This quote rings true for the countless injustices that take place on our planet everyday. Although we may not agree with racism, sexism, violence, wars, genocide, corporate crime, etc. etc. our power to stop these things is lost when we do not exercise our right to speak out against them.
Racism has been granted institutional and systemic power through history because not enough people speak/spoke out against it.
Speaking out is all to often regarded as too 'political' and too 'extreme.' However, we forget that remaining neutral, or remaining silent is an extremely political act as well. The oppressor uses this silence to his or her advantage. By saying nothing we encourage the status quo.
Jason Carney does a beautiful job expressing how the act of silence has worked to shape his life. Check out "My Southern Heritage":
