--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When I was a kid, there was kind of a…" description: "\"When I was a kid, there was kind of a given that there were some really bad, racist police out there. That's just what America was like when I was a ki..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe6/larry-wilmore-3223_america_when-i-was-a-kid-there-was-kind-of-a-giv_1938103.png" --- # When I was a kid, there was kind of a given that there… ![“When I was a kid, there was kind of a given that there were some really bad, racist police out there. That's just what America was like when I was a kid.” quote by Larry Wilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe6/larry-wilmore-3223_america_when-i-was-a-kid-there-was-kind-of-a-giv_1938103.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe6/larry-wilmore-3223_america_when-i-was-a-kid-there-was-kind-of-a-giv_1938103.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/fe6/larry-wilmore-3223_america_when-i-was-a-kid-there-was-kind-of-a-giv_1938103.png) > “When I was a kid, there was kind of a given that there were some really bad, racist police out there. That's just what America was like when I was a kid.” [Larry Wilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilmore/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Childhood perception of systemic racism in policing; early experiences shape worldview. **In simple terms:** Kids see racism as normal in police. Key Takeaway Recognize and challenge biased narratives early. Themes racism policing childhood perception Mood reflective critical hopeful Type social commentary personal narrative When to use this quote - education - community dialogue - policy reform - personal reflection - media literacy Key Concepts systemic bias socialization Questions to Reflect On - How did early views affect your adult outlook? - What can be done to reshape narratives for youth? A Different Perspective Not all police are racist; change requires systemic effort. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [America](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america/) [America Like](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/america-like/) [Bad Racist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bad-racist-2478677/) [Given](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/given/) [Kids](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kids/) [Kind](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/kind/) [Police](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/police/) [Police Just](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/police-just-236325/) [Racist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racist/) [Racist Police](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racist-police-2434446/) ## Related quotes > [Not every cop is bad, not every white person is bad or racist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamal-murray/not-every-cop-is-bad-not-every-white-person-is-bad-or-racist/) [Jamal Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamal-murray/) > [Peddling to racism is just as bad as being a racist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-navarro/peddling-to-racism-is-just-as-bad-as-being-a-racist/) [Ana Navarro](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-navarro/) > [Where are the cops when you need them? (Nick) Probably eating beignets. As the old saying goes, when seconds count, the police are just…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/where-are-the-cops-when-you-need-them-nick-probably-eating-beignets/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [“As the old saying goes, when seconds count the police are just minutes away.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sherrilyn-kenyon/as-the-old-saying-goes-when-seconds-count-the-police-are-just-minutes/) [Sherrilyn Kenyon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sherrilyn-kenyon/) > [There is no doubt that there are some racist police, I think they're the minority, I think they're the few bad apples and we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-c-o-brien/there-is-no-doubt-that-there-are-some-racist-police-i-think-they-re/) [Robert C. O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-c-o-brien/) > [Nothing will ever bring back George Floyd, or any of the thousands of others we have lost to racist police violence.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jamaal-bowman/nothing-will-ever-bring-back-george-floyd-or-any-of-the-thousands-of/) [Jamaal Bowman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jamaal-bowman/) > [Myself, my little brother and my cousins have all been victims of racist police or prejudice, getting pulled over in a car and having…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/caris-levert/myself-my-little-brother-and-my-cousins-have-all-been-victims-of/) [Caris LeVert](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/caris-levert/) > [Especially as a teenager, I was always being racially profiled by the police. You just see all this injustice, and you want to do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dolores-huerta/especially-as-a-teenager-i-was-always-being-racially-profiled-by-the/) [Dolores Huerta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dolores-huerta/) > [“We got a clear night. You see something like that sky, no matter how long you’ve been the police, you just don’t understand why…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nora-roberts/we-got-a-clear-night-you-see-something-like-that-sky-no-matter-how/) [Nora Roberts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nora-roberts/) > [“My parents haven’t raised me to fear the police, just to be smart around them.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angie-thomas/my-parents-haven-t-raised-me-to-fear-the-police-just-to-be-smart/) [Angie Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angie-thomas/) > [I'm not against the police; I'm just afraid of them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alfred-hitchcock/i-m-not-against-the-police-i-m-just-afraid-of-them/) [Alfred Hitchcock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alfred-hitchcock/) > [It's not that I dislike the police, but I would never go to the police for anything. It's just that I prefer not..., not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gaspar-noe/it-s-not-that-i-dislike-the-police-but-i-would-never-go-to-the-police/) [Gaspar Noe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gaspar-noe/) > [“It was my fifth lie to the police. I was just starting.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gillian-flynn/it-was-my-fifth-lie-to-the-police-i-was-just-starting/) [Gillian Flynn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gillian-flynn/) > [We should have solved the current insecurity in the Northeast and South by now. Are the states able to shoulder the burden of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/muhammadu-buhari/we-should-have-solved-the-current-insecurity-in-the-northeast-and/) [Muhammadu Buhari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/muhammadu-buhari/) > [“Can I ask who you are, sir?" "Yeah, I expect so," said Strike, walking past him and ringing the doorbell. Anstis's dinner invitation notwithstanding,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-galbraith/can-i-ask-who-you-are-sir-yeah-i-expect-so-said-strike-walking-past/) [Robert Galbraith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-galbraith/) ## More by Larry Wilmore > [As a culture, we've all agreed with the opinion that the world should be seen in a certain way, so at 'The Nightly Show,'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wilmore/as-a-culture-we-ve-all-agreed-with-the-opinion-that-the-world-should/) [Larry Wilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilmore/) > [Catholic and Jew - it's very closely related, a lot of holidays, a lot of guilt, a lot of the same things going on.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wilmore/catholic-and-jew-it-s-very-closely-related-a-lot-of-holidays-a-lot-of/) [Larry Wilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilmore/) > [Even though you're in charge you're not completely in ownership. You know, the audience takes a huge ownership of your show.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wilmore/even-though-you-re-in-charge-you-re-not-completely-in-ownership-you/) [Larry Wilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilmore/) > [When you work in television you're in the writer's room all the time. You can't take 10 days or a week to go watch…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wilmore/when-you-work-in-television-you-re-in-the-writer-s-room-all-the-time/) [Larry Wilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilmore/) > [I was taught from a very early age that I had to work twice as hard to get half as much. That was the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wilmore/i-was-taught-from-a-very-early-age-that-i-had-to-work-twice-as-hard/) [Larry Wilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilmore/) > [Sometimes I'm successful, and sometimes I'm not, but I don't mind going down trying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wilmore/sometimes-i-m-successful-and-sometimes-i-m-not-but-i-don-t-mind-going/) [Larry Wilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilmore/) > [You never want to defend a joke. People get to choose whether or not to laugh and whether or not they think something is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wilmore/you-never-want-to-defend-a-joke-people-get-to-choose-whether-or-not/) [Larry Wilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilmore/) > [I really don't have a need to be on TV all that much, to be honest with you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wilmore/i-really-don-t-have-a-need-to-be-on-tv-all-that-much-to-be-honest/) [Larry Wilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilmore/) > [There's a lot of magic in science, so to speak.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wilmore/there-s-a-lot-of-magic-in-science-so-to-speak/) [Larry Wilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilmore/) > [When you're taking chances, you know it's not going to please everybody.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wilmore/when-you-re-taking-chances-you-know-it-s-not-going-to-please-everybody/) [Larry Wilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilmore/) > [I didn't get into comedy to talk about violent death all the time.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wilmore/i-didn-t-get-into-comedy-to-talk-about-violent-death-all-the-time/) [Larry Wilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilmore/) > [I was an athlete, so I hung out with the jocks. I was smart, so I hung out with the nerdy kids. I was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wilmore/i-was-an-athlete-so-i-hung-out-with-the-jocks-i-was-smart-so-i-hung/) [Larry Wilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilmore/) > [My parents are from the Midwest. They're from Evanston, Illinois. They moved out to Los Angeles right before I was born.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wilmore/my-parents-are-from-the-midwest-they-re-from-evanston-illinois-they/) [Larry Wilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilmore/) > [I really love having conversations and deconstructing things. I don't mind not having a laugh every second. Sometimes things deserve a little more discussion,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wilmore/i-really-love-having-conversations-and-deconstructing-things-i-don-t/) [Larry Wilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilmore/) > [Sometimes I'd say what's bad for the country is good for my business, unfortunately.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/larry-wilmore/sometimes-i-d-say-what-s-bad-for-the-country-is-good-for-my-business/) [Larry Wilmore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilmore/) [Explore all 136 Larry Wilmore quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/larry-wilmore/) ## More America quotes > [The costs of the Bush-Obama wars in Iraq and Afghanistan are now estimated to run as high as $4.4 trillion - a major victory…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/the-costs-of-the-bush-obama-wars-in-iraq-and-afghanistan-are-now/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [Young men, especially in America, write to me and ask me to recommend “a course of reading.” Distrust a course of reading! People who…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrew-lang/young-men-especially-in-america-write-to-me-and-ask-me-to-recommend-a/) [Andrew Lang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrew-lang/) > [Well, The Day the Earth Caught Fire was a story... I don't if anybody knows what it is but it was about... in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/val-guest/well-the-day-the-earth-caught-fire-was-a-story-i-don-t-if-anybody/) [Val Guest](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/val-guest/) > [So here's what I want you to know, and here's what I want all our men and women in uniform to know: Because of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/so-here-s-what-i-want-you-to-know-and-here-s-what-i-want-all-our-men/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/) [Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/) > [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/) > [ I'll smoke, I'll cough, I'll get the tumors, I'll die, deal? Thank you America. \[salutes\] ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bill-hicks/i-ll-smoke-i-ll-cough-i-ll-get-the-tumors-i-ll-die-deal-thank-you/) [Bill Hicks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bill-hicks/) > [America is a democracy and has no Hitler, but I am afraid for her future; there are hard times ahead for the American people,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/america-is-a-democracy-and-has-no-hitler-but-i-am-afraid-for-her/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [I'm gonna bring America together.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/i-m-gonna-bring-america-together/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [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/) > [We need a system that serves our needs, not the needs of others. Remember, under a Trump administration it's called America first. Remember that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-trump/we-need-a-system-that-serves-our-needs-not-the-needs-of-others/) [Donald Trump](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-trump/) > [America, you're sending girls a mixed message. On one hand, you're saying to have positive body image and love who we are; on the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adora-svitak/america-you-re-sending-girls-a-mixed-message-on-one-hand-you-re/) [Adora Svitak](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adora-svitak/) > [You live overseas, you see these exotic places and you want to know about them. But, weirdly, it also made me homesick for all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ken-jennings/you-live-overseas-you-see-these-exotic-places-and-you-want-to-know/) [Ken Jennings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ken-jennings/) > [Freedom in every sense but primarily political sense, a rise in repression that stems from a repression of sexuality. 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