--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I've been trying to understand conflict…" description: "\"I've been trying to understand conflict and violence ever since I was a kid. You know. There were a few things that happened even on my block - the Bla..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f71/forest-whitaker-3022_around-the-corner_i-ve-been-trying-to-understand-conflict_2723977.jpg" --- # I've been trying to understand conflict and violence ever… ![“I've been trying to understand conflict and violence ever since I was a kid. You know. There were a few things that happened even on my block - the Black Panthers used to be right around the corner from where we were.” quote by Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f71/forest-whitaker-3022_around-the-corner_i-ve-been-trying-to-understand-conflict_2723977.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f71/forest-whitaker-3022_around-the-corner_i-ve-been-trying-to-understand-conflict_2723977.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f71/forest-whitaker-3022_around-the-corner_i-ve-been-trying-to-understand-conflict_2723977.jpg) > “I've been trying to understand conflict and violence ever since I was a kid. You know. There were a few things that happened even on my block - the Black Panthers used to be right around the corner from where we were.” [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Reflects on early exposure to community conflict, emphasizing the lasting impact of environment on worldview. **In simple terms:** Early community conflict shapes worldview. Key Takeaway Acknowledge past influences on present views. Themes conflict environment personal history Mood reflective empathetic Type social personal When to use this quote - community work - education - peacebuilding Key Concepts sociology psychology Questions to Reflect On - How did those experiences shape your values? - What steps can you take to heal from past conflict? A Different Perspective May overlook personal agency in change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Black Panthers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-panthers/) [Conflict](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/conflict/) [Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [“You can understand conflict, but you don'thave to live in it.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-lynch/you-can-understand-conflict-but-you-don-thave-to-live-in-it/) [David Lynch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-lynch/) > [I think violence begets violence. I don't think a way to solve any sort of conflict is with violence because nothing ever ends up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-gordon-levitt/i-think-violence-begets-violence-i-don-t-think-a-way-to-solve-any/) [Joseph Gordon-Levitt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-gordon-levitt/) > [“Most people remember COINTELPRO from the days of the Black Panthers, Yippies, and other revolutionary groups who threatened our government during the civil rights…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-icke/most-people-remember-cointelpro-from-the-days-of-the-black-panthers/) [David Icke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-icke/) > [“The New Year’s Gang, as with many self-styled revolutionary groups to emerge at the tail end of the turbulent ’60s, both foreign and domestic,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-arntfield/the-new-year-s-gang-as-with-many-self-styled-revolutionary-groups-to/) Michael Arntfield > [We like to think of the '60s as Martin Luther King, Jr. and Malcolm X and a little bit of friction - no, there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/justin-simien/we-like-to-think-of-the-60s-as-martin-luther-king-jr-and-malcolm-x/) [Justin Simien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/justin-simien/) > [“Being hungry is the hardest thing, & to this day I have prayers of gratitude for the Black Panthers, who made Breakfast for Children…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patrisse-khan-cullors/being-hungry-is-the-hardest-thing-to-this-day-i-have-prayers-of/) Patrisse Khan-Cullors > [“...and now, in the season of the Radical Chic, the Black Panthers.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-wolfe/and-now-in-the-season-of-the-radical-chic-the-black-panthers/) [Tom Wolfe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-wolfe/) > [In its attempt to crush the Black Panthers, the FBI engineered frequent arrests on the flimsiest of pretexts.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-cockburn/in-its-attempt-to-crush-the-black-panthers-the-fbi-engineered/) [Alexander Cockburn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-cockburn/) > [Not since the Black Panthers sailed into their Upper East Side tea party has there been so daffy an exercise in radical chic.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/camille-paglia/not-since-the-black-panthers-sailed-into-their-upper-east-side-tea/) [Camille Paglia](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/camille-paglia/) > [“When Hitler failed, his officers were brought to the US, from inside Rockefeller Center, and to the Bahamas and Southern states to build that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mae-brussell/when-hitler-failed-his-officers-were-brought-to-the-us-from-inside/) [Mae Brussell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mae-brussell/) > [As I stroll down the same streets so many like me once before were killed on. Steady Mobbin. Thinkin bout the black panthers and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lupe-fiasco/as-i-stroll-down-the-same-streets-so-many-like-me-once-before-were/) [Lupe Fiasco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lupe-fiasco/) > [How we stop the black panthers? Ronald Reagan cooked up an answer You hear that? What Gil Scott was hearin When our heroes and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kanye-west/how-we-stop-the-black-panthers-ronald-reagan-cooked-up-an-answer-you/) [Kanye West](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kanye-west/) > [ First of all, \[St. Stephen's\] is a radical church. It was one of the first DC churches to have gay ceremonies. A woman said… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ian-mackaye/first-of-all-st-stephen-s-is-a-radical-church-it-was-one-of-the-first/) [Ian MacKaye](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ian-mackaye/) > [“New Rule: Democrats must get in touch with their inner asshole. I refer to the case of Van Jones, the man the Obama administration…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/new-rule-democrats-must-get-in-touch-with-their-inner-asshole-i-refer/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [I am proud that my daughter believes, as I do, that hungry children should be fed whether they are Black Panthers or White Republicans.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tommy-douglas/i-am-proud-that-my-daughter-believes-as-i-do-that-hungry-children/) [Tommy Douglas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tommy-douglas/) ## More by Forest Whitaker > [To try and act like we haven't had great progress is not true. Obama didn't fail - he changed the psyche of the nation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/to-try-and-act-like-we-haven-t-had-great-progress-is-not-true-obama/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [In high school, I did some musicals, but I never took acting until college. I was studying opera, classical voice, and a speech teacher…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/in-high-school-i-did-some-musicals-but-i-never-took-acting-until/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [I'm really excited that people are receiving my performance like this. It makes me feel good, because I've been working really hard. And this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/i-m-really-excited-that-people-are-receiving-my-performance-like-this/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [If I go to a reunion in east Texas, my mother's side or my father's, one out of ten is a preacher or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/if-i-go-to-a-reunion-in-east-texas-my-mother-s-side-or-my-father-s/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [ As an artist, it's a great opportunity to play a character like this \[Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in The Last King of Scotland\]. And… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/as-an-artist-it-s-a-great-opportunity-to-play-a-character-like-this/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [I can play a man who's despicable. But I'll still look inside him to find a point of connection. If I can find that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/i-can-play-a-man-who-s-despicable-but-i-ll-still-look-inside-him-to/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [It's all about destiny. That's why people look at the zodiac or the I Ching - because there's a certain order to life, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/it-s-all-about-destiny-that-s-why-people-look-at-the-zodiac-or-the-i/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [My wife is completely different from me: she's good with everyone, whereas I'm good at directed conversation when I have a purpose for it,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/my-wife-is-completely-different-from-me-she-s-good-with-everyone/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [I was a curious child. I'd debate with anyone who came to the door - people from the Islamic community... Jehovah's Witnesses... anyone.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/i-was-a-curious-child-i-d-debate-with-anyone-who-came-to-the-door/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [There was a time in my acting career, where I was trying to figure out if acting was the thing to do. You know?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/there-was-a-time-in-my-acting-career-where-i-was-trying-to-figure-out/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [The first time I ever went out of the country, it was to London. I was with the choir from my college, and we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/the-first-time-i-ever-went-out-of-the-country-it-was-to-london-i-was/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [If I were to mark three, I'd mark Bird, because I grew immensely as an artist, I learned a lot, and also, I think,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/if-i-were-to-mark-three-i-d-mark-bird-because-i-grew-immensely-as-an/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [I try to be like a forest: revitalizing and constantly growing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/i-try-to-be-like-a-forest-revitalizing-and-constantly-growing/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [I stay true, because whatever the project is, I'm still looking for inside of that character.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/i-stay-true-because-whatever-the-project-is-i-m-still-looking-for/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) > [It's a contract of connection to be in the same space and watch and listen to stories and be caught in them. When you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/it-s-a-contract-of-connection-to-be-in-the-same-space-and-watch-and/) [Forest Whitaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) [Explore all 142 Forest Whitaker quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/) ## More Around the corner quotes > [I feel excited about getting older as an actress, too. I think there are some amazing opportunities around the corner and I don't need…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sutton-foster/i-feel-excited-about-getting-older-as-an-actress-too-i-think-there/) [Sutton Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sutton-foster/) > [You'll never see me coming around the corner not smiling... I mean, I enjoy every moment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaquem-griffin/you-ll-never-see-me-coming-around-the-corner-not-smiling-i-mean-i/) [Shaquem Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaquem-griffin/) > [Curiosity is the essence of human existence. 'Who are we? Where are we? Where do we come from? Where are we going?'... I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/curiosity-is-the-essence-of-human-existence-who-are-we-where-are-we/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You'd never think of taking a cab if you had to walk a mile down Chicago's Michigan Avenue. But in a bad city you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/helmut-jahn/you-d-never-think-of-taking-a-cab-if-you-had-to-walk-a-mile-down/) [Helmut Jahn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/helmut-jahn/) > [With the great people that you work with, it's that they're never giving up and they're never thinking something's finished until they've really, really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-price/with-the-great-people-that-you-work-with-it-s-that-they-re-never/) [Steven Price](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-price/) > [At some point during almost every romantic comedy, the female lead suddenly trips and falls, stumbling helplessly over something ridiculous like a leaf, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chelsea-handler/at-some-point-during-almost-every-romantic-comedy-the-female-lead/) [Chelsea Handler](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chelsea-handler/) > [“A courteous war mage. The world really was coming to an end. And then Pritkin ran back around the corner followed by half a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-chance/a-courteous-war-mage-the-world-really-was-coming-to-an-end-and-then/) [Karen Chance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-chance/) > [You don't know what's coming for you in life, and you don't know what's around the corner. When you're in a great deal of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-h-wyman/you-don-t-know-what-s-coming-for-you-in-life-and-you-don-t-know-what/) [J.H. Wyman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-h-wyman/) > [Brooklyn, where I grew up, is a competitive burg - there's always a pretty boy around the corner there, and you gotta look better…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/theophilus-london/brooklyn-where-i-grew-up-is-a-competitive-burg-there-s-always-a/) [Theophilus London](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/theophilus-london/) > [One thing that's certain: around the corner from every ugly thing, there's something really beautiful. If we stop at every bitter interaction; we'll never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soledad-o-brien/one-thing-that-s-certain-around-the-corner-from-every-ugly-thing/) [Soledad O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soledad-o-brien/) > [“job 14:1 man who is born of a woman is few of days and full of troubles "If that isn't your experience now it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-piper/job-14-1-man-who-is-born-of-a-woman-is-few-of-days-and-full-of/) [John Piper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-piper/) > [Many live in dread of what is coming. Why should we? The unknown puts adventure into life. ... The unexpected around the corner gives…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/e-stanley-jones/many-live-in-dread-of-what-is-coming-why-should-we-the-unknown-puts/) [E. Stanley Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/e-stanley-jones/) > [And as I reinvent myself and I'm constantly curious about everything, I can't wait to see what's around the corner in newfound art and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pam-grier/and-as-i-reinvent-myself-and-i-m-constantly-curious-about-everything/) [Pam Grier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pam-grier/) > [I know what is around the corner - I just don't know where the corner is.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-keegan/i-know-what-is-around-the-corner-i-just-don-t-know-where-the-corner-is/) [Kevin Keegan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-keegan/) > [I love being the age I am, because if there's enough pain or grief, I have enough experience now to realize that there's joy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sara-gilbert/i-love-being-the-age-i-am-because-if-there-s-enough-pain-or-grief-i/) [Sara Gilbert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sara-gilbert/) Browse all 569 Around the corner quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I've been trying to understand conflict and violence ever since I was a kid. You know. There were a few things that happened even on my block - the Black Panthers used to be right around the corner from where we were.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Forest Whitaker" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/i-ve-been-trying-to-understand-conflict-and-violence-ever-since-i-was/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Around the corner" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/i-ve-been-trying-to-understand-conflict-and-violence-ever-since-i-was/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f71/forest-whitaker-3022_around-the-corner_i-ve-been-trying-to-understand-conflict_2723977.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f71/forest-whitaker-3022_around-the-corner_i-ve-been-trying-to-understand-conflict_2723977.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/f71/forest-whitaker-3022_around-the-corner_i-ve-been-trying-to-understand-conflict_2723977.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“I've been trying to understand conflict and violence ever since I was a kid. You know. There were a few…” — Forest Whitaker", "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": "Forest Whitaker", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/forest-whitaker/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "I've been trying to understand conflict...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/i-ve-been-trying-to-understand-conflict-and-violence-ever-since-i-was/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/forest-whitaker/i-ve-been-trying-to-understand-conflict-and-violence-ever-since-i-was/#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 } } ] } ```