--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The harsh fact of the matter is that this…" description: "\"The harsh fact of the matter is that this nation has not remotely come to grips with how many of its laws are rooted in slavery and bigoted oppression...." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a1a/shaun-king-5314_civil-war_the-harsh-fact-of-the-matter-is-that-thi_2979322.png" --- # The harsh fact of the matter is that this nation has not… ![“The harsh fact of the matter is that this nation has not remotely come to grips with how many of its laws are rooted in slavery and bigoted oppression. After the Civil War, the United States never said, 'Let's examine every law and policy and system and structure we have to evaluate whether or not…” quote by Shaun King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a1a/shaun-king-5314_civil-war_the-harsh-fact-of-the-matter-is-that-thi_2979322.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a1a/shaun-king-5314_civil-war_the-harsh-fact-of-the-matter-is-that-thi_2979322.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/a1a/shaun-king-5314_civil-war_the-harsh-fact-of-the-matter-is-that-thi_2979322.png) > “The harsh fact of the matter is that this nation has not remotely come to grips with how many of its laws are rooted in slavery and bigoted oppression. After the Civil War, the United States never said, 'Let's examine every law and policy and system and structure we have to evaluate whether or not they were created as a tools of oppression.'” [Shaun King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-king/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The U.S. has failed to systematically review its laws for origins in slavery and oppression, perpetuating systemic injustice. **In simple terms:** America hasn't audited oppressive laws. Key Takeaway Advocate for comprehensive legal review. Themes justice history law racism policy reform Mood urgent determined hopeful Type activist analytical call-to-action When to use this quote - legislative reform - activism - education - community organizing - policy analysis Key Concepts civil rights legal studies historical analysis Questions to Reflect On - What steps can citizens take to demand audits? - How to prioritize which laws to review first? A Different Perspective Political resistance may stall reforms. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Bigoted Oppression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/bigoted-oppression-4625887/) [Civil war](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/civil-war/) [Law](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/law/) [Never](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/never/) [Oppression](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oppression/) [Oppression Civil](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/oppression-civil-4625888/) [Rooted Slavery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rooted-slavery-4137475/) [Slavery Bigoted](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/slavery-bigoted-4625886/) [War](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/war/) ## Related quotes > [All men have a right to remain in a state of nature as long as they please; and in case of intolerable oppression, civil…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/samuel-adams/all-men-have-a-right-to-remain-in-a-state-of-nature-as-long-as-they/) [Samuel Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/samuel-adams/) > [The challenges African-Americans are facing today are rooted in the system of slavery.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/the-challenges-african-americans-are-facing-today-are-rooted-in-the/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“An institution rooted in slavery cannot be the voice of our people.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dashanne-stokes/an-institution-rooted-in-slavery-cannot-be-the-voice-of-our-people/) [DaShanne Stokes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dashanne-stokes/) > [I think being born in America and growing up exclusively within the American boundaries of race and race oppression is a very different experience…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-belafonte/i-think-being-born-in-america-and-growing-up-exclusively-within-the/) [Harry Belafonte](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-belafonte/) > [Why can't we have a voice? 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When the conception of change is beyond the limits of the possible, there are no words to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sheila-rowbotham/the-oppressed-without-hope-are-mysteriously-quiet-when-the-conception/) [Sheila Rowbotham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sheila-rowbotham/) > [Truth is on the side of the oppressed today, it's against the oppressor.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/malcolm-x/truth-is-on-the-side-of-the-oppressed-today-it-s-against-the-oppressor/) [Malcolm X](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/malcolm-x/) > [Poor and afflicted and oppressed people have faces, and we are required to look squarely into them. 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It disproportionately…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-king/our-nation-is-not-a-fully-representative-democracy-if-we-do-not-have/) [Shaun King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-king/) > [I've always been a writer and have always loved writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-king/i-ve-always-been-a-writer-and-have-always-loved-writing/) [Shaun King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-king/) > [The United States has so many laws, into the millions, that experts have lost track of just how many laws we have.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-king/the-united-states-has-so-many-laws-into-the-millions-that-experts/) [Shaun King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-king/) > [For my entire life, I have held the cards of my complicated family history very close to my chest.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-king/for-my-entire-life-i-have-held-the-cards-of-my-complicated-family/) [Shaun King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-king/) > [When 63 million people voted to elect Donald Trump as the president of the United States, it opened up the floodgates for toxic white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-king/when-63-million-people-voted-to-elect-donald-trump-as-the-president/) [Shaun King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-king/) > [When you turn 18 in the United States, you should be automatically registered to vote. 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