--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Neither of us uttered a word about what…" description: "\"“Neither of us uttered a word about what happened. We never do. But I can't smudge it from my mind. The farm boys' sneering red faces. The runt shaking..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5b/julia-scheeres-17172_quote_neither-of-us-uttered-a-word-about-what_1841337.jpg" --- # Neither of us uttered a word about what happened. We never… ![“Neither of us uttered a word about what happened. We never do. But I can't smudge it from my mind. The farm boys' sneering red faces. The runt shaking the fence. The brown lump of spit tobacco. The anguish in David's eyes. They don't know the first thing about us; they just hate us because we're…” quote by Julia Scheeres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5b/julia-scheeres-17172_quote_neither-of-us-uttered-a-word-about-what_1841337.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5b/julia-scheeres-17172_quote_neither-of-us-uttered-a-word-about-what_1841337.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5b/julia-scheeres-17172_quote_neither-of-us-uttered-a-word-about-what_1841337.jpg) > ““Neither of us uttered a word about what happened. We never do. But I can't smudge it from my mind. The farm boys' sneering red faces. The runt shaking the fence. The brown lump of spit tobacco. The anguish in David's eyes. They don't know the first thing about us; they just hate us because we're black”” [Julia Scheeres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-scheeres/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. A painful memory of racial hatred and violence haunts the narrator, highlighting systemic racism and personal trauma. **In simple terms:** Racial hatred leaves lasting emotional scars. Key Takeaway Acknowledge and confront past trauma. Themes racism memory trauma Mood sorrowful reflective Type narrative emotional When to use this quote - personal reflection - community dialogue - mental health support Key Concepts systemic oppression identity psychological impact Questions to Reflect On - How does silence perpetuate injustice? - What steps can individuals take to heal from racial trauma? A Different Perspective Healing requires confronting,, not just silence. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [I was born and raised on a farm, where boys had chores and girls did not, i.e., drive tractors, bale hay, take care of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/holly-hunter/i-was-born-and-raised-on-a-farm-where-boys-had-chores-and-girls-did/) [Holly Hunter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/holly-hunter/) > [“The Jeremiah guy invited me to come work for the government. He said he was with the military and they were looking for guys…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-r-ward/the-jeremiah-guy-invited-me-to-come-work-for-the-government-he-said/) [J.R. Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-r-ward/) > [Don't hate the black, don't hate the white. If you get bit, just hate the bite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sly-stone/don-t-hate-the-black-don-t-hate-the-white-if-you-get-bit-just-hate/) [Sly Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sly-stone/) > [The Black female is assaulted in her tender years by all those common forces of nature at the same time she is caught in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/the-black-female-is-assaulted-in-her-tender-years-by-all-those-common-2/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [The tea baggers. The one thing they hate is when you call them racist. The other thing they hate is black people. But they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/the-tea-baggers-the-one-thing-they-hate-is-when-you-call-them-racist/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [I never uttered a word about things, but with my age now, I've completely lost all reservations. In more ways than one. I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/giovanna-cau/i-never-uttered-a-word-about-things-but-with-my-age-now-i-ve/) [Giovanna Cau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/giovanna-cau/) > [“How you, O Athenians, have been affected by my accusers, I cannot tell; but I know that they almost made me forget who I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/plato/how-you-o-athenians-have-been-affected-by-my-accusers-i-cannot-tell/) [Plato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/plato/) > [“I'd like to ask you more about your ears if I may," I said. "You want to ask whether or not my ears possess…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haruki-murakami/i-d-like-to-ask-you-more-about-your-ears-if-i-may-i-said-you-want-to/) [Haruki Murakami](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haruki-murakami/) > [A lot of racism going on in the world right now. Who's more racist? Black people or white people? Black people. You know why?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/a-lot-of-racism-going-on-in-the-world-right-now-who-s-more-racist/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) > [If it was up to me, if you uttered the word 'gun control,' we'd put you in jail.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nugent/if-it-was-up-to-me-if-you-uttered-the-word-gun-control-we-d-put-you/) [Ted Nugent](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nugent/) > [I hate to say it but I hate black humor. I feel like a Klan member saying it, but it's just not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/issa-rae/i-hate-to-say-it-but-i-hate-black-humor-i-feel-like-a-klan-member/) [Issa Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/issa-rae/) > [Hate walks hand in hand with hate, and black metal especially is a genre that is full of white power bands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-judd/hate-walks-hand-in-hand-with-hate-and-black-metal-especially-is-a/) [Blake Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-judd/) > [“Each time that he uttered the word sir, in his voice which was so gently grave and polished, the man's face lighted up. Monsieur…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/victor-hugo/each-time-that-he-uttered-the-word-sir-in-his-voice-which-was-so/) [Victor Hugo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/victor-hugo/) > [You do not know how long I believed the words I can before I finally uttered the word I quit](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-do-not-know-how-long-i-believed-the-words-i-can-before-i-finally/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Being the bearer of bad news to people today, hate being the one with a black hat on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-the-bearer-of-bad-news-to-people-today-hate-being-the-one-with/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) ## More by Julia Scheeres > [“This here is: JESUS LAND”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-scheeres/this-here-is-jesus-land/) [Julia Scheeres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-scheeres/) > [My parents subscribed to both Time and Newsweek and in 1978, I remember the covers of both that December were of the bodies in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-scheeres/my-parents-subscribed-to-both-time-and-newsweek-and-in-1978-i/) [Julia Scheeres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-scheeres/) > [I didn't fit into the Christian college my parents sent me to. I felt tarnished by tragedy, between my brother's death and Escuela Caribe,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-scheeres/i-didn-t-fit-into-the-christian-college-my-parents-sent-me-to-i-felt/) [Julia Scheeres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-scheeres/) > [Escuela Caribe preyed upon parents' fears of secular culture to recruit students. Parents could send their kids to a place where they'd be sheltered…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-scheeres/escuela-caribe-preyed-upon-parents-fears-of-secular-culture-to/) [Julia Scheeres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-scheeres/) > [Jonestown was supposed to be a great socialist experiment, a place where all the evil "isms" would be eradicated: racism, sexism, elitism. This appealed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-scheeres/jonestown-was-supposed-to-be-a-great-socialist-experiment-a-place/) [Julia Scheeres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-scheeres/) > [Jim Jones used highly-edited videos and photos of Jonestown, showing what a supposed Eden it was. People were interviewed smiling and working in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-scheeres/jim-jones-used-highly-edited-videos-and-photos-of-jonestown-showing/) [Julia Scheeres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-scheeres/) > [I only wish my brother David had survived to experience Berkeley as well. No one would flinch here if we were to walk down…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-scheeres/i-only-wish-my-brother-david-had-survived-to-experience-berkeley-as/) [Julia Scheeres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-scheeres/) > [“Seems we can never just be brother and sister like in other families. Our whole lives, people have felt an urge to make up…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-scheeres/seems-we-can-never-just-be-brother-and-sister-like-in-other-families/) [Julia Scheeres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-scheeres/) > [That's why I think it's important to revisit the story of Jonestown. I hope readers come away with a greater compassion for Jim Jones's…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-scheeres/that-s-why-i-think-it-s-important-to-revisit-the-story-of-jonestown-i/) [Julia Scheeres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-scheeres/) > [In my view, the problem with many conservative Christian parents is that they won't allow their children to have a different worldview from their…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-scheeres/in-my-view-the-problem-with-many-conservative-christian-parents-is/) [Julia Scheeres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-scheeres/) > [I was working on a satirical novel about a charismatic preacher who takes over a small Indiana town. Then I remembered Jim Jones was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-scheeres/i-was-working-on-a-satirical-novel-about-a-charismatic-preacher-who/) [Julia Scheeres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-scheeres/) > [Jim Jones wanted his people to believe the establishment was trying to kill him because whites were threatened by his message of racial equality.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-scheeres/jim-jones-wanted-his-people-to-believe-the-establishment-was-trying/) [Julia Scheeres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-scheeres/) > [“As we paint each other's nails Cinnamon Vixen, I consider telling her how bad things are at home. After she and Dan and Laura…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-scheeres/as-we-paint-each-other-s-nails-cinnamon-vixen-i-consider-telling-her/) [Julia Scheeres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-scheeres/) > [“One of the most popular genital surgeries is labia minora reduction. When a similar procedure is performed on healthy girls in some African countries…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-scheeres/one-of-the-most-popular-genital-surgeries-is-labia-minora-reduction/) [Julia Scheeres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-scheeres/) > [There were several parallels between Jonestown and Escuela Caribe. Both places used isolation to control a large group of people and censored their communication…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-scheeres/there-were-several-parallels-between-jonestown-and-escuela-caribe/) [Julia Scheeres](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-scheeres/) [Explore all 38 Julia Scheeres quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-scheeres/) ## More Hate Black quotes > [Don't hate the black, don't hate the white. If you get bit, just hate the bite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sly-stone/don-t-hate-the-black-don-t-hate-the-white-if-you-get-bit-just-hate/) [Sly Stone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sly-stone/) > [Hate walks hand in hand with hate, and black metal especially is a genre that is full of white power bands.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/blake-judd/hate-walks-hand-in-hand-with-hate-and-black-metal-especially-is-a/) [Blake Judd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/blake-judd/) > [I hate to say it but I hate black humor. I feel like a Klan member saying it, but it's just not funny.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/issa-rae/i-hate-to-say-it-but-i-hate-black-humor-i-feel-like-a-klan-member/) [Issa Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/issa-rae/) > [A lot of racism going on in the world right now. Who's more racist? Black people or white people? Black people. You know why?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-rock/a-lot-of-racism-going-on-in-the-world-right-now-who-s-more-racist/) [Chris Rock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-rock/) > [The tea baggers. The one thing they hate is when you call them racist. The other thing they hate is black people. But they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-maher/the-tea-baggers-the-one-thing-they-hate-is-when-you-call-them-racist/) [Bill Maher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-maher/) > [The Black female is assaulted in her tender years by all those common forces of nature at the same time she is caught in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maya-angelou/the-black-female-is-assaulted-in-her-tender-years-by-all-those-common-2/) [Maya Angelou](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maya-angelou/) > [Being the bearer of bad news to people today, hate being the one with a black hat on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-the-bearer-of-bad-news-to-people-today-hate-being-the-one-with/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) Browse all 8 Hate Black quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Neither of us uttered a word about what happened. We never do. But I can't smudge it from my mind. The farm boys' sneering red faces. The runt shaking the fence. The brown lump of spit tobacco. The anguish in David's eyes. They don't know the first thing about us; they just hate us because we're black”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Julia Scheeres" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-scheeres/neither-of-us-uttered-a-word-about-what-happened-we-never-do-but-i/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Hate Black" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-scheeres/neither-of-us-uttered-a-word-about-what-happened-we-never-do-but-i/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5b/julia-scheeres-17172_quote_neither-of-us-uttered-a-word-about-what_1841337.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5b/julia-scheeres-17172_quote_neither-of-us-uttered-a-word-about-what_1841337.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a5b/julia-scheeres-17172_quote_neither-of-us-uttered-a-word-about-what_1841337.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Neither of us uttered a word about what happened. We never do. But I can't smudge it from my mind. The farm…” — Julia Scheeres", "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": "Julia Scheeres", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/julia-scheeres/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "“Neither of us uttered a word...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-scheeres/neither-of-us-uttered-a-word-about-what-happened-we-never-do-but-i/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/julia-scheeres/neither-of-us-uttered-a-word-about-what-happened-we-never-do-but-i/#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 } } ] } ```