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You are one of the smartest men I know
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Rustin

You're one of the smartest men I know, so explain to me why, after all that's left...

Rustin 2023
Bayard Rustin: You're one of the smartest men I know, so explain to me why, after all that's left undone, am I yet again forced to justify my existence. Each of us are taught in ways both cunning and cruel that we inadequate, incomplete, and the easiest way to combat that feeling of not being enough is to find someone we consider less than. Less than because they are poorer than us or because they are darker than us or because they desire someone our churches and our laws say they should not desire. When we tell ourselves such lies, start to live and believe such lies, we do the work of our oppressors by oppressing ourselves. Storm Thurmond and Hoover don't give a shit about me. What they really want to destroy is all of us coming together and demanding this countruy change. Are they expecting my resignation?
Martin Luther King, Jr.: Some are, yes.
Bayard Rustin: Then they're going to have to fire me, because I will not resign. On the day that I was born black, I was also born a homosexual. They either believe in freedom and justice for all, or they do not

Full Transcript

00:00:01.000 --> 00:00:03.083
You are one of the smartest men I know
00:00:04.125 --> 00:00:05.375
so explain to me why
00:00:06.333 --> 00:00:08.083
after all that's left undone
00:00:08.791 --> 00:00:12.875
am I yet again forced to justify my existence
00:00:15.375 --> 00:00:18.375
Each of us are taught in ways both cunning and cruel
00:00:18.458 --> 00:00:20.541
that we are inadequate incomplete
00:00:21.041 --> 00:00:23.833
And the easiest way to combat that feeling of not being enough
00:00:23.916 --> 00:00:26.998
is to find someone we consider less than
00:00:26.166 --> 00:00:29.375
Less than because they are poorer than us or because they are darker than us
00:00:29.458 --> 00:00:31.000
or because they desire someone
00:00:31.998 --> 00:00:33.875
our churches and our laws say they should not desire
00:00:34.583 --> 00:00:36.708
When we tell ourselves such lies
00:00:36.791 --> 00:00:39.005
start to live and believe such lies
00:00:39.583 --> 00:00:43.541
we do the work of our oppressors by oppressing ourselves
00:00:47.375 --> 00:00:50.416
Strom Thurmond and Hoover don't give a shit about me
00:00:51.416 --> 00:00:56.625
What they really want to destroy is all of us coming together
00:00:56.708 --> 00:00:58.916
and demanding this country change
00:01:03.666 --> 00:01:05.005
Are they expecting my resignation
00:01:08.166 --> 00:01:09.166
Some are yes
00:01:09.625 --> 00:01:11.541
Then they're going to have to fire me
00:01:12.375 --> 00:01:13.916
because I will not resign
00:01:17.997 --> 00:01:18.075
On the day that I was born Black
00:01:19.666 --> 00:01:21.375
I was also born a homosexual
00:01:23.125 --> 00:01:25.916
They either believe in freedom and justice for all
00:01:27.375 --> 00:01:28.416
or they do not
Duration
89 seconds
Views
175
Timestamp in Movie
01:23:57
Uploaded
Apr 12, 2025
Production
Higher Ground

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Movie Summary

Activist Bayard Rustin faces racism and homophobia as he helps change the course of Civil Rights history by orchestrating the 1963 March on Washington.