QUOTES ABOUT POLITICS
Powerful, inspirational, and known for digging deep beneath the surface, political scholar Dr. DaShanne Stokes has been quoted around globally by world leaders, politicians, MacArthur Fellows, celebrities, and hundreds of times in books, newspapers, religious sermons, and beyond. Collected here are some of his most memorable quotes about politics and law.
Democracy and Electoral Integrity
"Free elections don't always result in fair elections."
"Denying the popular vote is un-American and anti-democratic."
"No matter their party, people with a conflict of interest should be banned from the Electoral College."
"Our democracy should aspire to be more democratic."
"We must acknowledge and take responsibility for the conflicts we have helped to create, and act to create real change. That, after all, is the true hallmark of democracy--a commitment to justice, honest self-appraisal, and action--even when it means challenging ourselves and the political institutions we hold most dear."
Leadership and Presidential Accountability
"Resistance isn't enough. If we want change, we have to get out the vote."
"Ethics and oversight are what you eliminate when you want absolute power."
"If you love your country, you must be willing to defend it from fraud, bigotry, and recklessness--even from a president."
"Trump didn't divide America. He just doused us with gasoline and fanned the flames."
"We elected a man who knows how to build walls when we needed someone who knows how to build bridges."
"One of the most important qualities of a president is the ability to inspire, to bring people together for the common good."
Civil Rights and Institutional Bigotry
"We must tell the world that even though we elected a bigot, bigotry will not prevail."
"You're not under attack when others gain rights and privileges you've always had."
"When we hide discrimination under the guise of 'religious freedom,' we make a mockery of human rights."
"It's a scary world we live in when a person of color endorses a racist for president."
"I've fought for religious freedom and I can tell you that anti-gay 'religious freedom' bills aren't it."
"Today's 'religious freedom' policies should not be seen as a problem limited to LGBT people but as a co-optation of religion that affects us all."
"Electing a bigot enables further bigotry."
"An institution rooted in slavery can never set us free."
"Bigotry lives not just in our words, but in our actions, thoughts, and institutions."
"An institution rooted in slavery cannot be the voice of our people."
Adoptee Rights and Policy Reform
"If the system were designed to protect adoptees, why do so many have to fight for their rights?"
"It's illegal to deny people their records due to race or gender. Adoptees deserve the same rights and protections."
"Adoptees deserve open records because deception and partial truths do not set us free."
"Laws forbidding adoptees from accessing their original birth certificates are outdated and need to be changed today."
Truth, Unity, and Civic Responsibility
"Fear is the intended result of codifying homophobia into law."
"Racist legacy laws and modern racist practices are all part of the same system, and it needs to be changed now."
"Truth is hard, propaganda is cheap."
"Building bridges takes us further than building walls."
"We must speak truth to power and confront ignorance with facts."
"We owe our loyalty to each other and to our children's children, not to party politics."
"Blind party loyalty will be our downfall. We must follow the truth wherever it leads."
NOTE ON ATTRIBUTION AND USE
Dr. Stokes is pleased and humbled that people have found value in his thoughts and words to have quoted him on an array of merchandise, videos, and other products. Please contact Dr. Stokes before using his name, likeness, and quotes prior to use for any desired sales, advertising, promotions, merchandising, or other political or commercial products and ensure that your use of his name, likeness, and quotes do not imply his involvement, association, or endorsement.
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