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So think about the poor slave who could read, but was scared to teach their kids to read for fear they would be killing their kids. Think about the poor slave that rode to town every week. Think about the poor slave who rode the buggy to town every week. Riding the buggy : riding the buggy, and he could read, and is riding the buggy and he's riding the buggy. And up ahead he sees a busy intersection, and is riding the buggy and he's riding the buggy. Then he sees a STOP sign : Now he's in a big dilemma. 'If I go through this intersection, I'm a have a accident. If I stop, these crackers will kill me.' And he's riding the buggy, and in the last minute he says 'fuck it', goes through the intersection, has a big ol' accident. Almost kills somebody. Then the police come: 'Nigger, what is wrong with you? Nigger, what the fuck is wrong with you? You could have killed somebody, nigger. Didn't see that stop sign?' 'Oh, I don't know what you talking about.' 'You didn't see that stop sign, that stop sign back there?' 'Oh, you mean that octagon thing.' 'Nigger, who taught you octagon?'

Chris Rock#81

HistoryChoiceSlaverySurvival

About this quote

What does it mean?
The quote illustrates the impossible choices enslaved people faced, even with literacy.
In plain terms
Slaves risked death whether they followed signs or not.
What can you take from it?
Oppression removes true free will.

Where it applies

  • historical analysis
  • discussions on rights
  • moral dilemmas

Putting it to work

  • understand historical constraints
  • analyze systemic oppression

Questions to consider

  • What counts as freedom?
  • How do we judge survival choices?

Another view

It condenses complex historical realities into a short anecdote.

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