Jess Phillips Quotes

Many citizens see all the leadership of these large institutions together in a conspiracy against them rather than in any adversary relationship with each other.

What we really need to be understanding is that all of these things matter and they all stem from the fact that certain people live with power and authority and they want to maintain it.

The minority, the ruling class at present, has the schools and press, usually the Church as well, under its thumb. This enables it to organize and sway the emotions of the masses, and make its tool of them

Oppression is the essence of power.

It is necessary to be very intelligent in the work of oppression.

I think history repeats itself. There's a constant conversation between the oppressed and the oppressor. No matter what your field is, whether it's gender equality, the Time's Up movement, or diversity casting, it's always going to be a back-and-forth battle.

Washing one's hands of the conflict between the powerful and the powerless means to side with the powerful, not to be neutral.

The individual mirrors in his individuation the preordained social laws of exploitation, however mediated.

When a system of oppression has become institutionalized it is unnecessary for individuals to be oppressive.

When you're in the minority, it doesn't matter what you're agenda is, you're not going to have the degree of freedom that you have as a member of the majority.

If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality.

The exercise of power is determined by thousands of interactions between the world of the powerful and that of the powerless, all the more so because these worlds are never divided by a sharp line: everyone has a small part of himself in both.

But you know, the system almost destroyed itself while it was goin' on trying to destroy us.

Why do you all push us around?

The value systems of those with access to power and of those far removed from such access cannot be the same. The viewpoint of the privileged is unlike that of the underprivileged.

Look at the forces against me. They don't want me out. They're afraid I'll cause trouble if I get out.

If what I read doesn't reflect my life - whether I'm gay or Latino or on welfare - doesn't that really mean that my life is not valuable?

Whenever anyone challenges anything, the powers that be try to paint them as extremists or radicals or whatever. And I think that's actually nonsense.

To hold a people in oppression you have to convince them first that they are supposed to be oppressed.

Anything can be used for or against the welfare of women - or the welfare of anyone - depending on who controls it.

The game of history is usually played by the best and the worst over the heads of the majority in the middle.

What difference does it make to the dead, the orphans, and the homeless, whether the mad destruction is wrought under the name of totalitarianism or the holy name of liberty or democracy?

Powerful people cannot afford to educate the people that they oppress, because once you are truly educated, you will not ask for power. You will take it.

The oppressed, having internalized the image of the oppressor and adopted his guidelines, are fearful of freedom.

I'm not allowing my perspective to be dictated by the dominant culture.