The beauty of the people

From a May 1996 interview with Kwame Ture (born Stokely Carmichael) about his work as an organizer in the Civil Rights Movement in the United States

Interviewer:  I was just thinking how happy you seem.  Not that I would expect you to be unhappy, but you seem to be someone who takes great joy in your work.

Ture:  Well my work is very rewarding, you know.  The reward is in the doing.  Yes.  And I'm very fortunate.  Not many people get to like their work.  Especially with my people, nobody likes picking cotton.  [Laughs.]  I tried it once and I said, “No, I think I'll stick to revolutionary organizing.” 

Interviewer:  [Quoting Frederick Douglass] The reward for being in the struggle is the opportunity to be in the struggle.

Ture:  Yes.  Many don't understand that.  They want these positions that open up, a lot of them are snatching it — “Well, we fought for this!”  Oh, I'm sorry, I thought it was for the people.  [Laughs.]  You know the beauty of the people?  You know the beauty of the people?  The people who die in the struggle do not even have the qualifications to accept the positions that open up as a result of the struggle.  And they have so much faith that their death would advance the struggle, that someone who has the qualifications will come and use it to advance it, that when you stay with the people you have to stay pure.  They have so much faith in you, so much confidence in you.  It is so easy to betray them.  They can be so easily betrayed.  So easily betrayed.