--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: You can't delete racism. It's like a…" description: "\"You can't delete racism. It's like a cigarette. You can't stop smoking if you don't want to, and you can't stop racism if people don't want to. But I'l..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b8/mario-balotelli-12203_cigarette_you-can-t-delete-racism-it-s-like-a-ciga_1004172.png" --- # You can't delete racism. It's like a cigarette. You can't… ![“You can't delete racism. It's like a cigarette. You can't stop smoking if you don't want to, and you can't stop racism if people don't want to. But I'll do everything I can to help.” quote by Mario Balotelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b8/mario-balotelli-12203_cigarette_you-can-t-delete-racism-it-s-like-a-ciga_1004172.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b8/mario-balotelli-12203_cigarette_you-can-t-delete-racism-it-s-like-a-ciga_1004172.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/0b8/mario-balotelli-12203_cigarette_you-can-t-delete-racism-it-s-like-a-ciga_1004172.png) > “You can't delete racism. It's like a cigarette. You can't stop smoking if you don't want to, and you can't stop racism if people don't want to. But I'll do everything I can to help.” [Mario Balotelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-balotelli/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Racism persists like an addiction; it requires collective will to quit, though individuals can still help. **In simple terms:** Racism is hard to stop alone. Key Takeaway Support systemic change and personal action. Themes social justice racism personal responsibility Mood determined hopeful Type activist inspirational When to use this quote - community activism - education programs - personal advocacy - team environments Key Concepts addiction metaphor collective action Questions to Reflect On - What can you do today to oppose racism? - How can you influence others to care? A Different Perspective Change is slow without widespread commitment. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cigarette](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cigarette/) [Help](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/help/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) [Smoking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/smoking/) ## Related quotes > [If we see you smoking we will assume you are on fire and take appropriate action.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/if-we-see-you-smoking-we-will-assume-you-are-on-fire-and-take/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [You are not alone. We are with you. Put a stop to discrimination. Put a stop to hate. Put a stop to racism...Long live…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ricky-martin/you-are-not-alone-we-are-with-you-put-a-stop-to-discrimination-put-a/) [Ricky Martin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ricky-martin/) > [“This is why militarism is a feminist issue, why rape is an environmental issue, why environmental destruction is a peace issue. We will never…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lierre-keith/this-is-why-militarism-is-a-feminist-issue-why-rape-is-an/) [Lierre Keith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lierre-keith/) > [A lot of different races and nationalities play football, so it is a good way to try and stop racism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thierry-henry/a-lot-of-different-races-and-nationalities-play-football-so-it-is-a/) [Thierry Henry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thierry-henry/) > [Together, we can make a change in the world. Together we can help to stop racism. Together we can help to stop prejudice. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/together-we-can-make-a-change-in-the-world-together-we-can-help-to/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) > [No one is born hating another person because of the colour of his skin, or his background or his religion. People learn to hate,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/no-one-is-born-hating-another-person-because-of-the-colour-of-his-2/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [Together we can make a change of the world. Together we can help to stop racism. Together we can help to stop prejudice. We…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-jackson/together-we-can-make-a-change-of-the-world-together-we-can-help-to/) [Michael Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-jackson/) > [I realized there was racism because people thought, 'Oh, if you like roll 'n' roll, that makes you like a white kid.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/queen-latifah/i-realized-there-was-racism-because-people-thought-oh-if-you-like/) [Queen Latifah](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/queen-latifah/) > [A fundamental but very challenging part of my work is moving white people from an individual understanding of racism - i.e. only some people…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robin-diangelo/a-fundamental-but-very-challenging-part-of-my-work-is-moving-white/) [Robin DiAngelo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robin-diangelo/) > [Can we first take care of our 'brown lives matter' in India and then worry about the U.S.? I find it bizarre that racism…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/masaba-gupta/can-we-first-take-care-of-our-brown-lives-matter-in-india-and-then/) [Masaba Gupta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/masaba-gupta/) > [I think there's always going to be some kind of bigotry or some kind of racism. There has to be, because people can't feel…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dustin-hoffman/i-think-there-s-always-going-to-be-some-kind-of-bigotry-or-some-kind/) [Dustin Hoffman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dustin-hoffman/) > [There are so many people, FIFA or whatever, that can do something against this. They should wake up and do it. If there is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-prince-boateng/there-are-so-many-people-fifa-or-whatever-that-can-do-something/) [Kevin-Prince Boateng](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-prince-boateng/) > [Sizeism = like racism, only against people who aren't a size two or four.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lauren-barnholdt/sizeism-like-racism-only-against-people-who-aren-t-a-size-two-or-four/) [Lauren Barnholdt](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lauren-barnholdt/) > [If you think about it, there's not a religious group, there's not a nationalistic group, there's not a tribe, there is no grouping of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alex-haley/if-you-think-about-it-there-s-not-a-religious-group-there-s-not-a/) [Alex Haley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alex-haley/) > [We have laws on the books. If somebody's discriminating against you, I strongly advocate suing them. That's the most effective thing you can do…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shelby-steele/we-have-laws-on-the-books-if-somebody-s-discriminating-against-you-i/) [Shelby Steele](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shelby-steele/) ## More by Mario Balotelli > [I know I have a responsibility as a role model to children and I try to fulfill that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-balotelli/i-know-i-have-a-responsibility-as-a-role-model-to-children-and-i-try/) [Mario Balotelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-balotelli/) > [There are two metaphors for Mario the person and not Mario the footballer. I think I am a man, but I don't believe I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-balotelli/there-are-two-metaphors-for-mario-the-person-and-not-mario-the/) [Mario Balotelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-balotelli/) > [I am different - if you can find another like me, then I will buy you dinner!](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-balotelli/i-am-different-if-you-can-find-another-like-me-then-i-will-buy-you/) [Mario Balotelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-balotelli/) > [America is a great country. I've been in the south, in the center and in the north. I like it. Americans are very good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-balotelli/america-is-a-great-country-i-ve-been-in-the-south-in-the-center-and/) [Mario Balotelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-balotelli/) > [I will not accept racism at all. It's unacceptable. If someone throws a banana at me in the street, I will go to jail,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-balotelli/i-will-not-accept-racism-at-all-it-s-unacceptable-if-someone-throws-a/) [Mario Balotelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-balotelli/) > [For me, my mother is everything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-balotelli/for-me-my-mother-is-everything/) [Mario Balotelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-balotelli/) > [It surprises me how much children like me, you know? If they look at me as an example, I have a big responsibility.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-balotelli/it-surprises-me-how-much-children-like-me-you-know-if-they-look-at-me/) [Mario Balotelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-balotelli/) > [Yes, I think I am a genius, but not a rebel.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-balotelli/yes-i-think-i-am-a-genius-but-not-a-rebel/) [Mario Balotelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-balotelli/) > [People who know me, love me. People who don't know me love me too... or they hate me.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-balotelli/people-who-know-me-love-me-people-who-don-t-know-me-love-me-too-or/) [Mario Balotelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-balotelli/) > [I don't like journalists and I hardly ever talk to them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-balotelli/i-don-t-like-journalists-and-i-hardly-ever-talk-to-them/) [Mario Balotelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-balotelli/) > [I would be ready to become a dad if I was with the right person. I'd like a boy, though. Because they're in charge.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-balotelli/i-would-be-ready-to-become-a-dad-if-i-was-with-the-right-person-i-d/) [Mario Balotelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-balotelli/) > [I don't follow politics; it doesn't interest me. So why should I vote?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-balotelli/i-don-t-follow-politics-it-doesn-t-interest-me-so-why-should-i-vote/) [Mario Balotelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-balotelli/) > [I turn to someone, I'm not sure, to God I think, but I never ask for anything. I would never pray to win a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-balotelli/i-turn-to-someone-i-m-not-sure-to-god-i-think-but-i-never-ask-for/) [Mario Balotelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-balotelli/) > [When I score I don't celebrate, its my job, does a postman celebrate when he delivers post?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-balotelli/when-i-score-i-don-t-celebrate-its-my-job-does-a-postman-celebrate/) [Mario Balotelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-balotelli/) > [They say that abandonment is a wound that never heals. I say only that an abandoned child never forgets.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mario-balotelli/they-say-that-abandonment-is-a-wound-that-never-heals-i-say-only-that/) [Mario Balotelli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-balotelli/) [Explore all 56 Mario Balotelli quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mario-balotelli/) ## More Cigarette quotes > [“Yeah,' I said and started smoking another cigarette. Unless I inform you otherwise, I'm always smoking another cigarette.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/martin-amis/yeah-i-said-and-started-smoking-another-cigarette-unless-i-inform-you/) [Martin Amis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/martin-amis/) > [Books were always important. I have to thank my father, he filled my life with books. He didn't write but he always read. He…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rawi-hage/books-were-always-important-i-have-to-thank-my-father-he-filled-my/) [Rawi Hage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rawi-hage/) > [The risk of developing carcinoma of the lung increases steadily as the amount smoked increases. If the risk among non-smokers is taken as unity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-doll/the-risk-of-developing-carcinoma-of-the-lung-increases-steadily-as/) Richard Doll > [We have too many preacherettes preaching too many sermonettes to too many Christianettes smoking cigarettes.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonard-ravenhill/we-have-too-many-preacherettes-preaching-too-many-sermonettes-to-too/) [Leonard Ravenhill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonard-ravenhill/) > [Since I don't smoke, I decided to grow a mustache - it is better for the health. However, I always carried a jewel-studded cigarette…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/salvador-dali/since-i-don-t-smoke-i-decided-to-grow-a-mustache-it-is-better-for-the/) [Salvador Dali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/salvador-dali/) > [If the fact that people make poor decisions is reason enough for the government to second-guess their decisions about dangerous activities such as smoking…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacob-sullum/if-the-fact-that-people-make-poor-decisions-is-reason-enough-for-the/) Jacob Sullum > [“When I was young” … “Before I was twenty, I mean, I used to think that life was a thing that kept gaining impetus,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-bowles/when-i-was-young-before-i-was-twenty-i-mean-i-used-to-think-that-life/) [Paul Bowles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-bowles/) > [They represent tomorrow's cigarette business. . . As this 14-24 age group matures, they will account for a key share of the total cigarette…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-j-reynolds/they-represent-tomorrow-s-cigarette-business-as-this-14-24-age-group/) [R. J. Reynolds](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-j-reynolds/) > [If all boys could be made to know that with every breath of cigarette smoke they inhale imbecility and exhale manhood ... and that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hudson-maxim/if-all-boys-could-be-made-to-know-that-with-every-breath-of-cigarette/) Hudson Maxim > [The ratings thing is the real issue. It really hurts movies. For example, in Redbelt, I smoked. The whole plot of my character was…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-mortimer/the-ratings-thing-is-the-real-issue-it-really-hurts-movies-for/) [Emily Mortimer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-mortimer/) > [I am a completely horizontal author. I can't think unless I'm lying down, either in bed or stretched on a couch and with a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-brown/i-am-a-completely-horizontal-author-i-can-t-think-unless-i-m-lying/) [Dan Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-brown/) > [They should give until it hurts, maybe a very small thing, maybe just a packet of cigarettes, but instead of by smoking that one…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mother-teresa/they-should-give-until-it-hurts-maybe-a-very-small-thing-maybe-just-a/) [Mother Teresa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mother-teresa/) > [You can accept or reject the way you are treated by other people, but until you heal the wounds of your past, you will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/iyanla-vanzant/you-can-accept-or-reject-the-way-you-are-treated-by-other-people-but/) [Iyanla Vanzant](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/iyanla-vanzant/) > [Then he bummed a cigarette.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenny-rogers/then-he-bummed-a-cigarette/) [Kenny Rogers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenny-rogers/) > [You're a religious man, ... You believe in God and life after death. I also believe. When we come to the other world and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/simon-wiesenthal/you-re-a-religious-man-you-believe-in-god-and-life-after-death-i-also/) [Simon Wiesenthal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/simon-wiesenthal/) [Browse all 787 Cigarette quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cigarette/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "You can't delete racism. It's like a cigarette. You can't stop smoking if you don't want to, and you can't stop racism if people don't want to. 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