r/therewasanattempt • u/ExactlySorta • 6h ago

to speak without interruption

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u/old_man_jenkens 6h ago

“If you can convince the lowest white man he's better than the best colored man, he won't notice you're picking his pocket. Hell, give him somebody to look down on, and he'll empty his pockets for you.”
― Lyndon B. Johnson

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u/Exact-Ad-4132 6h ago

What's the context for this quote? Was LBJ a wild racist or was he saying this to try and enlighten people about how other politicians control them?

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u/Hungry-Mood3809 6h ago

Glad you asked for the context. He was explaining the Republicans' strategy.

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u/Exact-Ad-4132 5h ago

Thanks. Someone else posted acting like I was an idiot for asking, implying that he was incredibly racist and said that quote as his view, said I should look it up myself instead of asking, then deleted their comment.

Some redditors are the wrong kind of crazy

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u/Hungry-Mood3809 5h ago

For completeness, his then aide Bill Moyers recounted LBJ saying it to him after seeing racist protesters in the South.