The poor have been sent to the front lines of a federal-budget deficit-reduction war that few other groups were drafted to fight.

—Marian Wright Edelman

politics poverty budget

About Marian Wright Edelman

Portrait of Marian Wright Edelman

Marian Wright Edelman (née Wright; born June 6, 1939) is an American activist for civil rights and children's rights. She is the founder and president emerita of the Children's Defense Fund. She influenced leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Hillary Clinton.

More quotations from Marian Wright Edelman

A lot of people are waiting for Martin Luther King Jr. or Mahatma Gandhi to come back, but they are gone. We are it. It is up to us. It is up to you.

—Marian Wright Edelman

action change effort greatness waiting

More quotations tagged with “poverty”

I prefer the company of peasants because they have not been educated sufficiently to reason incorrectly.

—Michel de Montaigne

education poverty logic reason peasants

Who, being loved, is poor?

love perspective poverty

The trouble is that rich people, well-to-do people, very often don't really know who the poor are; and that is why we can forgive them, for knowledge can only lead to love, and love to service. And so, if they are not touched by the poor, it's because they do not know them.

—Mother Teresa

love forgiveness knowledge poverty wealth class

Every crime is born of necessity. If you want less crime, you must change the conditions. Poverty makes crime. Want, rags, crusts, failure, misfortune — all these awake the wild beast in man, and finally he takes, and takes contrary to law, and becomes a criminal. And what do you do with him? You punish him. Why not punish a man for having consumption? The time will come when you will see that that is just as logical.

—Robert Ingersoll

justice poverty crime logic punishment

The vices of the rich and great are mistaken for error; and those of the poor and lowly, for crimes.

—Marguerite Gardiner, Countess of Blessington

poverty crime wealth vice