When asked how he would talk to someone who was ready “to tear up the town,” Baldwin revealed what truly mattered to him: All I can tell him, is that I’m with you, whatever that means. I’ll tell you what I can’t tell him. I can’t tell him to submit and allow himself to be slaughtered. I can’t tell him that he should not arm, because the white people are armed….what I try to tell him, too, is if you’re ready to blow the cat’s head off—because it could come to that—try not to hate him; for the sake of your soul’s salvation and for no other reason. But let’s try to be better, let’s try—no matter
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