--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Their prejudice allowed white Southerners…" description: "\"Their prejudice allowed white Southerners to look the other way when blacks were denied their most basic human rights, and it encouraged the worst of t..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a1b/linda-chavez-20648_basic-human-rights_their-prejudice-allowed-white-southerner_281407.jpg" --- # Their prejudice allowed white Southerners to look the… ![“Their prejudice allowed white Southerners to look the other way when blacks were denied their most basic human rights, and it encouraged the worst of them to engage in unspeakable acts of cruelty and violence.” quote by Linda Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a1b/linda-chavez-20648_basic-human-rights_their-prejudice-allowed-white-southerner_281407.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a1b/linda-chavez-20648_basic-human-rights_their-prejudice-allowed-white-southerner_281407.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a1b/linda-chavez-20648_basic-human-rights_their-prejudice-allowed-white-southerner_281407.jpg) > “Their prejudice allowed white Southerners to look the other way when blacks were denied their most basic human rights, and it encouraged the worst of them to engage in unspeakable acts of cruelty and violence.” [Linda Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-chavez/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Prejudice lets people ignore injustice and fuels cruelty toward the oppressed. **In simple terms:** Prejudice hides injustice and fuels cruelty. Key Takeaway Challenge bias, protect rights. Themes prejudice racism human rights Mood concerned determined Type political activist When to use this quote - civil rights advocacy - education reform - community organizing Key Concepts social injustice systemic oppression moral responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How does prejudice shape our response to injustice? - What actions can dismantle systemic racism? A Different Perspective Prejudice can be entrenched and hard to change. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Basic human rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basic-human-rights/) [Cruelty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cruelty/) [Human rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/human-rights/) [Humans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/humans/) [Prejudice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/prejudice/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) [Rights](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rights/) [Southerner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/southerner/) [Unspeakable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/unspeakable/) [Violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/violence/) ## Related quotes > [For generations, even many otherwise decent white Southerners learned to despise black people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-chavez/for-generations-even-many-otherwise-decent-white-southerners-learned/) [Linda Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-chavez/) > [Some of my nicest fan letters came from white Southerners.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leslie-uggams/some-of-my-nicest-fan-letters-came-from-white-southerners/) [Leslie Uggams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leslie-uggams/) > [For nearly a century, the South made itself believe that Negroes and white people were really communicating. So convinced of this were the white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/benjamin-e-mays/for-nearly-a-century-the-south-made-itself-believe-that-negroes-and/) [Benjamin E. Mays](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/benjamin-e-mays/) > [Even in the '80s and '90s, many white Southerners were still bitter about court decisions that required racial integration of the schools. It wasn't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/brianna-wu/even-in-the-80s-and-90s-many-white-southerners-were-still-bitter/) [Brianna Wu](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/brianna-wu/) > [It takes a willful disregard of history to appreciate how white Southerners could look at the Confederate battle flag and see states' rights or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-cohen/it-takes-a-willful-disregard-of-history-to-appreciate-how-white/) [Richard Cohen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-cohen/) > [“what white Southerners called “redemption” and others deemed simply the return to power of the Democrats, who sufficiently intimidated, cheated and otherwise discouraged Republicans,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/h-w-brands-2/what-white-southerners-called-redemption-and-others-deemed-simply-the/) [H.W. Brands](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/h-w-brands-2/) > [Long before there was discrimination against blacks, there was discrimination against white southerners. When large numbers of these country people moved north during World…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ann-coulter/long-before-there-was-discrimination-against-blacks-there-was/) [Ann Coulter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ann-coulter/) > [Southerners make good novelists: they have so many stories because they have so much family.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/southerners-make-good-novelists-they-have-so-many-stories-because/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Professional Southerners sicken me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-hannah/professional-southerners-sicken-me/) [Barry Hannah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-hannah/) > [Besides, Southerners are hospitable. They'll probably offer me lemonade." Excuse me? You're going to sit on a porch and drink lemonade while I plow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-werlin/besides-southerners-are-hospitable-they-ll-probably-offer-me-lemonade/) [Nancy Werlin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-werlin/) > [We could say that people who eat grits, listen to country music, follow stock-car racing, support corporal punishment in the schools, hunt 'possum, go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-shelton-reed/we-could-say-that-people-who-eat-grits-listen-to-country-music-follow/) [John Shelton Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-shelton-reed/) > [Southerners love a good tale. They are born reciters, great memory retainers, diary keepers, letter exchangers . . . great talkers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eudora-welty/southerners-love-a-good-tale-they-are-born-reciters-great-memory/) [Eudora Welty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eudora-welty/) > [I think Confederate Battle Flag is a symbol that causes a great deal of division and reminds us of a really hurtful legacy and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-d-moore/i-think-confederate-battle-flag-is-a-symbol-that-causes-a-great-deal/) [Russell D. Moore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-d-moore/) > [It's very seldom that we see the good of the South. There is a perception that Southerners are racists and everyone else in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-spencer/it-s-very-seldom-that-we-see-the-good-of-the-south-there-is-a/) [Octavia Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-spencer/) > [Southerners, whose ancestors a hundred years ago knew the horrors of a homeland devastated by war, are particularly determined that war shall never come…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-carter/southerners-whose-ancestors-a-hundred-years-ago-knew-the-horrors-of-a/) [Jimmy Carter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-carter/) ## More by Linda Chavez > [Less than 8 percent of private sector workers belonged to a union in 2004, and, overall, only 12.5 percent of American workers carry a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-chavez/less-than-8-percent-of-private-sector-workers-belonged-to-a-union-in/) [Linda Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-chavez/) > [When have handouts ever worked? In the United States, we learned that welfare for our own citizens not only turned into a debilitating crutch,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-chavez/when-have-handouts-ever-worked-in-the-united-states-we-learned-that/) [Linda Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-chavez/) > [For generations, even many otherwise decent white Southerners learned to despise black people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-chavez/for-generations-even-many-otherwise-decent-white-southerners-learned/) [Linda Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-chavez/) > [Neither the wording of the amendment itself nor common practice challenged the widely held belief that government guaranteed freedom of religion, not freedom from…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-chavez/neither-the-wording-of-the-amendment-itself-nor-common-practice/) [Linda Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-chavez/) > [Choosing one's leaders is an affirmation that the person making the choice has inherent worth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-chavez/choosing-one-s-leaders-is-an-affirmation-that-the-person-making-the/) [Linda Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-chavez/) > [Some 3,500 Muslims now serve in the U.S. military. The overwhelming majority of them are loyal Americans who see no conflict between their personal…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-chavez/some-3-500-muslims-now-serve-in-the-u-s-military-the-overwhelming/) [Linda Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-chavez/) > [Although an increasing proportion of the Hispanic population is foreign-born - about half of adults in this group - English proficiency is and should…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-chavez/although-an-increasing-proportion-of-the-hispanic-population-is/) [Linda Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-chavez/) > [From George Washington to George W. Bush, presidents have invoked God's name in the performance of their official duties.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-chavez/from-george-washington-to-george-w-bush-presidents-have-invoked-god-s/) [Linda Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-chavez/) > [Success is creating something original and lasting-whether it is a company, a work of art, an idea or analysis that influence others, or a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-chavez/success-is-creating-something-original-and-lasting-whether-it-is-a/) [Linda Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-chavez/) > [The U.S. has already suffered a devastating attack on September 11, 2001, and may again become a target.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-chavez/the-u-s-has-already-suffered-a-devastating-attack-on-september-11/) [Linda Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-chavez/) > [One of the techniques terrorists employ is to allege torture and mistreatment when they are captured, regardless of whether it is true.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-chavez/one-of-the-techniques-terrorists-employ-is-to-allege-torture-and/) [Linda Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-chavez/) > [Modesty used to be considered a natural female attribute. No more.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-chavez/modesty-used-to-be-considered-a-natural-female-attribute-no-more/) [Linda Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-chavez/) > [The United Nations has become a largely irrelevant, if not positively destructive institution, and the just-released U.N. report on the atrocities in Darfur, Sudan,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-chavez/the-united-nations-has-become-a-largely-irrelevant-if-not-positively/) [Linda Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-chavez/) > [We have created not a Brave New World, but a vulgar marketplace, where human attributes come with a price tag.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-chavez/we-have-created-not-a-brave-new-world-but-a-vulgar-marketplace-where/) [Linda Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-chavez/) > [Liberals believe they own the franchise on minorities and can't stand any Hispanic or black who breaks rank.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-chavez/liberals-believe-they-own-the-franchise-on-minorities-and-can-t-stand/) [Linda Chavez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-chavez/) [Explore all 30 Linda Chavez quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-chavez/) ## More Basic human rights quotes > [“. The understanding that what is good supports basic human rights and anything that threatens it is bad. We do not need a supernatural…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-stefanelli/the-understanding-that-what-is-good-supports-basic-human-rights-and/) [Al Stefanelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-stefanelli/) > [Its up to any government to decide how to react to the denial of basic human rights anywhere in the world, including Egypt.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mohamed-elbaradei/its-up-to-any-government-to-decide-how-to-react-to-the-denial-of/) [Mohamed ElBaradei](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mohamed-elbaradei/) > [Korra and Aang ultimately stand for freedom, equality, and basic human rights, and I think Mike and I are fine with pushing that agenda.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryan-konietzko/korra-and-aang-ultimately-stand-for-freedom-equality-and-basic-human/) [Bryan Konietzko](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryan-konietzko/) > [A most insidious form of fear is that which masquerades as common sense or even wisdom, condemning as foolish, reckless, insignificant or futile the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/aung-san-suu-kyi/a-most-insidious-form-of-fear-is-that-which-masquerades-as-common/) [Aung San Suu Kyi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/aung-san-suu-kyi/) > [Until the philosophy which hold one race superior and another inferior is finally and permanently discredited and abandoned... Everything is war. Me say war.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/until-the-philosophy-which-hold-one-race-superior-and-another/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [ “\[T\]here are some human rights that are so deep that we can't negotiate them away. I mean people do heinous, terrible things. But there… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sister-helen-prejean/t-here-are-some-human-rights-that-are-so-deep-that-we-can-t-negotiate/) Sister Helen Prejean > [The federal government has no business in restricting basic human rights based on sexual orientation, and I am ready to protect equality at every…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katie-hill/the-federal-government-has-no-business-in-restricting-basic-human/) [Katie Hill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/katie-hill/) > [That until the philosophy which holds one race superior and another inferior is finally and permanently discredited and abandoned: That until there are no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haile-selassie/that-until-the-philosophy-which-holds-one-race-superior-and-another/) [Haile Selassie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haile-selassie/) > [We must build a movement for education, not incarceration. A movement for jobs, not jails. A movement that will end all forms of discrimination…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-alexander/we-must-build-a-movement-for-education-not-incarceration-a-movement/) [Michelle Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-alexander/) > [“It is not that difficult to understand and differentiate between our said rights and our assumption that we solely own them. (...) Your right…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/claudys-kantara/it-is-not-that-difficult-to-understand-and-differentiate-between-our/) Claudys Kantara > [“When we hear people referred to as animals or aliens, we should immediately wonder, “Is this an attempt to reduce someone’s humanity so we…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bren-brown/when-we-hear-people-referred-to-as-animals-or-aliens-we-should/) [Brené Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bren-brown/) > [“Until the philosophy which holds one race superior and another inferior is finally and permanently discredited and abandoned, everywhere is war. And until there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/haile-selassie-i/until-the-philosophy-which-holds-one-race-superior-and-another/) [Haile Selassie I](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/haile-selassie-i/) > [My parents are big liberals and taught us to never trust a government that rids their people of basic human rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andrea-suarez-paz/my-parents-are-big-liberals-and-taught-us-to-never-trust-a-government/) [Andrea Suarez Paz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andrea-suarez-paz/) > [I believe it is possible to bring an end to mass incarceration and birth a new moral consensus about how we ought to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-alexander/i-believe-it-is-possible-to-bring-an-end-to-mass-incarceration-and/) [Michelle Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-alexander/) > [It is ironic that American women now need to be fortified by the inspiration of the women of the Arab Spring, who risked so…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-brown/it-is-ironic-that-american-women-now-need-to-be-fortified-by-the/) [Tina Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-brown/) [Browse all 85 Basic human rights quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/basic-human-rights/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "Their prejudice allowed white Southerners to look the other way when blacks were denied their most basic human rights, and it encouraged the worst of them to engage in unspeakable acts of cruelty and violence.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Linda Chavez" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-chavez/their-prejudice-allowed-white-southerners-to-look-the-other-way-when/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Basic human rights" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-chavez/their-prejudice-allowed-white-southerners-to-look-the-other-way-when/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a1b/linda-chavez-20648_basic-human-rights_their-prejudice-allowed-white-southerner_281407.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a1b/linda-chavez-20648_basic-human-rights_their-prejudice-allowed-white-southerner_281407.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a1b/linda-chavez-20648_basic-human-rights_their-prejudice-allowed-white-southerner_281407.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Their prejudice allowed white Southerners to look the other way when blacks were denied their most basic…” — Linda Chavez", "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": "Linda Chavez", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-chavez/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "Their prejudice allowed white Southerners to...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-chavez/their-prejudice-allowed-white-southerners-to-look-the-other-way-when/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-chavez/their-prejudice-allowed-white-southerners-to-look-the-other-way-when/#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 } } ] } ```