--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: What you must understand is oppression…" description: "\"What you must understand is oppression does not end with the niggers. It does not end with the poor people, it doesn't end with the women, or the pregn..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/371/florynce-kennedy-16560_airports_what-you-must-understand-is-oppression-d_73708.jpg" --- # What you must understand is oppression does not end with… ![“What you must understand is oppression does not end with the niggers. It does not end with the poor people, it doesn't end with the women, or the pregnant women. It goes on up the line to the executive who has his bag searched in the airport.” quote by Florynce Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/371/florynce-kennedy-16560_airports_what-you-must-understand-is-oppression-d_73708.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/371/florynce-kennedy-16560_airports_what-you-must-understand-is-oppression-d_73708.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/371/florynce-kennedy-16560_airports_what-you-must-understand-is-oppression-d_73708.jpg) > “What you must understand is oppression does not end with the niggers. It does not end with the poor people, it doesn't end with the women, or the pregnant women. It goes on up the line to the executive who has his bag searched in the airport.” [Florynce Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florynce-kennedy/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Oppression is a systemic hierarchy that extends beyond marginalized groups, reaching powerful individuals who also face control, **In simple terms:** Power structures affect all levels Key Takeaway Oppression is pervasive Themes systemic inequality intersectionality power dynamics social hierarchy privilege Mood critical urgent reflective Type political social analytical When to use this quote - policy analysis - activist training - corporate ethics reviews - public discourse Key Concepts structural oppression authority surveillance social justice Practical Applications - education on systemic bias - designing inclusive policies Questions to Reflect On - How does power manifest differently across social strata? - What mechanisms sustain oppression at elite levels? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Airports](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/airports/) [Bags](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bags/) [Doe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/doe/) [End Niggers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/end-niggers-959837/) [Ends](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ends/) [Executives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/executives/) [Goes on](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/goes-on/) [Lines](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/lines/) [Niggers Does](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/niggers-does-959840/) [Oppression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oppression/) [Oppression Does](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oppression-does-959838/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Poor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor/) [Poor people](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/poor-people/) [Pregnant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pregnant/) [Pregnant women](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/pregnant-women/) [Understand Oppression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/understand-oppression-959839/) ## Related quotes > [Our economic order is tightly woven around the exploitation of animals, and while it may seem easy to dismiss concern about animals as the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-torres/our-economic-order-is-tightly-woven-around-the-exploitation-of/) [Bob Torres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bob-torres/) > [The task of resisting our own oppression does not relieve us of the responsibility of acknowledging our complicity in the oppression of others.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beverly-daniel-tatum/the-task-of-resisting-our-own-oppression-does-not-relieve-us-of-the/) [Beverly Daniel Tatum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/beverly-daniel-tatum/) > [Oppression does not make for hearts as big as all outdoors. Oppression makes us big and small. Expressive and silenced. Deep and dead.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cherrie-moraga/oppression-does-not-make-for-hearts-as-big-as-all-outdoors-oppression/) [Cherrie Moraga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cherrie-moraga/) > [“Unfortunately, oppression does not automatically produce only meaningful struggle. It has the ability to call into being a wide range of responses between partial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chinua-achebe/unfortunately-oppression-does-not-automatically-produce-only/) [Chinua Achebe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chinua-achebe/) > [“This is the case in every society: those who pose no challenge are rarely targeted by oppressive measures, and from their perspective, they can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-greenwald/this-is-the-case-in-every-society-those-who-pose-no-challenge-are/) [Glenn Greenwald](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-greenwald/) > [Oppression does not know the meaning of provincial boundaries. Aren't our energies better spent fighting the common enemy instead of each other?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benazir-bhutto/oppression-does-not-know-the-meaning-of-provincial-boundaries-aren-t/) [Benazir Bhutto](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benazir-bhutto/) > [By far the most common craving of pregnant women is not to be pregnant.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/phyllis-diller/by-far-the-most-common-craving-of-pregnant-women-is-not-to-be-pregnant/) [Phyllis Diller](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/phyllis-diller/) > [The average pregnant woman farts 15 times that!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-simpson/the-average-pregnant-woman-farts-15-times-that/) [Jessica Simpson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jessica-simpson/) > [“In every way there is, murder is chaos. Our job is simple, when you get down to it: we stand against that, for order.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tana-french/in-every-way-there-is-murder-is-chaos-our-job-is-simple-when-you-get/) [Tana French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tana-french/) > [“Birth is experiential. You have to experience it to fully know it. An exercise such as Bellydance for birth embraced during pregnancy can act…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maha-al-musa/birth-is-experiential-you-have-to-experience-it-to-fully-know-it-an/) [Maha Al Musa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maha-al-musa/) > [I want to use my voice to better health care for pregnant women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philomena-kwao/i-want-to-use-my-voice-to-better-health-care-for-pregnant-women/) [Philomena Kwao](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philomena-kwao/) > [“Epsom Salt - Don't underestimate the powerful healing effects of regular Epsom salt.  Soaking in hot water infused with Epsom salts (magnesium sulfate) boosts…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gina-the-veggie-goddess-matthews/epsom-salt-don-t-underestimate-the-powerful-healing-effects-of/) [Gina 'The Veggie Goddess' Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gina-the-veggie-goddess-matthews/) > [Keep busy while you are waiting for something to happen.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-genn/keep-busy-while-you-are-waiting-for-something-to-happen/) [Robert Genn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-genn/) > [A pregnant woman and her spouse dream of three babies--the perfect four-month-old who rewards them with smiles and musical cooing,the impaired baby, who changes…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/t-berry-brazelton/a-pregnant-woman-and-her-spouse-dream-of-three-babies-the-perfect/) [T. Berry Brazelton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/t-berry-brazelton/) > [“I remember this country back when I was growing up. We went to church, we ate family suppers around the table, and it would…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tana-french/i-remember-this-country-back-when-i-was-growing-up-we-went-to-church/) [Tana French](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tana-french/) ## More by Florynce Kennedy > [Women are dirt searchers; their greatest worth is irradicating rings on collars and tables. Never mind real-estate boards' corruption and racism, here's your soapsuds.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florynce-kennedy/women-are-dirt-searchers-their-greatest-worth-is-irradicating-rings/) [Florynce Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florynce-kennedy/) > [I know we're termites. But if all the termites got together, the house would fall down.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florynce-kennedy/i-know-we-re-termites-but-if-all-the-termites-got-together-the-house/) [Florynce Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florynce-kennedy/) > [There's no way that I know of to avoid pain absolutely, but suffering is the interpretation we choose to place on the pain we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florynce-kennedy/there-s-no-way-that-i-know-of-to-avoid-pain-absolutely-but-suffering/) [Florynce Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florynce-kennedy/) > [Unless you are political or intellectual, events like the Depression are seen as personal events. We thought of the Depression as something that made…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florynce-kennedy/unless-you-are-political-or-intellectual-events-like-the-depression/) [Florynce Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florynce-kennedy/) > [“True revolutionary activity, in my opinion, is that which hurts the establishment without undue damage to the person who does the revolutionary act. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florynce-kennedy/true-revolutionary-activity-in-my-opinion-is-that-which-hurts-the/) [Florynce Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florynce-kennedy/) > [Freedom is like taking a bath: You got to keep doing it every day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florynce-kennedy/freedom-is-like-taking-a-bath-you-got-to-keep-doing-it-every-day/) [Florynce Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florynce-kennedy/) > [... tobacco kills 52,000 people a year from lung cancer, and there's no telling how many lives have been ruined through drinking.But to my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florynce-kennedy/tobacco-kills-52-000-people-a-year-from-lung-cancer-and-there-s-no/) [Florynce Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florynce-kennedy/) > [Oppressed people are frequently very oppressive when first liberated. They know but two positions: somebody's foot on their neck or their foot on somebody's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florynce-kennedy/oppressed-people-are-frequently-very-oppressive-when-first-liberated/) [Florynce Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florynce-kennedy/) > [Everybody's scared for their ass. There aren't too many people ready to die for racism. They'll kill for racism but they won't die for…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florynce-kennedy/everybody-s-scared-for-their-ass-there-aren-t-too-many-people-ready/) [Florynce Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florynce-kennedy/) > [I never stop to wonder why I'm not like other people. They mystery to me is why more people aren't like me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florynce-kennedy/i-never-stop-to-wonder-why-i-m-not-like-other-people-they-mystery-to/) [Florynce Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florynce-kennedy/) > [I approve of anyone wearing what the establishment says you must not wear.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florynce-kennedy/i-approve-of-anyone-wearing-what-the-establishment-says-you-must-not/) [Florynce Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florynce-kennedy/) > [Nail polish or false eyelashes isn't politics. If you have good politics, what you wear is irrelevant. I don't take dictation from the pig-o-cratic…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florynce-kennedy/nail-polish-or-false-eyelashes-isn-t-politics-if-you-have-good/) [Florynce Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florynce-kennedy/) > [Niggerization is the result of oppression -- and it doesn't just apply to the black people. Old people, poor people, and students can also…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florynce-kennedy/niggerization-is-the-result-of-oppression-and-it-doesn-t-just-apply/) [Florynce Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florynce-kennedy/) > [... anybody with the brains and energy to become a teacher ought to want to become something better.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florynce-kennedy/anybody-with-the-brains-and-energy-to-become-a-teacher-ought-to-want/) [Florynce Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florynce-kennedy/) > [The biggest sin is sitting on your ass.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florynce-kennedy/the-biggest-sin-is-sitting-on-your-ass/) [Florynce Kennedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florynce-kennedy/) [Explore all 39 Florynce Kennedy quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florynce-kennedy/) ## More Airports quotes > [In luggage claim at the Minneapolis airport, the guy came up to me and said, "Maybe you're wrong, maybe stories do matter." I wrote…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kate-dicamillo/in-luggage-claim-at-the-minneapolis-airport-the-guy-came-up-to-me-and/) [Kate DiCamillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kate-dicamillo/) > [I have to put my father over because he really taught me a lot, especially when it comes to out-of-the-ring psychology and how to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/randy-orton/i-have-to-put-my-father-over-because-he-really-taught-me-a-lot/) [Randy Orton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/randy-orton/) > [Sharing a room with a cadaver is only mildly different from being in a room alone. They are the same sort of company as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mary-roach/sharing-a-room-with-a-cadaver-is-only-mildly-different-from-being-in/) [Mary Roach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mary-roach/) > [I wrapped a movie called 'Zombieland,' in which I was constantly under assault by zombies, then flew to New York, still very much in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/woody-harrelson/i-wrapped-a-movie-called-zombieland-in-which-i-was-constantly-under/) [Woody Harrelson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/woody-harrelson/) > [If I never saw another airport again, I'd be happy!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emm-gryner/if-i-never-saw-another-airport-again-i-d-be-happy/) [Emm Gryner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emm-gryner/) > [If Real Madrid land on Manchester airport, then the airport will be surely flooded just to see one player whom fans want most. Everyone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gary-neville/if-real-madrid-land-on-manchester-airport-then-the-airport-will-be/) [Gary Neville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gary-neville/) > [She was standing in the airport of Copenhagen, staring at a doorway, trying to figure out if it was (a) a bathroom and (b)…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-johnson/she-was-standing-in-the-airport-of-copenhagen-staring-at-a-doorway/) [Maureen Johnson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-johnson/) > [I don't like waiting in airports for my bags. Even worse, I don't like waiting in airports when my bags are lost.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steve-waugh/i-don-t-like-waiting-in-airports-for-my-bags-even-worse-i-don-t-like/) [Steve Waugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steve-waugh/) > [I am a Black revolutionary woman, and because of this i have been charged with and accused of every alleged crime in which a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/assata-shakur/i-am-a-black-revolutionary-woman-and-because-of-this-i-have-been/) [Assata Shakur](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/assata-shakur/) > [I'm interested in people who become culturally fluent. And when I meet young people I'm often amazed they don't quite seem to have a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-gibson/i-m-interested-in-people-who-become-culturally-fluent-and-when-i-meet/) [William Gibson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-gibson/) > [I associate going to an airport with work because I travel so much with my job. So when I have a few days free…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/evelyn-glennie/i-associate-going-to-an-airport-with-work-because-i-travel-so-much/) [Evelyn Glennie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/evelyn-glennie/) > [I was once walking in an airport and a woman came up to me and said, 'Be zany!'. That'd be like walking up to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-williams/i-was-once-walking-in-an-airport-and-a-woman-came-up-to-me-and-said/) [Robin Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-williams/) > [Don't touch my junk, you airport security goon--my package belongs to no one but me, and do you really think I'm a Nigerian nut…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-krauthammer/don-t-touch-my-junk-you-airport-security-goon-my-package-belongs-to/) [Charles Krauthammer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-krauthammer/) > [“Airports say work and security checks and delays. Ports say... I don’t know. Something completely different. Escape, maybe.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ruth-ware/airports-say-work-and-security-checks-and-delays-ports-say-i-don-t/) [Ruth Ware](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ruth-ware/) > [If men could get pregnant, abortion clinics would be like Starbucks - two on every block and four in every airport. And the morning-after…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nasim-pedrad/if-men-could-get-pregnant-abortion-clinics-would-be-like-starbucks/) [Nasim Pedrad](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nasim-pedrad/) [Browse all 490 Airports quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/airports/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "What you must understand is oppression does not end with the niggers. It does not end with the poor people, it doesn't end with the women, or the pregnant women. It goes on up the line to the executive who has his bag searched in the airport.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Florynce Kennedy" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florynce-kennedy/what-you-must-understand-is-oppression-does-not-end-with-the-niggers/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Airports" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florynce-kennedy/what-you-must-understand-is-oppression-does-not-end-with-the-niggers/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/371/florynce-kennedy-16560_airports_what-you-must-understand-is-oppression-d_73708.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/371/florynce-kennedy-16560_airports_what-you-must-understand-is-oppression-d_73708.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/371/florynce-kennedy-16560_airports_what-you-must-understand-is-oppression-d_73708.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“What you must understand is oppression does not end with the niggers. It does not end with the poor people…” — Florynce Kennedy", "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": "Florynce Kennedy", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florynce-kennedy/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "What you must understand is oppression...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florynce-kennedy/what-you-must-understand-is-oppression-does-not-end-with-the-niggers/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florynce-kennedy/what-you-must-understand-is-oppression-does-not-end-with-the-niggers/#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 } } ] } ```