--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: And perhaps the only way to grant any…" description: "\"“And perhaps the only way to grant any justice—were that even possible—is by hearing and recording those stories over and over again so that they come ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/484/valeria-luiselli-27018_held-accountable_and-perhaps-the-only-way-to-grant-any-ju_2303930.jpg" --- # And perhaps the only way to grant any justice—were that… ![“And perhaps the only way to grant any justice—were that even possible—is by hearing and recording those stories over and over again so that they come back, always, to haunt and shame us. Because being aware of what is happening in our era and choosing to do nothing about it has become…” quote by Valeria Luiselli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/484/valeria-luiselli-27018_held-accountable_and-perhaps-the-only-way-to-grant-any-ju_2303930.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/484/valeria-luiselli-27018_held-accountable_and-perhaps-the-only-way-to-grant-any-ju_2303930.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/484/valeria-luiselli-27018_held-accountable_and-perhaps-the-only-way-to-grant-any-ju_2303930.jpg) > ““And perhaps the only way to grant any justice—were that even possible—is by hearing and recording those stories over and over again so that they come back, always, to haunt and shame us. Because being aware of what is happening in our era and choosing to do nothing about it has become unacceptable. Because we cannot allow ourselves to go on normalizing horror and violence. Because we can all be held accountable if something happens under our noses and we don’t dare even look.”” [Valeria Luiselli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valeria-luiselli/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Repeatedly hearing and documenting stories forces society to confront ongoing injustices, preventing denial and encouraging accountability. **In simple terms:** Stories must be heard repeatedly to confront injustice. Key Takeaway Document and share stories to demand accountability. Themes justice memory accountability activism Mood urgent reflective determined Type call to action inspirational When to use this quote - journalism - education - policy advocacy - community organizing Key Concepts collective trauma historical memory ethical responsibility Questions to Reflect On - How can we ensure these stories lead to concrete change? - What barriers prevent people from confronting uncomfortable histories? A Different Perspective Stories can be ignored or suppressed, limiting impact. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet ## Related quotes > [“Because being aware of what is happening in our era and choosing to do nothing about it has become unacceptable. Because we cannot allow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valeria-luiselli/because-being-aware-of-what-is-happening-in-our-era-and-choosing-to/) [Valeria Luiselli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valeria-luiselli/) > [To the criminals and all their accomplices, I, today, humbly and as a brother, repeat: convert yourselves to love and justice. It is possible…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/pope-francis/to-the-criminals-and-all-their-accomplices-i-today-humbly-and-as-a/) [Pope Francis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/pope-francis/) > [I'm just trying to make movies simply about life. Naturally, when I'm doing that, horror, violence, and all those kinds of things get mixed…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/takashi-miike/i-m-just-trying-to-make-movies-simply-about-life-naturally-when-i-m/) [Takashi Miike](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/takashi-miike/) > [Justice is possible without equality, I believe, because of compassion and understanding. If I have compassion, then if I have more than you, which…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bell-hooks/justice-is-possible-without-equality-i-believe-because-of-compassion/) [Bell Hooks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bell-hooks/) > [“It wouldn’t be right to have a responsibility and be held accountable for a job without having the authority to do it. Imagine”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-wendorf/it-wouldn-t-be-right-to-have-a-responsibility-and-be-held-accountable/) Bob Wendorf > [“Setting task-oriented objectives provides a mental framework where we are held accountable for what we have control over.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-manning/setting-task-oriented-objectives-provides-a-mental-framework-where-we/) Craig Manning > [The thing about this sport is you will be held accountable for your words come a certain date.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-browne/the-thing-about-this-sport-is-you-will-be-held-accountable-for-your/) [Travis Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-browne/) > [“You cannot run a scociety or cope with it’s problems if people are not held accountable for what they do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-leo/you-cannot-run-a-scociety-or-cope-with-it-s-problems-if-people-are/) [John Leo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-leo/) > [I feel like I'm held more accountable to stay healthy now because now I'm a role model to young girls to not have eating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demi-lovato/i-feel-like-i-m-held-more-accountable-to-stay-healthy-now-because-now/) [Demi Lovato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demi-lovato/) > [If we don't prosecute war criminals, what's the next horrible thing they can do? As anyone knows, if you're not held accountable, you think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodie-evans/if-we-don-t-prosecute-war-criminals-what-s-the-next-horrible-thing/) [Jodie Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodie-evans/) > [If we hold the married man accountable for finances gone legally awry, then the married woman should be held accountable for children who go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-farrell/if-we-hold-the-married-man-accountable-for-finances-gone-legally-awry/) [Warren Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-farrell/) > [The whole reason we organize grassroots is, we think any politician that gets elected needs to be held accountable 365 days a year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-matthews/the-whole-reason-we-organize-grassroots-is-we-think-any-politician/) [Chris Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-matthews/) > [In conflict zones in particular, we need personnel who wear the badge of the United States, are a part of our official military command,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-schakowsky/in-conflict-zones-in-particular-we-need-personnel-who-wear-the-badge/) [Jan Schakowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-schakowsky/) > [I love the way business works, when there's a crisis or a scandal, there is blood on the floor. Somebody pays, people are held…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-welch/i-love-the-way-business-works-when-there-s-a-crisis-or-a-scandal/) [Suzy Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-welch/) > [When you're in a relationship, please believe that you are held accountable for every feeling felt, word spoken, and heart broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raghib-clitso/when-you-re-in-a-relationship-please-believe-that-you-are-held/) [Raghib Clitso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raghib-clitso/) ## More by Valeria Luiselli > [“Genetics is a science full of gods, Mr. Sanchez.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valeria-luiselli/genetics-is-a-science-full-of-gods-mr-sanchez/) [Valeria Luiselli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valeria-luiselli/) > [“Some compare La Bestia to a demon, others to a kind of vacuum that sucks distracted riders down into its metal entrails. And when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valeria-luiselli/some-compare-la-bestia-to-a-demon-others-to-a-kind-of-vacuum-that/) [Valeria Luiselli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valeria-luiselli/) > [“He fell into a solemn silence, which he only eventually broke to say, “I think I’ve become a terrible person. In fact, I’ve become…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valeria-luiselli/he-fell-into-a-solemn-silence-which-he-only-eventually-broke-to-say-i/) [Valeria Luiselli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valeria-luiselli/) > [I learned to keep at a certain distance from things - and to make myself a little bit invisible while I observed and understood…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valeria-luiselli/i-learned-to-keep-at-a-certain-distance-from-things-and-to-make/) [Valeria Luiselli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valeria-luiselli/) > [“Writer and former Border Patrol officer Francisco Cantú has written poignantly about these death maps and all the “clearly marked ghosts” that dot the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valeria-luiselli/writer-and-former-border-patrol-officer-francisco-cant-has-written/) [Valeria Luiselli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valeria-luiselli/) > [“Because—how do you explain that it is never inspiration that drives you to tell a story, but rather a combination of anger and clarity?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valeria-luiselli/because-how-do-you-explain-that-it-is-never-inspiration-that-drives/) [Valeria Luiselli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valeria-luiselli/) > [Writers tend to think they occupy a much more relevant place in society than we actually do. But we really are closer to buffoons…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valeria-luiselli/writers-tend-to-think-they-occupy-a-much-more-relevant-place-in/) [Valeria Luiselli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valeria-luiselli/) > [“Everyone says they're empty. Everyone says – vast and flat. Everyone – mesmerizing. Nabokov probably said somewhere – indomitable. But no one had ever…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valeria-luiselli/everyone-says-they-re-empty-everyone-says-vast-and-flat-everyone/) [Valeria Luiselli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valeria-luiselli/) > [I like reading the world through a writer's eyes, rather than seeing a writer looking at him or herself as if at the center…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valeria-luiselli/i-like-reading-the-world-through-a-writer-s-eyes-rather-than-seeing-a/) [Valeria Luiselli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valeria-luiselli/) > [“I know I need to generate a structure full of holes so that I can always find a place for myself on the page,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valeria-luiselli/i-know-i-need-to-generate-a-structure-full-of-holes-so-that-i-can/) [Valeria Luiselli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valeria-luiselli/) > [Cities have often been compared to language: you can read a city, it's said, as you read a book. But the metaphor can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valeria-luiselli/cities-have-often-been-compared-to-language-you-can-read-a-city-it-s/) [Valeria Luiselli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valeria-luiselli/) > [“Perhaps it's right that words contain nothing, or almost nothing. That their content is, at the very least, variable.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valeria-luiselli/perhaps-it-s-right-that-words-contain-nothing-or-almost-nothing-that/) [Valeria Luiselli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valeria-luiselli/) > [“Rapes: eighty percent of the women and girls who cross Mexico to get to the U.S. border are raped on the way.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valeria-luiselli/rapes-eighty-percent-of-the-women-and-girls-who-cross-mexico-to-get/) [Valeria Luiselli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valeria-luiselli/) > [“Before the immigration crisis was declared in the summer of 2014, minors seeking immigration relief were given approximately twelve months to find a lawyer…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valeria-luiselli/before-the-immigration-crisis-was-declared-in-the-summer-of-2014/) [Valeria Luiselli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valeria-luiselli/) > [“Cities have often been compared to language: you can read a city, it’s said, as you read a book. But the metaphor can be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/valeria-luiselli/cities-have-often-been-compared-to-language-you-can-read-a-city-it-s-2/) [Valeria Luiselli](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valeria-luiselli/) [Explore all 20 Valeria Luiselli quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/valeria-luiselli/) ## More Held Accountable quotes > [When you're in a relationship, please believe that you are held accountable for every feeling felt, word spoken, and heart broken.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/raghib-clitso/when-you-re-in-a-relationship-please-believe-that-you-are-held/) [Raghib Clitso](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/raghib-clitso/) > [I love the way business works, when there's a crisis or a scandal, there is blood on the floor. Somebody pays, people are held…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/suzy-welch/i-love-the-way-business-works-when-there-s-a-crisis-or-a-scandal/) [Suzy Welch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/suzy-welch/) > [In conflict zones in particular, we need personnel who wear the badge of the United States, are a part of our official military command,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jan-schakowsky/in-conflict-zones-in-particular-we-need-personnel-who-wear-the-badge/) [Jan Schakowsky](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jan-schakowsky/) > [The whole reason we organize grassroots is, we think any politician that gets elected needs to be held accountable 365 days a year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chris-matthews/the-whole-reason-we-organize-grassroots-is-we-think-any-politician/) [Chris Matthews](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chris-matthews/) > [If we hold the married man accountable for finances gone legally awry, then the married woman should be held accountable for children who go…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/warren-farrell/if-we-hold-the-married-man-accountable-for-finances-gone-legally-awry/) [Warren Farrell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/warren-farrell/) > [If we don't prosecute war criminals, what's the next horrible thing they can do? As anyone knows, if you're not held accountable, you think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodie-evans/if-we-don-t-prosecute-war-criminals-what-s-the-next-horrible-thing/) [Jodie Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodie-evans/) > [I feel like I'm held more accountable to stay healthy now because now I'm a role model to young girls to not have eating…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/demi-lovato/i-feel-like-i-m-held-more-accountable-to-stay-healthy-now-because-now/) [Demi Lovato](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/demi-lovato/) > [“You cannot run a scociety or cope with it’s problems if people are not held accountable for what they do.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-leo/you-cannot-run-a-scociety-or-cope-with-it-s-problems-if-people-are/) [John Leo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-leo/) > [The thing about this sport is you will be held accountable for your words come a certain date.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/travis-browne/the-thing-about-this-sport-is-you-will-be-held-accountable-for-your/) [Travis Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/travis-browne/) > [“Setting task-oriented objectives provides a mental framework where we are held accountable for what we have control over.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-manning/setting-task-oriented-objectives-provides-a-mental-framework-where-we/) Craig Manning > [“It wouldn’t be right to have a responsibility and be held accountable for a job without having the authority to do it. Imagine”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bob-wendorf/it-wouldn-t-be-right-to-have-a-responsibility-and-be-held-accountable/) Bob Wendorf > [Politicians can and should be held accountable for their choices.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shaun-king/politicians-can-and-should-be-held-accountable-for-their-choices/) [Shaun King](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shaun-king/) > [“In the Narcisstic parent’s eyes, they do no wrong nor do they feel they should be held accountable for the bad and wrong things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/katherine-childress/in-the-narcisstic-parent-s-eyes-they-do-no-wrong-nor-do-they-feel/) Katherine Childress > [As players we're held accountable for poor performance, I think the same should be said for journalists.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/c-j-mccollum/as-players-we-re-held-accountable-for-poor-performance-i-think-the/) [C. J. McCollum](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/c-j-mccollum/) > [It's time for men to be held accountable when they make women feel uncomfortable or do things out of line.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/logan-browning/it-s-time-for-men-to-be-held-accountable-when-they-make-women-feel/) [Logan Browning](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/logan-browning/) Browse all 116 Held Accountable quotes ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“And perhaps the only way to grant any justice—were that even possible—is by hearing and recording those stories over and over again so that they come back, always, to haunt and shame us. Because being aware of what is happening in our era and choosing to do nothing about it has become unacceptable. Because we cannot allow ourselves to go on normalizing horror and violence. 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