#erica

If you want to know who the oppressed minorities in America are, simply look at who gets their own shelf in the bookstore. A black shelf, a women's shelf, and a gay shelf. ↗

— Armistead Maupin

#minorities #america

As ever, the original inhabitants of Turtle Island are entirely overlooked. Mysteriously, the only time indigenous people are guaranteed a mainstream Amerikkan mention is on Thanksgiving. Again, to contextualize, this would be be kinda like someone busting into your house and robbing you blind, then sending you postcards once a year to remind you how much they are enjoying all of your stuff, and getting annoyed with you if you don't respond with appreciation for their thoughtfulness. ↗

— Inga Muscio

#imperialism #politics #life

It is worthy to note, that the early popularity of Washington was not the result of brilliant achievement nor signal success; on the contrary, it rose among trials and reverses, and may almost be said to have been the fruit of defeat. ↗

— Washington Irving

#revolution #washington #life

We cordially believe in the rights of property. We think that normally and in the long run the rights of humanity, coincide with the rights of property... But we feel that if in exceptional cases there is any conflict between the rights of property and the rights of man, then we must stand for the rights of man. ↗

— Theodore Roosevelt

#human-rights #property-rights #dreams

It's not radical Islam that worries the US -- it's independence ↗

— Noam Chomsky

#independence #islam #united-states #us #state

In the depths of him, he too didn't want to go. But he was a born American, and if anything was on show, he had to see it. That was Life. ↗

— D.H. Lawrence

#life

The young man looked down from the cart at the people in front of him. Jonah felt his teacher’s eyes meet his own, and for a fraction of a second a smile played on the prisoner’s lips. Then he glanced toward heaven and spoke. “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country. ↗

— Anna Myers

#heroes #history #nathan-hale #patriotism #revolutionary-war

George, I know you’re tired. But President Lincoln, he didn’t free us to be lazy and no good. He freed us to work hard and improve ourselves.”-George’s Grandmother. ↗

— George Dawson

#slavery #life

...that in spite of living in a mansion an American is not above wearing a pair of secondhand pants, bought for fifty cents. ↗

— Jhumpa Lahiri

#american #jhumpa-lahiri #life #money #the-namesake

Doesn't matter what the press says. Doesn't matter what the politicians or the mobs say.Doesn't matter if the whole country decides that something wrong is something right. This nation was founded on one principle above all else: The requirement that we stand up for what we believe, no matter the odds or the consequences. When the mob and the press and the whole world tell you to move, your job is to plant yourself like a tree beside the river of truth, and tell the whole world -- "No, YOU move. ↗

— J. Michael Straczynski

#right #truth #civilization