TED@NYC
Clint Smith: The danger of silence
Clint Smith: O perigo do silencio
Filmed:
Readability: 3.7
5,033,082 views
"Pasamos tanto tempo escoitando as cousas que di a xente que case nunca atendemos ás que non din", afirma o poeta de slam e mestre Clint Smith. Un breve mais potente discurso, como saído da alma, sobre como sacar a coraxe para nos pronunciar contra a ignorancia e as inxustizas.
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
00:13
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.,
0
1100
1650
O doutor Martin Luther King Jr.,
00:14
in a 1968 speech where he reflects
upon the Civil Rights Movement,
upon the Civil Rights Movement,
1
2750
3886
no discurso de 1968 no cal reflexiona
sobre o Movemento polos Dereitos Civís,
sobre o Movemento polos Dereitos Civís,
00:18
states, "In the end,
2
6636
2694
afirma, "Á fin,
00:21
we will remember not the words of our enemies
3
9330
3083
lembraremos non as palabras
dos nosos enemigos
dos nosos enemigos
00:24
but the silence of our friends."
4
12413
2867
senón o silencio dos nosos amigos".
00:27
As a teacher, I've internalized this message.
5
15280
2520
Como mestre, interiorizei esta mensaxe.
00:30
Every day, all around us,
6
17800
1980
Todos os días, ó noso redor
00:31
we see the consequences of silence
7
19780
1676
vemos que as consecuencias do silencio
00:33
manifest themselves in the form of discrimination,
8
21456
2437
se manifestan en forma de discriminación,
00:36
violence, genocide and war.
9
23893
3808
violencia, xenocidio e guerra.
00:39
In the classroom, I challenge my students
10
27701
2196
Nas aulas, reto ós meus alumnos
00:42
to explore the silences in their own lives
11
29897
2431
a que exploren os silencios
nas súas propias vidas
nas súas propias vidas
00:44
through poetry.
12
32328
1850
a través da poesía.
00:46
We work together to fill those spaces,
13
34178
1852
Traballamos xuntos para cubrir eses ocos,
00:48
to recognize them, to name them,
14
36030
3278
para recoñecelos, para nomealos,
00:51
to understand that they don't
have to be sources of shame.
have to be sources of shame.
15
39308
3432
para comprender que non teñen
que ser fonte de vergoña.
que ser fonte de vergoña.
00:54
In an effort to create a culture within my classroom
16
42740
2463
Nun esforzo por crear
unha cultura nas aulas
unha cultura nas aulas
00:57
where students feel safe sharing the intimacies
17
45203
2098
onde os alumnos se sintan seguros
de compartir a intimidade
de compartir a intimidade
00:59
of their own silences,
18
47301
1834
do seu propio silencio,
01:01
I have four core principles posted on the board
19
49135
2081
puxen 4 principios chave no encerado
01:03
that sits in the front of my class,
20
51216
2093
que hai na fronte da aula,
01:05
which every student signs
at the beginning of the year:
at the beginning of the year:
21
53309
3061
onde todos os alumnos firman
ó comezar o curso:
ó comezar o curso:
01:08
read critically, write consciously,
22
56370
2173
le con crítica, escribe con conciencia,
01:10
speak clearly, tell your truth.
23
58543
3865
fala claramente, conta a túa verdade.
01:14
And I find myself thinking a lot about that last point,
24
62408
2564
E vexo que penso moito
no derradeiro punto,
no derradeiro punto,
01:17
tell your truth.
25
64972
1899
conta a túa verdade.
01:19
And I realized that
26
66871
1794
E doume de conta de que
01:20
if I was going to ask my students to speak up,
27
68665
2211
se lles pedira ós meus alumnos
que se pronunciasen
que se pronunciasen
01:23
I was going to have to tell my truth
28
70876
2138
eu mesmo tería que contar a miña verdade
01:25
and be honest with them about the times
29
73014
2266
e ser sincero con eles
sobre os momentos
sobre os momentos
01:27
where I failed to do so.
30
75280
1568
nos que non o fixen.
01:29
So I tell them that growing up,
31
76848
2060
Por iso lles digo que ao medrar,
01:31
as a kid in a Catholic family in New Orleans,
32
78908
2668
como fillo dunha familia católica
en Nova Orleans,
en Nova Orleans,
01:33
during Lent I was always taught
33
81576
2862
aprendes na Coresma
01:36
that the most meaningful thing one could do
34
84438
1808
que o mellor que podemos facer
01:38
was to give something up,
35
86246
1542
é renunciar a algo,
01:39
sacrifice something you typically indulge in
36
87788
2292
sacrificar algo que normalmente te permites
01:42
to prove to God you understand his sanctity.
37
90080
2399
para demostrarlle a Deus que
comprendes a súa santidade.
comprendes a súa santidade.
01:44
I've given up soda, McDonald's, French fries,
38
92479
2802
Renunciei ós refrescos, a McDdonald's,
ás patacas fritidas,
ás patacas fritidas,
01:47
French kisses, and everything in between.
39
95281
2902
ós bicos con lingua, e todo o
que vai con eles.
que vai con eles.
01:50
But one year, I gave up speaking.
40
98183
3888
Mais un ano, renunciei a falar.
01:54
I figured the most valuable thing I could sacrifice
41
102071
2603
Deime de conta de que o máis
valioso que podía sacrificar
valioso que podía sacrificar
01:56
was my own voice, but it was like I hadn't realized
42
104674
3701
era a miña propia voz, mais
foi coma se non me percatara
foi coma se non me percatara
02:00
that I had given that up a long time ago.
43
108375
2911
de que xa había tempo
que renunciara a iso.
que renunciara a iso.
02:03
I spent so much of my life
44
111286
1819
Estiven tantos anos da miña vida
02:05
telling people the things they wanted to hear
45
113105
2177
dicíndolle á xente o que querían oír
02:07
instead of the things they needed to,
46
115282
1476
en vez do que precisaban oír,
02:08
told myself I wasn't meant to be anyone's conscience
47
116758
2416
que me convencín de que o meu
non era ser a conciencia de ninguén
non era ser a conciencia de ninguén
02:11
because I still had to figure out being my own,
48
119174
2295
porque aínda tiña pendente
atopar a miña propia conciencia,
atopar a miña propia conciencia,
02:13
so sometimes I just wouldn't say anything,
49
121469
3232
por iso ás veces non dicía nada,
02:16
appeasing ignorance with my silence,
50
124701
2449
calmando a ignorancia co meu silencio,
02:19
unaware that validation doesn't need words
51
127150
2397
sen saber que a aprobación
non precisa de palabras
non precisa de palabras
02:21
to endorse its existence.
52
129547
1620
para avalar a súa existencia.
02:23
When Christian was beat up for being gay,
53
131167
1788
Cando Christian recibiu
unha tunda por ser gai,
unha tunda por ser gai,
02:25
I put my hands in my pocket
54
132955
1268
metín a man no peto
02:26
and walked with my head
down as if I didn't even notice.
down as if I didn't even notice.
55
134223
2777
e camiñei coa cabeza baixa
coma se non fora consciente.
coma se non fora consciente.
02:29
I couldn't use my locker for weeks
because the bolt on the lock
because the bolt on the lock
56
137000
2535
Non usei o meu armario da escola
en semanas porque o cadeado
en semanas porque o cadeado
02:31
reminded me of the one I had put on my lips
57
139535
2261
lembrábame o que eu tiña na boca
02:33
when the homeless man on the corner
58
141796
1744
cando o sen teito da esquina
02:35
looked at me with eyes up merely searching
59
143540
1780
me mirou cos ollos ben abertos en busca
02:37
for an affirmation that he was worth seeing.
60
145320
2182
da confirmación de que merecía ser visto.
02:39
I was more concerned with
touching the screen on my Apple
touching the screen on my Apple
61
147502
2105
Preocupábame máis enredar
co meu móbil da mazá
co meu móbil da mazá
02:41
than actually feeding him one.
62
149607
1563
que darlle unha a el para comer.
02:43
When the woman at the fundraising gala
63
151170
1687
Cando a muller da gala para recadar fondos
02:45
said "I'm so proud of you.
64
152857
1192
me dixo "Estou orgullosa de ti.
02:46
It must be so hard teaching
those poor, unintelligent kids,"
those poor, unintelligent kids,"
65
154049
3071
Ten que ser complicado ensinar
a eses rapaces pobres, ignorantes",
a eses rapaces pobres, ignorantes",
02:49
I bit my lip, because apparently
we needed her money
we needed her money
66
157120
2599
mordín o labio porque pensei
que precisabamos dos seus cartos
que precisabamos dos seus cartos
02:51
more than my students needed their dignity.
67
159719
1980
máis do que os meus alumnos
precisaban de dignidade.
precisaban de dignidade.
02:53
We spend so much time
68
161699
1941
Pasamos tanto tempo
02:55
listening to the things people are saying
69
163640
3900
escoitando as cousas que di a xente
02:59
that we rarely pay attention to the things they don't.
70
167540
3338
que case nunca atendemos ás que non din.
03:03
Silence is the residue of fear.
71
170878
3261
O silencio é o residuo do medo.
03:06
It is feeling your flaws
72
174139
1550
É notar como os teus defectos
03:07
gut-wrench guillotine your tongue.
73
175689
1926
che cortan a lingua.
03:09
It is the air retreating from your chest
74
177615
1822
É o aire saíndo do teu peito
03:11
because it doesn't feel safe in your lungs.
75
179437
1992
porque non se sente
seguro nos pulmóns.
seguro nos pulmóns.
03:13
Silence is Rwandan genocide. Silence is Katrina.
76
181429
3124
O silencio é o xenocidio de Ruanda.
O silencio é o Katrina.
O silencio é o Katrina.
03:16
It is what you hear when there
aren't enough body bags left.
aren't enough body bags left.
77
184553
3108
É o que se escoita cando non quedan
suficientes bolsas de cadáveres.
suficientes bolsas de cadáveres.
03:19
It is the sound after the noose is already tied.
78
187661
2401
É o son da forca cando se amarra.
03:22
It is charring. It is chains. It is privilege. It is pain.
79
190062
3347
É carbonizar. Son as cadeas.
É privilexio. É dor.
É privilexio. É dor.
03:25
There is no time to pick your battles
80
193409
1755
Non hai tempo para escoller loitas
03:27
when your battles have already picked you.
81
195164
1733
cando estas xa te elixiron a ti.
03:29
I will not let silence wrap itself around my indecision.
82
196897
3063
Non permitirei que o silencio
envolva a miña indecisión.
envolva a miña indecisión.
03:32
I will tell Christian that he is a lion,
83
199960
1967
Direille a Christian que é un león,
03:34
a sanctuary of bravery and brilliance.
84
201927
2360
un santuario de coraxe e excelencia.
03:36
I will ask that homeless man what his name is
85
204287
2396
Preguntareille polo seu nome
a ese home sen teito
a ese home sen teito
03:38
and how his day was, because sometimes
86
206683
1710
e como lle foi o dia, porque ás veces
03:40
all people want to be is human.
87
208393
1947
todo o que a xente desexa ser é humana.
03:42
I will tell that woman that my students can talk about
88
210340
2486
Direille a esa muller que
os meus alumnos poden falar
os meus alumnos poden falar
03:45
transcendentalism like their last name was Thoreau,
89
212826
2565
do trascendentalismo coma se fosen Thoreau,
03:47
and just because you watched
one episode of "The Wire"
one episode of "The Wire"
90
215391
2035
e só porque viras un episodio de "The Wire"
03:49
doesn't mean you know anything about my kids.
91
217426
2239
non quere dicir que saibas algo
dos meus rapaces.
dos meus rapaces.
03:51
So this year,
92
219665
1673
Por iso este ano,
03:53
instead of giving something up,
93
221338
2147
en vez de renunciar a algo,
03:55
I will live every day as if there were a microphone
94
223485
2412
vivirei cada día coma se
tivera un micrófono
tivera un micrófono
03:58
tucked under my tongue,
95
225897
1923
debaixo da lingua,
04:00
a stage on the underside of my inhibition.
96
227820
4005
nun escenario no fondo
da miña inhibición.
da miña inhibición.
04:04
Because who has to have a soapbox
97
231825
2143
Porque, quen precisa dunha tarima
04:06
when all you've ever needed is your voice?
98
233968
4239
cando o que se necesita é a voz?
04:10
Thank you.
99
238207
2505
Grazas.
04:12
(Applause)
100
240712
4000
(Aplauso)
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Clint Smith - Poet, educatorClint Smith's work blends art and activism.
Why you should listen
Clint Smith is a writer, teacher and doctoral candidate at Harvard University studying education, incarceration and inequality. Previously, he taught high school English in Prince George’s County, Maryland where, in 2013, he was named the Christine D. Sarbanes Teacher of the Year by the Maryland Humanities Council.
Clint is a 2014 National Poetry Slam champion, an Individual World Poetry Slam Finalist, and author of the poetry collection Counting Descent. He has received fellowships from the National Science Foundation, Cave Canem and the Callaloo Creative Writing Workshop. His writing has appeared in The New Yorker, The Guardian, Boston Review, American Poetry Review, Harvard Educational Review and elsewhere. He was born and raised in New Orleans, LA.
Clint Smith | Speaker | TED.com