active recruitment pitch to the armed forces - not just in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ron-stallworth/that-was-one-thing-that-we-learned-that-the-klan-was-making-an-active/) [Ron Stallworth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ron-stallworth/) > [The white men were roused by a mere instinct of self-preservation—until at last there had sprung into existence a great Ku Klux Klan, a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woodrow-wilson/the-white-men-were-roused-by-a-mere-instinct-of-self-preservation/) [Woodrow Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woodrow-wilson/) > [Do people in the Ku Klux Klan who die and come back as ghosts have to wear two sheets when attending the rally?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dana-gould/do-people-in-the-ku-klux-klan-who-die-and-come-back-as-ghosts-have-to/) [Dana Gould](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dana-gould/) > [“The enemy was not the Klan but the inside-outside lock that racism and classism had on the minds of the people: It operated from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/junius-williams/the-enemy-was-not-the-klan-but-the-inside-outside-lock-that-racism/) [Junius Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/junius-williams/) > [I asked myself, 'How are you going to change all these people, they have different values, different customs, different language, different interpretations?' So that’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacque-fresco/i-asked-myself-how-are-you-going-to-change-all-these-people-they-have/) [Jacque Fresco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacque-fresco/) > [When someone is anonymous, it opens the door to all kinds of antisocial behavior, as seen by the Ku Klux Klan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-zimbardo/when-someone-is-anonymous-it-opens-the-door-to-all-kinds-of/) [Philip Zimbardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-zimbardo/) > [As a black man, I actually had naturally sort of comedic curiosity about the Klan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/w-kamau-bell/as-a-black-man-i-actually-had-naturally-sort-of-comedic-curiosity/) [W. Kamau Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/w-kamau-bell/) ## More by Daryl Davis > [Racism is a cancer. You cannot ignore it and it'll go away. If you ignore cancer, it simply metastasizes and consumes the whole body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/racism-is-a-cancer-you-cannot-ignore-it-and-it-ll-go-away-if-you/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [They've changed the name from white supremacy to white separatists, to white nationalists, to alt-right. It's the same thing. A rose by any other…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/they-ve-changed-the-name-from-white-supremacy-to-white-separatists-to/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [I have been attacked and mistreated for my skin colour since I was a child.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/i-have-been-attacked-and-mistreated-for-my-skin-colour-since-i-was-a/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [If you have an adversary, an opponent with an opposing point of view, give that person a platform, regardless of how extreme it may…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/if-you-have-an-adversary-an-opponent-with-an-opposing-point-of-view/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [At the end, ignorance is the source of biases. If we cure that, there's nothing to fear and hate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/at-the-end-ignorance-is-the-source-of-biases-if-we-cure-that-there-s/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [There's a difference between being ignorant and being stupid... For me, an ignorant person is someone who makes the wrong decision or a bad…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/there-s-a-difference-between-being-ignorant-and-being-stupid-for-me/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [Find someone who disagrees and invite them to your table.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/find-someone-who-disagrees-and-invite-them-to-your-table/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [Our society can only become one of two things, it can be become what we let it become or it can become what we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/our-society-can-only-become-one-of-two-things-it-can-be-become-what/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [If you were to talk to somebody from Georgia you would understand what he's saying, he wouldn't sound like your next-door neighbor in Montana,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/if-you-were-to-talk-to-somebody-from-georgia-you-would-understand/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [Every racist that I know - and I know a lot of racists - every racist that I know voted for Donald Trump.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/every-racist-that-i-know-and-i-know-a-lot-of-racists-every-racist/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [It was incomprehensible to me that someone who had never seen me before, someone who knew absolutely nothing about me, would want to inflict…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/it-was-incomprehensible-to-me-that-someone-who-had-never-seen-me/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [The most important thing I learned is that when you are actively learning about someone else you are passively teaching them about yourself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/the-most-important-thing-i-learned-is-that-when-you-are-actively/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [You're not going to beat the meanness out of a mean dog. You start beating a mean dog, it's gonna become more mean. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/you-re-not-going-to-beat-the-meanness-out-of-a-mean-dog-you-start/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [He spoke nine languages. You know some people can just pick up an instrument and play. My father was like that with languages.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/he-spoke-nine-languages-you-know-some-people-can-just-pick-up-an/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [Music absolutely played a massive role in bridging many gaps in the racial divides I would encounter.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/music-absolutely-played-a-massive-role-in-bridging-many-gaps-in-the/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) [Explore all 90 Daryl Davis quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) ## More Country quotes > [I love playing for my country, getting the support. Especially for the kids and everybody, showing my example of what I can achieve so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maria-sharapova/i-love-playing-for-my-country-getting-the-support-especially-for-the/) [Maria Sharapova](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maria-sharapova/) > [ That country \[Carthage\] was rapidly sinking into the state of barbarism from whence it had been raised by the Phoenician colonies and Roman laws;… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-gibbon/that-country-carthage-was-rapidly-sinking-into-the-state-of-barbarism/) [Edward Gibbon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-gibbon/) > [If my campaign is not in the debate, we will not be talking about how we really fix this problem of endless and expanding…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jill-stein/if-my-campaign-is-not-in-the-debate-we-will-not-be-talking-about-how/) [Jill Stein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jill-stein/) > [For the Scottish government, the practice of having meetings in different parts of the country is well established, but for the U.K. government, it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nicola-sturgeon/for-the-scottish-government-the-practice-of-having-meetings-in/) [Nicola Sturgeon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nicola-sturgeon/) > [There's no reason someone who has fought for their country should be homeless of jobless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-kyle/there-s-no-reason-someone-who-has-fought-for-their-country-should-be/) [Chris Kyle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-kyle/) > [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/) > [It's very nice to be a rebel saying, 'I stand on my principles,' but if in fact that's not going to have any impact…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dominic-grieve/it-s-very-nice-to-be-a-rebel-saying-i-stand-on-my-principles-but-if/) [Dominic Grieve](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dominic-grieve/) > [Most paper money initially existed as a substitute for gold. That's what gave it value. But right now what gives a currency value is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-schiff/most-paper-money-initially-existed-as-a-substitute-for-gold-that-s/) [Peter Schiff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-schiff/) > [That's what this country is. It's made up of immigrants.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bria-vinaite/that-s-what-this-country-is-it-s-made-up-of-immigrants/) [Bria Vinaite](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bria-vinaite/) > [You, of Canada, are building a magnificent record of achievement. My country rejoices in it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dwight-d-eisenhower/you-of-canada-are-building-a-magnificent-record-of-achievement-my/) [Dwight D. Eisenhower](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dwight-d-eisenhower/) > [The United States cannot and should not discriminate on the basis of religion. The free exercise of religion is at the very heart of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-pence/the-united-states-cannot-and-should-not-discriminate-on-the-basis-of/) [Mike Pence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-pence/) > [The reason I was drawn to the Band Perry was because they have a knack for doing rollicking country music that can sound a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phoebe-robinson/the-reason-i-was-drawn-to-the-band-perry-was-because-they-have-a/) [Phoebe Robinson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phoebe-robinson/) > [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/) > ['Lovecraft Country' is reclaiming all these pulp genres for people of color.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/misha-green/lovecraft-country-is-reclaiming-all-these-pulp-genres-for-people-of/) [Misha Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/misha-green/) > [No judge can stop us from praying for our country and I pray that on May 6, millions of Americans will join me in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/franklin-graham/no-judge-can-stop-us-from-praying-for-our-country-and-i-pray-that-on/) [Franklin Graham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/franklin-graham/) [Browse all 29,881 Country quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/country/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I decided to go around the country and sit down with Klan leaders and Klan members to find out: How can you hate me when you don't even know me?", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Daryl Davis" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/i-decided-to-go-around-the-country-and-sit-down-with-klan-leaders-and/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Country" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/i-decided-to-go-around-the-country-and-sit-down-with-klan-leaders-and/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/702/daryl-davis-7572_country_i-decided-to-go-around-the-country-and-s_3144603.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/702/daryl-davis-7572_country_i-decided-to-go-around-the-country-and-s_3144603.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/702/daryl-davis-7572_country_i-decided-to-go-around-the-country-and-s_3144603.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I decided to go around the country and sit down with Klan leaders and Klan members to find out: How can you…” — Daryl Davis", "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": "Daryl Davis", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I decided to go around the...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/i-decided-to-go-around-the-country-and-sit-down-with-klan-leaders-and/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/i-decided-to-go-around-the-country-and-sit-down-with-klan-leaders-and/#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 } } ] } ```