Looking for another quote attribution...

[Satan]

From a fellow Raleigh music fan I know…

Hey, Brian, here’s a poser for you. I saw a quote recently on a reggae band’s Web page that went something like, “Until white men stop calling themselves white and black men stop calling themselves black, there will be no peace.” It was attributed to Bob Marley and seems to echo an excerpt of Haile Selassie’s 1963 address to the UN. Any idea where I can find the exact quote and context?

-Ski

Anyone have an answer for the lad?

Note: He proved his worth during the following exchange:

Scrabble 1: Tell you what - I’ll post it on a Message Board i go to that specializes in answering questions such as this.
Scrabble 1: Are you familiar with The Straight Dope?
Xxxxxxxxxx: Thanks!
Xxxxxxxxxx: Ah, Cecil.

(Name changed in case he doesn’t want strange people IM’ing him.)

I am hoping, however, that he’ll join so get an nswer for him and show him how cool you are!

---

Yer pal,
Satan - Commissioner, The Teeming Minions

I HAVE BEEN SMOKE-FREE FOR:
Five months, three weeks, five days, 17 hours, 0 minutes and 33 seconds.
7188 cigarettes not smoked, saving $898.54.
Extra life with Drain Bead: 3 weeks, 3 days, 23 hours, 0 minutes.

[MinkMan]

Most likely, here’s the quote you’re looking for:

On the question of racial discrimination, the Addis Ababa Conference taught, to those who will learn, this further lesson: That until the philosophy which holds one race superior and another inferior is finally and permanently discredited and abandoned: That until there are no longer first-class and second class citizens of any nation; That until the color of a man’s skin is of no more significance than the color of his eyes; That until the basic human rights are equally guaranteed to all without regard to race; That until that day, the dream of lasting peace and world citizenship and the rule of international morality will remain but a fleeting illusion, to be pursued but never attained; And until the ignoble and unhappy regimes that hold our brothers in Angola, in Mozambique and in South Africa in subhuman bondage have been toppled and destroyed; Until bigotry and prejudice and malicious and inhuman self-interest have been replaced by understanding and tolerance and good-will; Until all Africans stand and speak as free beings, equal in the eyes of all men, as they are in the eyes of Heaven; Until that day, the African continent will not know peace. We Africans will fight, if necessary, and we know that we shall win, as we are confident in the victory of good over evil.

It was part of a speech given on October 6, 1963 to the UN by Haile Selassie. The speech inspired the Bob Marley song “War”. It is a beautiful bit of language.

[JeffB]

The Bob Marley song is “War” from the * * album. He took it from a Haile Selassie speach to the UN. Here’s the first verse:

Until the philosophy which hold one race
Superior and another inferior
Is finally and permanently discredited and abandoned
Everywhere is war, me say war

That until there are no longer first class
And second class citizens of any nation
Until the colour of a man’s skin
Is of no more significance than the colour of his eyes
It’s a war.

[Red_Dog_Bass_Man]

Yes, Thanks, JeffB. I’m familiar with the lyrics and the text of the speech, but the quote came directly from neither.

BTW, I’m the guy for whom The Prince of Insufficient Light posed the question.

What interested me most about the quote was the unconventional way that responsibility for ending racism was placed not merely on the shoulders of white society. Bob Marley was clearly unPC, but I’d like to find the context and exact wording of the quote.

[Red_Dog_Bass_Man]

And thank you, too, MinkMan.