--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Poor whites are still taught to hate—but…" description: "\"“Poor whites are still taught to hate—but not to hate those who are keeping them in line. Lyndon Johnson knew this when he quipped, “If you can convinc..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c29/nancy-isenberg-44071_lyndon-johnson_poor-whites-are-still-taught-to-hate-but_1445555.jpg" --- # Poor whites are still taught to hate—but not to hate those… ![“Poor whites are still taught to hate—but not to hate those who are keeping them in line. Lyndon Johnson knew this when he quipped, “If you can convince the lowest white man he’s better than the best colored man, he won’t notice you’re picking his pocket. Hell, give him somebody to look down on…” quote by Nancy Isenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c29/nancy-isenberg-44071_lyndon-johnson_poor-whites-are-still-taught-to-hate-but_1445555.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c29/nancy-isenberg-44071_lyndon-johnson_poor-whites-are-still-taught-to-hate-but_1445555.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c29/nancy-isenberg-44071_lyndon-johnson_poor-whites-are-still-taught-to-hate-but_1445555.jpg) > ““Poor whites are still taught to hate—but not to hate those who are keeping them in line. Lyndon Johnson knew this when he quipped, “If you can convince the lowest white man he’s better than the best colored man, he won’t notice you’re picking his pocket. Hell, give him somebody to look down on, and he’ll empty his pockets for you.”” [Nancy Isenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-isenberg/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. White working‑class is manipulated by elites through divisive racism. **In simple terms:** Manipulation uses racism to control. Key Takeaway Recognize and resist divide‑and‑conquer tactics. Themes class racism politics Mood critical historical Type sociopolitical analytical When to use this quote - political campaigning - media narratives - community organizing Key Concepts social engineering power dynamics Questions to Reflect On - Who benefits from class division? - How can solidarity be built across race? A Different Perspective Addressing racism alone may not solve underlying economic exploitation. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Hate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate/) [Racism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racism/) ## Related quotes > [Whites are taught to think of their lives as morally neutral, normative, and average, and also ideal, so that when we work to benefit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peggy-mcintosh/whites-are-taught-to-think-of-their-lives-as-morally-neutral/) [Peggy McIntosh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peggy-mcintosh/) > [For complicated historical and political reasons, we associate 'poor' in our public consciousness with 'black.' Terms such as 'welfare queen' and 'culture of poverty'…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/j-d-vance-2/for-complicated-historical-and-political-reasons-we-associate-poor-in/) [J. D. Vance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/j-d-vance-2/) > [“And rich white people were not so hard on Negroes; it was the poor whites who hated Negroes.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/and-rich-white-people-were-not-so-hard-on-negroes-it-was-the-poor/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Nationally in 2011, poor whites exceeded the poor African American total by roughly eight million: 19,171,000 versus 10,929,000.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-alexander/nationally-in-2011-poor-whites-exceeded-the-poor-african-american/) [Karl Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-alexander/) > [Racism as a form of skin worship, and as a sickness and a pathological anxiety for America, is so great, until the poor whites…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesse-jackson/racism-as-a-form-of-skin-worship-and-as-a-sickness-and-a-pathological/) [Jesse Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesse-jackson/) > [Poor whites didn't have rights. They made all kind of restrictions on voting. So person meant relatively well - off, free white man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/noam-chomsky/poor-whites-didn-t-have-rights-they-made-all-kind-of-restrictions-on/) [Noam Chomsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/noam-chomsky/) > [“Today, many whites oppose all social reform as "welfare programs for blacks." They ignore the fact that poor whites have employment, education, and social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/derrick-bell/today-many-whites-oppose-all-social-reform-as-welfare-programs-for/) [Derrick Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/derrick-bell/) > [“The worst sort of scoundrels took up the chase. Drunkards, incorrigibles, poor whites who didn’t even own shoes delighted in this opportunity to scourge…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colson-whitehead/the-worst-sort-of-scoundrels-took-up-the-chase-drunkards/) [Colson Whitehead](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colson-whitehead/) > [“Lyndon Johnson knew this when he quipped, “If you can convince the lowest white man he’s better than the best colored man, he won’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-isenberg/lyndon-johnson-knew-this-when-he-quipped-if-you-can-convince-the/) [Nancy Isenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-isenberg/) > [“You've got to be taught To hate and fear, You've got to be taught From year to year, It's got to be drummed In…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/you-ve-got-to-be-taught-to-hate-and-fear-you-ve-got-to-be-taught-from/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [I was taught that you hate the action,but never stop loving the person.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/i-was-taught-that-you-hate-the-action-but-never-stop-loving-the-person/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [You have to be taught to hate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dave-brubeck/you-have-to-be-taught-to-hate/) [Dave Brubeck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dave-brubeck/) > [“He hammered along, arms swinging by his sides. He was known, well known, along the highways in hiding that are traveled by the poor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-king/he-hammered-along-arms-swinging-by-his-sides-he-was-known-well-known/) [Stephen King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-king/) > [You reclaim your power by loving what you were once taught to hate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bryant-h-mcgill/you-reclaim-your-power-by-loving-what-you-were-once-taught-to-hate/) [Bryant H. McGill](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bryant-h-mcgill/) > [Kids have to be taught to hate,](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dale-hansen/kids-have-to-be-taught-to-hate/) Dale Hansen ## More by Nancy Isenberg > [“Slaves.” As one of his loudest critics exclaimed in 1776, “Such was the language of the humane Mr. Locke!” Nor was this surprising. For…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-isenberg/slaves-as-one-of-his-loudest-critics-exclaimed-in-1776-such-was-the/) [Nancy Isenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-isenberg/) > [“Many people----women especially----remain trapped in the poverty into which they were born. The successful person from this background is the exception. The American dream…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-isenberg/many-people-women-especially-remain-trapped-in-the-poverty-into-which/) [Nancy Isenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-isenberg/) > [“We need to stop thinking that some Americans are the real Americans, the deserving, the talented, the most patriotic and hardworking, while others can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-isenberg/we-need-to-stop-thinking-that-some-americans-are-the-real-americans/) [Nancy Isenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-isenberg/) > [“Moved by the need for control, for an unchallenged top tier, the power elite in American history has thrived by placating the vulnerable and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-isenberg/moved-by-the-need-for-control-for-an-unchallenged-top-tier-the-power/) [Nancy Isenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-isenberg/) > [“When you turn an election into a three-ring circus, there’s always a chance that the dancing bear will win.40”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-isenberg/when-you-turn-an-election-into-a-three-ring-circus-there-s-always-a/) [Nancy Isenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-isenberg/) > [“Lyndon Johnson knew this when he quipped, “If you can convince the lowest white man he’s better than the best colored man, he won’t…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-isenberg/lyndon-johnson-knew-this-when-he-quipped-if-you-can-convince-the/) [Nancy Isenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-isenberg/) > [“When Winthrop defended the colony, he wanted to create a religious community that would be saved from the “corrupted” bastions of learning, Oxford and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-isenberg/when-winthrop-defended-the-colony-he-wanted-to-create-a-religious/) [Nancy Isenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-isenberg/) > [“Historical mythmaking is made possible only by forgetting.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nancy-isenberg/historical-mythmaking-is-made-possible-only-by-forgetting/) [Nancy Isenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-isenberg/) [Explore all 9 Nancy Isenberg quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nancy-isenberg/) ## More Hate quotes > [If you hate yourself... The world will hate you.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cv-pillay/if-you-hate-yourself-the-world-will-hate-you/) [Cv Pillay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cv-pillay/) > [I do a lot of vocal exercises and drink hot tea, which I hate.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/darci-lynne-farmer/i-do-a-lot-of-vocal-exercises-and-drink-hot-tea-which-i-hate/) [Darci Lynne Farmer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/darci-lynne-farmer/) > [Hate nothing in another human being because your eyes is made looking at others but never at your own self except in front of…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/terry-mark/hate-nothing-in-another-human-being-because-your-eyes-is-made-looking/) [Terry Mark](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/terry-mark/) > [I used to fight with hate. There's been a lot of aggression in my past growing up and stuff. 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Most people don't hate acting! Whether you're a child mucking around with your friends or a grown up being paid…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/liv-hewson/actors-don-t-hate-acting-most-people-don-t-hate-acting-whether-you-re/) [Liv Hewson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/liv-hewson/) > [Iranians hate Arabs. They're a fairly well-educated population and they have centuries of experience with self-government.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-ledeen/iranians-hate-arabs-they-re-a-fairly-well-educated-population-and/) [Michael Ledeen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-ledeen/) > [We did an episode where she goes out to get a job and she gets fired because she's not good. They hire a babysitter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-heaton/we-did-an-episode-where-she-goes-out-to-get-a-job-and-she-gets-fired/) [Patricia Heaton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-heaton/) > [I have a way to photograph. 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It's love-hate; it's sexy, but not sexy. So it's either you get it or…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carrot-top/i-ve-got-the-long-hair-and-kind-of-androgynous-look-it-s-love-hate-it/) [Carrot Top](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carrot-top/) [Browse all 17,830 Hate quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hate/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Poor whites are still taught to hate—but not to hate those who are keeping them in line. Lyndon Johnson knew this when he quipped, “If you can convince the lowest white man he’s better than the best colored man, he won’t notice you’re picking his pocket. 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