Assassination Quote by Maya Angelou
“Reduce your humanity through what Jules Feiffer called little murders. The minute I hear someone trying to demean me, I know that that person means to have my life. And I will not give it to them. When a person commits these little murders, and then you catch him or her at it, he or she might say, "Oh, I didn't mean it." But make no mistake: It is an assassination attempt.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Interview, 1990s, Maya Angelou
When others demean you, treat it as an attack on your life and refuse to surrender your dignity.
In simple terms: Defend your dignity against insults.
Key Takeaway
Refuse to let insults dictate your self‑worth.
Themes
self‑respect
resilience
power dynamics
Mood
defiant
empowered
Type
motivational
philosophical
When to use this quote
- workplace conflict
- online harassment
- personal relationships
- public speaking
Key Concepts
psychological aggression
personal sovereignty
boundary setting
Questions to Reflect On
- How do you differentiate criticism from a “little murder”?
- What strategies protect your sense of self?
A Different Perspective
It may be hard to recognize subtle demeaning remarks as attacks.
![“We have the ability to take him [President of Venezuela, Hugo Chavez] out, and I think the time has come that we exercise that ability. We don't need another $200 billion war to get rid of one, you know, strong-arm dictator. It's a whole lot easier to have some of the covert operatives do the job…” quote by Pat Robertson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/194/pat-robertson-1972_ability_we-have-the-ability-to-take-him-presiden_23256.jpg)
![“We know from Talmadge Hayer, one of the men who carried out the assassination, who was shot by Ruben X as he tried to flee the Audubon after shooting Malcolm X, we know that Hayer confessed years later to his Imam in prison that there had been a walk-through a week prior to February 21st [1965] at…” quote by Manning Marable](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/645/manning-marable-9023_assassination_we-know-from-talmadge-hayer-one-of-the-m_101701.jpg)
