How we cite our quotes: (Chapter.Paragraph)
Quote #7
"See, when you're colored, you always about this close—" he held up his fingers, indicating a tiny space—" to sayin' the wrong word. Or lookin' the wrong way. And that means you this far from gettin' beat up, or kicked, or punched, or cursed. Or gettin' strung up and killed by the KKK." (38.7)
Abraham warns his grandkids about the unfair rules for Black people in the community. It's a sad truth, but he has to drill this into them to keep them safe. The reality is that these kids are perceived as different before they even open their mouths to speak, and it's dangerous.
Quote #8
THIS IS THE WAY WE COOK COONS DOWN HERE. THIS IS THE WAY WE WILL COOK YOU. WE KNOW WHY YOU ARE HERE. GO HOME, N*****-LOVER. (39.19)
The warning Ben receives is on the back of a photograph of a man being lynched. It's disturbing, to say the least. Not only does the photo seem to parade around the fact that lynching is taking place (scary), it also shows how dangerous Ben's operation is. Just by investigating lynching, he's aligned with Black men and women, and as such, against white men. Or that's how the White Raiders see it at least.
Quote #9
Judge Corbett and men of his class had gradually enshrined that inequality in law, and the highest court in the land had upheld its finding that "separate but equal" was good enough for everybody. (92.8)
According to Ben's dad, Black people have it just fine. Who cares that they aren't integrated into society and work like slaves for white men? That should be good enough. Even judges and police officers in town think racial equality is a joke.