Soldiers

"Medgar showed us that even in the face of adversity, we must continue to fight on. Although he knew he was placing himself in harm's way, he stopped fighting for equality and equity."

"The Negro has been here in America since 1619, a total of 344 years. He is not going anywhere else; this country is his home. . . Let me appeal to the consciences of many silent, responsible citizens of the white community who know that a victory for democracy in Jackson will be a victory for democracy everywhere."

"Medgar Evers was assassinated in his driveway returning from an NAACP meeting in downtown Jackson. And then you go back there years later, and the blood is still on the driveway. They cannot wash it away."

"What then does the Negro want? He wants to get rid of racial segregation in Mississippi life . . . The Negro citizen wants to register and vote without special handicaps imposed on him alone . . . The Negro Mississippian wants more jobs above the menial level in stores where he spends his money."

"As men living in as highly a diversified and complex society as ours, it is our duty and responsibility to our fellow men and our children to tackle the problems that lie ahead with faith and courage. Faith that is spoken of in the Bible, which in paraphrase says “Only possess the faith of a small mustard seed and you will be able to move mountains and then the courage to withstand the greatest onslaught the enemy can muster, and you are bound to succeed.” No, it will not be easy, but neither does one find it altogether easy to be a Christian in this very sin sick world."

"Christian friends, we are in a righteous struggle. We are living in a great day, a momentous day, a glorious day, a day that will be forever inscribed in the annals of history and in the minds of men. Now, my friends, I have one or two requests to make and I feel that these requests should be the paramount objective of each person here today. Number one: let us vow to treat our fellow man as we would like him to treat us. Two, let us be in a spirit of cooperativeness."

"There is an urgent need for dedicated and courageous leadership. If we are to solve the problems ahead and make social justice a reality, this leadership must be four-fold in our various communities. Men and women in every possible community endeavor should busy themselves in an effort to work out our problem on a mutual respectful basis with our fellow men. This is no time for fainthearted men, but rather a time when our true faith in God should emerge and take over our complete self. It is spoke of in one passage of the scripture, that man should not fear men who can only destroy the body but rather God, who can destroy both body and soul."

"He believes that new industries that have come to Mississippi should employ him above the laboring category. He wants the public schools and colleges desegregated so that his children can receive the best education that Mississippi has to offer."

"You know we are not as grateful and obliging to God as He would have us to be. We men often take our being too much for granted. We often feel that our responsibility and obligation to God ends when we make a liberal church contribution and attend services regularly. Granted, both are essential in our daily Christian lives but one equally important factor nis often expressed in the “negative” by the following quotation: “Man’s inhumanity to man makes countless thousands mourn.” As I remember from my youth being taught the Golden Rule of “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” That part of the Golden Rule is now in many instances being shelved as being obsolete or outdated and therefore no longer usable in this day and time which is possibly the saddest mistake we find ourselves making"

"Tonight the Negro plantation worker in the Delta knows from his radio and television what happened today all over the world. He knows what Black people are doing and he knows what white people are doing. He can see on the 6:00 o’clock news screen the picture of a 3:00 o’clock bite by a police dog. He knows about the new free nations in Africa and knows that a Congo native can be a locomotive engineer, but in Jackson he cannot even drive a garbage truck."

"Christian friends, brothers and sisters, ladies and gentlemen. I consider it a blessing from almighty God to have this very spiritual pleasure to fellowship with you on this men’s day program and to be able to acknowledge the very presence of God within me."

"He sees a city over 150,000, of which 40% is Negro, in which there is not a single Negro policeman or policewoman, school crossing guard, fireman, clerk, stenographer, or supervisor employed in any city department or the Mayor’s office in other than menial capacities . . ."

"I’m looking to be shot any time I step out of my car. If I die, it will be in a good cause. I’ve been fighting for America just as much as the soldiers in Vietnam."

"All we wanted to be was ordinary citizens. We fought during the war for America and Mississippi was included. Now after the Germans and the Japanese hadn't killed us, it looked as though the white Mississippians would."

"Man is, I would say, God's chosen creature on the face of the earth so much so until in the creation God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness, and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God, created He Him: male and female, created He them. If we note with care the word image which means likeness or an imitation of any person or thing one is immediately impressed with the fact that we are God’s children who possess his likeness and who consequently should do His will. That is unquestionably the obligation man owes to God——do His will."

"We, as men, owe it to our fellow man and to our children to stand firm and stand out for those things that we are entitled to. I count it a blessing from God that I am able to withstand ridicule and abuse because I am willing to stand for my fellow man though many show no appreciation for the work that we are trying to do in their behalf."

"What do you mean, funny? Funny-peculiar or funny ha-ha?"

"War is hell, and all that, but it has a good deal to recommend it. It wipes out all the small nuisances of peace-time."

"...this is the time we do this,I must be there at that time."

"Helping other people and taking care as much as you can means that you are doing something good."

"Being in the army,we should pray more that they should stop the war because it was not going to help us and it did not help us."

"Josephine was celebrated, but she and her female colleagues faced many challenges as regards to their gender. She retired voluntarily from service on 5 February 1967 and passed on in 2014."

"People who know moral education know that we lost a lot by not educating our children morally."

"Television has not done us any good.It is okay to say that you learn from it but as far as I am concerned there are lots of things that should not be on that box."

"If you were fighting against Nigeria and you are Nigerian,it did not speak so well of you. You didn’t feel happy about the fight no matter who was winning."

"There is no peace for some and not for others. We all need the same peace. We will continue to stand for historical clarity regarding our situation, and will never accept to be painted as something we are not."

"Shortcuts and temporary fixes can not resolve this issue. There has to be a comprehensive solution that deals with root causes, in the medium and long term, which should guarantee lasting peace for all the peoples of our region. This is important for all of us, without exception."

"Our hearts are filled with grief and gratitude in equal measure. We remember our dead and are also grateful of what Rwanda has become. (7 April 2024)"

"There is no hiding place for you from these very facts of our history."

"Unfortunately, we continue to see instability in our region along our borders. I want to assure you that Rwanda's security and sovereignty will always be fully protected, by all means necessary."

"It's very clear that wounds are still deep but “Rwandans, I thank all of you for refusing to be defined by this tragic history."

"People have managed to turn the page and move forward from grieving, crying and have decided to live on and even willing to do the most difficult thing one way or the other, they have decided to forgive but we can’t forget."

"In 2024, we marked 30 years since the Genocide against the Tutsi, and the liberation of our country. These dual anniversaries serve as a powerful reminder of how far we have come, driven by a shared purpose to move forward and rebuild. Together let us continue on this path."

"Education is one of the primary things we prioritize in the development of our country, the people, and our collaboration with other countries. The educational outcomes are supportive https://www.newtimes.co.rw/article/20100/news/politics/kagame-tasks-new-minister-nsengimana-to-advance-countrys-education(13 September 2024)"

"When we need to protect this country that has suffered for so long, no one is helping us, I don't need anyone's permission to do what we have to do to protect ourselves"

"We are polite and humble people, we know where we come from, we know who we are, we listen but at the end of the day I want to assure you that as long as some of us are still here...we shall have to live our lives the best way we can"

"Rwandans will not accept any attempt to divide us. We had enough of it. More than enough. That will not succeed again here, ever."

"Rwanda has transformed itself, unity is the foundation of everything we try to do. For the beginning we understood the need to cultivate and preserve the spirit of oneness to give us hope for a better future"

"We take pride in aiming high, because that is possible and best way to live our lives. In any case, it is well within our means and capabilities."

"To our young people, we expect you to take Rwanda even further ahead, beyond what we have ever imagined."

"At the heart of Rwanda's progress lies a simple but powerful truth: you can not expect others to invest in you, if you do not invest in yourself."

"We are polite people, we are humble people, we know where we come from, we know who we are, we listen, but at the end of the day, I want to assure you, that for as long as some of us are still here, what I’m saying is just what is going to happen, that we shall have to live our lives, live the best way we can just like other people elsewhere in the world, and they have no right, and we will not even accept, that dictating to us how we live our lives can happen."

"So, Rwanda has transformed itself. Unity, being together, is the foundation of everything we try to do. From the beginning, we understood the need to cultivate and preserve a spirit of “oneness” to give us hope for a better future."

"Africa’s story has been written by others; we need to own our problems and solutions and write our story.."

"Genocide denial is a dangerous and deliberate attempt to block the truth."

"Always remember that we are entirely capable of shaping the future that we want and deserve."

"One lesson that our country learnt is to transform challenges into opportunities and also use so little to do a lot. There is nothing Rwandans cannot overcome through unity, hard work, and perseverance."

"Remember that in the time of need when we needed every help we could get, the world turned its back on us. The message is ‘you are on your own’, So we should learn to be on our own and I think we have learnt enough."

"You can run but can’t hide. There is no hiding place for you from these very facts of our history. So even those who have their time to say whatever they want to say, they will say it. Maybe they will do many things based on that as well. But the fact is, they cannot find a place to hide."

"So, it’s very clear that the wounds are still deep. But Rwandans, I thank all of you, for refusing to be defined by this tragic history, and people have managed to turn the page and move forward from grieving, from crying, and people have decided to live on. And even, people have been ready, have been willing, to do the most difficult thing, one or the other, they have decided to forgive, but we can’t forget."