Dem Quotes

“But why does he want to kill all white people?”

Carlyle watched him a moment, then motioned for him to sit on the bed. “I guess because you need it; he’s an idealist.”
― William Melvin Kelley, Dem

“Some people, he thought, ought not to be allowed to get licenses. It was too easy for the reckless to get them. It was that way with many things. Some people worked very hard, earning their way; others hitched rides—holding up those who had been nice enough to pick them up.”
― William Melvin Kelley, Dem

“We suffer bitterly. We carry the responsibility of the entire civilization.” She nodded. “We are the original people. Do you understand? Without people like us, this would be a lower-class Southern European slum. There would be no civilization at all. Those people ran from civilization, from education. We didn’t. The real burden of maintaining civilization falls on us, especially on our women. The men may oversee the land, but we women maintain the culture. That’s what it is to be a mother, Mitchell.”
― William Melvin Kelley, Dem

“I get upset about different things. What’s silly to you is sometimes very important to me…” She stopped, thought. “Maybe just because I’m a woman?”

Reluctantly, Mitchell pulled to the curb and, leaving the motor running, shifted into Park. He was within two-hundred numbers of Godwin’s house, and he wanted all this settled before he reached it. “That may be the most stupid and hypocritical thing you’ve ever said. If I actually treated you like a woman, I wouldn’t consult you at all. I’m trying to treat you like a reasoning human being!”

She ran her index finger through the dust on the leather dashboard. “I know that, Mitchell, but…”

“But what? Most of the time you talk about how bad men are to women, then you turn around and want some kind of special treatment because you are a woman. I mean, God, make up your mind.”

“All right, Mitchell.” She nodded.”
― William Melvin Kelley, Dem

“You know what I liked about the Marine Corps. You didn’t have to pussyfoot around. You killed or screwed anything yellow and talked to anything white. It was simple.”
― William Melvin Kelley, Dem

“Mitchell waited, a habit. Whenever someone began a new conversation, it was best to see how it developed before joining it.”
― William Melvin Kelley, Dem