Bigoted Quote by Wilbur Hale
““{ On the death of Hale's esteemed friend and fellow scientist, Luther Burbank . Burbank was much beloved by the population unil in an interview he revealed that he was an atheist. After this, the public turned on him and sent him thousands of letters with death threats. This upset the kind-hearted Burbank , who tried to amiably reply to each letter, so much that it ultimately led to his death } . . . he was misled into believing that logic, kindliness, and reason could convince and help the bigoted . He fell sick. The sickness was fated to be his last. What killed Luther Burbank , at just that time and in just that abrupt and tragic fashion, was his baffled, yearning, desperate effort to make people understand. His desire to help them, to clarify their minds, and to induce them to substitute fact for hysteria drove him beyond his strength . He grew suddenly old attempting to make reasonable a people which had been unreasonable through twenty stiff-necked generations. . . He died, not a martyr to truth, but a victim of the fatuity of blasting dogged falsehood.””
About This Quote
Source Speech: Memorial address, 1930s, about Luther Burbank
The tragedy of a scientist whose compassionate attempts to enlighten a hostile public led to his demise.
In simple terms: Kindness can be fatal against bigotry.
Recognize limits of rational persuasion.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- public education
- advocacy
- scientific communication
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we protect truth‑tellers?
- What strategies balance compassion and self‑preservation?
May romanticize martyrdom; ignore systemic issues.