“Suffering, though, can be nothing more than a sad and sorry thing without the presence on the part of the sufferer of a graceful heart, an accepting and open heart, a heart that holds no malice toward the inflictors of his or suffering This is a difficult concept to understand, and it is even more difficult to internalize, but it has everything to do with the way of nonviolence. We are talking about love here....This is a broader, deeper, more all-encompassing love. It is a love that acepts and embraces the hateful and the hurtful. It is a love that recognizes the spark of the divine in each of us, even in those who would raise their hand against us, those we might call our enemy.”
John Lewis“It is worth starting with visions, though, because they establish hopes and fears. History then determines which prevail.”
John Lewis Gaddis“The March on Washington was a March for Jobs and Freedom. There are still too many people who are unemployed or underemployed in America - they're black, white, Latino, Native American and Asian American.”
John Lewis“The scars and stains of racism are still deeply embedded in the American society.”
John Lewis“Not one of us can rest, be happy, be at home, be at peace with ourselves, until we end hatred and division.”
John Lewis“The assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. made me very, very sad, and I mourned and I cried like many of our citizens did.”
John Lewis“I believe in forgiveness I believe in trying to work with people. ”
John Lewis“Without prayer, without faith in the Almighty, the civil rights movement would have been like a bird without wings.”
John Lewis“I travel all the time, but when I come back to the South, I see such progress. In a real sense, a great deal of the South has been redeemed. People feel freer, more complete, more whole, because of what happened in the movement.”
John Lewis“We all live in the same house, we all must be part of the effort to hold down our little house. When you see something that is not right, not fair, not just... do something about it. Say something. Have the courage. Have the backbone. Get in the way. Walk with the wind. It's all going to work out.”
John Lewis“The action of Rosa Parks, the words and leadership of Dr. King inspired me. I was deeply inspired. I wanted to do something.”
John Lewis