Absence Quote by Thurgood Marshall
“We must dissent from the indifference. We must dissent from the apathy. We must dissent from the fear, the hatred and the mistrust. We must dissent from a nation that has buried its head in the sand, waiting in vain for the needs of its poor, its elderly, and its sick to disappear and just blow away. We must dissent from a government that has left its young without jobs, education or hope. We must dissent from the poverty of vision and the absence of moral leadership. We must dissent because America can do better, because America has no choice but to do better.”
About This Quote
Source Speech: Public remarks on social justice, United States, 1960s
The speaker calls for active opposition to societal apathy, fear, and neglect, urging moral leadership to address poverty, unemployment, and lack of hope in America.
In simple terms: Stand against indifference and demand better for all.
Key Takeaway
Demand moral leadership and systemic change.
Themes
justice
leadership
poverty
hope
activism
Mood
determined
urgent
hopeful
Type
political
inspirational
call‑to‑action
When to use this quote
- community organizing
- policy advocacy
- public education
- grassroots campaigns
Key Concepts
civic duty
ethical responsibility
social reform
Questions to Reflect On
- How can individuals influence systemic change?
- What policies could reduce poverty and unemployment?
A Different Perspective
Change requires collective action and political will, not just rhetoric.
![“Theodore Sorensen wrote for [Robert Kennedy's 1968] announcement speech: “At stake is not simply the leadership of our party, and even our own country, it is our right to the moral leadership of this planet.” The sentence absolutely appalled all the younger Robert Kennedy advisers, who felt it…” quote by David Halberstam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/f6e/david-halberstam-9032_communication_theodore-sorensen-wrote-for-robert-kenne_12566.jpg)
