ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Clint Smith - Poet, educator
Clint 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.

More profile about the speaker
Clint Smith | Speaker | TED.com
TED@NYC

Clint Smith: The danger of silence

Klint Smit (Clint Smith): Opasnost ćutanja

Filmed:
5,033,082 views

"Provodimo toliko vremena slušajući šta ljudi govore, da retko obratimo pažnju na ono što ne govore," kaže slem pesnik i profesor Klint Smit. Kratak, moćan govor iz srca, o nalaženju hrabrosti da se podigne glas protiv neznanja i nepravde.
- Poet, educator
Clint Smith's work blends art and activism. Full bio

Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.

00:13
DrDr. MartinMartin LutherLuter KingKralj, JrJr.,
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Doktor Martin Luter King mlađi,
00:14
in a 1968 speechговор where he reflectsodražava
uponна the CivilCivilnog RightsPrava MovementPokret,
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u svom govoru iz 1968, pozivajući se
na Pokret za građanska prava,
00:18
statesдржаве, "In the endкрај,
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izjavljuje: "Na kraju,
00:21
we will rememberзапамтити not the wordsречи of our enemiesнепријатељи
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nećemo pamtiti reči naših neprijatelja,
00:24
but the silenceтишина of our friendsпријатељи."
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već ćutanje naših prijatelja."
00:27
As a teacherнаставник, I've internalizedinternalizovali this messageпорука.
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Kao profesor, internalizovao sam
ovu poruku.
00:30
EverySvaki day, all around us,
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Svaki dan, svuda oko nas,
00:31
we see the consequencesпоследице of silenceтишина
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vidimo posledice tišine
00:33
manifestманифестовати themselvesсами in the formобразац of discriminationdiskriminacije,
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koje se manifestuju
u obliku diskriminacije,
00:36
violenceнасиље, genocideгеноцид and warрат.
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nasilja, genocida i rata.
00:39
In the classroomучионица, I challengeизазов my studentsстуденти
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U učionici, iskušavam svoje studente
00:42
to exploreистражити the silencesжutanje in theirњихова ownвластити livesживи
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da istražuju tišinu u sopstvenim životima
00:44
throughкроз poetryпоезија.
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kroz poeziju.
00:46
We work togetherзаједно to fillпопуните those spacesпросторе,
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Radimo zajedno da ispunimo taj prostor,
00:48
to recognizeпрепознати them, to nameиме them,
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da ga prepoznamo, imenujemo,
00:51
to understandРазумем that they don't
have to be sourcesизвори of shameсрамота.
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da razumemo da ne mora biti izvor sramote.
00:54
In an effortнапор to createстворити a cultureкултура withinу склопу my classroomучионица
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U cilju stvaranja kulture
u mojoj učionici,
00:57
where studentsстуденти feel safeсигурно sharingдељење the intimaciesintimne odnose
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gde se učenici osećaju sigurno
da dele privatnost
00:59
of theirњихова ownвластити silencesжutanje,
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svojih sopstvenih tišina,
01:01
I have fourчетири coreјезгро principlesпринципе postedобјављено on the boardодбор, табла
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napisao sam četiri
glavna principa na tabli
01:03
that sitsседи in the frontфронт of my classкласа,
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koja se nalazi ispred mog odeljenja,
01:05
whichкоја everyсваки studentученик signsзнаци
at the beginningпочетак of the yearгодине:
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gde se svaki student upisuje
na početku školske godine:
01:08
readчитати criticallyкритички, writeпиши consciouslyсвесно,
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čitaj kritički, piši svesno,
01:10
speakговорити clearlyјасно, tell your truthистина.
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govori jasno, reci svoju istinu.
01:14
And I find myselfЈа сам thinkingразмишљање a lot about that last pointтачка,
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Zamislio sam se kod poslednje tačke:
01:17
tell your truthистина.
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reci svoju istinu.
01:19
And I realizedреализован that
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I shvatio sam da
01:20
if I was going to askпитати my studentsстуденти to speakговорити up,
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ako budem tražio od svojih učenika
da govore glasno,
01:23
I was going to have to tell my truthистина
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moraću da kažem svoju istinu
01:25
and be honestпоштен with them about the timesпута
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i da budem iskren sa njima o trenucima
01:27
where I failedније успео to do so.
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kada to nisam uspevao.
01:29
So I tell them that growingрастуће up,
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Rekao sam im da su me
01:31
as a kidклинац in a CatholicKatolik familyпородица in NewNovi OrleansOrleans,
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kao dete u katoličkoj porodici
u Nju Orleansu,
01:33
duringу току LentPozajmila I was always taughtнаучио
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tokom Velikog posta, učili
da najznačajnija stvar koju
neko može da uradi
01:36
that the mostнајвише meaningfulсмислено thing one could do
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01:38
was to give something up,
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jeste da se odrekne nečega,
01:39
sacrificeжртвовање something you typicallyобично indulgeUdovolji in
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žrtvuje nešto u čemu uglavnom uživa,
01:42
to proveдоказати to God you understandРазумем his sanctitySvetost.
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kako bi dokazao Bogu da
razume njegovu svetost.
01:44
I've givenдато up sodaсода, McDonald'sMcDonald's, Frenchfrancuski friesпомфрит,
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Odrekao sam se gaziranih pića,
Mekdonaldsa, pomfrita,
01:47
Frenchfrancuski kissespoljupci, and everything in betweenизмеђу.
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francuskih poljubaca i svega sličnog.
01:50
But one yearгодине, I gaveдала up speakingговорећи.
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Ali jedne godine, odrekao sam se govora.
01:54
I figuredфигуред the mostнајвише valuableвредно thing I could sacrificeжртвовање
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Shvatio sam da je najvrednija stvar
koje sam mogao da se odreknem
01:56
was my ownвластити voiceглас, but it was like I hadn'tније realizedреализован
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moj glas, ali nisam shvatao
02:00
that I had givenдато that up a long time agoпре.
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da sam se ga se odrekao veoma davno.
02:03
I spentпотрошено so much of my life
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Proveo sam veći deo svog života
02:05
tellingговорећи people the things they wanted to hearчујеш
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govoreći ljudima ono što žele da čuju,
umesto onoga što je trebalo da čuju,
02:07
insteadуместо тога of the things they neededпотребно to,
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02:08
told myselfЈа сам I wasn'tније meantмислио to be anyone'sNeko je conscienceсавест
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rekavši sebi da nisam tu
da bih bio nečija savest
02:11
because I still had to figureфигура out beingбиће my ownвластити,
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jer još uvek nisam shvatio svoju,
02:13
so sometimesпонекад I just wouldn'tне би say anything,
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tako da ponekad prosto
ne bih rekao ništa,
02:16
appeasingudovoljavala ignoranceнезнање with my silenceтишина,
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zadovoljavajući neznanje svojim ćutanjem,
02:19
unawarenesvesni that validationza proveru valjanosti doesn't need wordsречи
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nesvestan toga da potvrda ne zahteva reči
02:21
to endorseodobriti its existenceпостојање.
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da bi potvrdila svoje postojanje.
Kada je Kristijan prebijen
zbog toga što je gej
02:23
When ChristianKristijan was beatпобедити up for beingбиће gayгеј,
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02:25
I put my handsруке in my pocketџеп
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stavio sam ruke u džepove
02:26
and walkedходао with my headглава
down as if I didn't even noticeобјава.
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i prošao sam sa spuštenom glavom
kao da ne vidim.
02:29
I couldn'tније могао use my lockerормарић for weeksнедељама
because the boltзавртањ on the lockзакључати
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Nisam mogao da koristim ormarić
nedeljama, jer me je katanac
02:31
remindedподсетио me of the one I had put on my lipsусне
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podsećao na katanac na mojim usnama
02:33
when the homelessbez krova nad glavom man on the cornerугао
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kada me je beskućnik na ćošku
02:35
lookedпогледао at me with eyesочи up merelyсамо searchingпретраживање
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pogledao, samo tražeći
02:37
for an affirmationafirmaciju that he was worthвреди seeingвиди.
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potvrdu da je vredan pogleda.
Bio sam prezauzet čačkanjem
ekrana svog Epl telefona
02:39
I was more concernedзабринути with
touchingдодирујући the screenекран on my AppleJabuka
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02:41
than actuallyзаправо feedinghranjenje him one.
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umesto da ga pogledam.
02:43
When the womanжена at the fundraisingza prikupljanje sredstava galaGala
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Kada je žena na dobrotvornoj večeri
02:45
said "I'm so proudпоносан of you.
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rekla: "Ponosna sam na tebe.
02:46
It mustмора be so hardтешко teachingУчити
those poorлоше, unintelligentglupi kidsклинци,"
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Mora da je teško učiti siromašnu,
neinteligentnu decu,"
ujeo sam se za usnu, jer očigledno,
bio nam je potreban njen novac
02:49
I bitмало my lipusna, because apparentlyочигледно
we neededпотребно her moneyновац
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02:51
more than my studentsстуденти neededпотребно theirњихова dignityдостојанство.
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više nego što je mojim učenicima
trebalo dostojanstvo.
02:53
We spendпотрошити so much time
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Trošimo toliko vremena
02:55
listeningслушање to the things people are sayingговорећи
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slušajući šta drugi govore
02:59
that we rarelyretko payплатите attentionпажњу to the things they don't.
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da retko obratimo pažnju
na ono što ne govore.
03:03
SilenceTišina is the residuetalog of fearбојати се.
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Tišina je ostatak straha.
03:06
It is feelingОсећај your flawsmane
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Oseća vaše mane,
03:07
gut-wrenchstomak-francuski ključ guillotineGiljotina your tongueјезик.
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stavlja na giljotinu vaš jezik.
03:09
It is the airваздух retreatingpovlače prema from your chestгруди
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To je vazduh koji napušta pluća,
03:11
because it doesn't feel safeсигурно in your lungspluća.
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jer se tamo ne oseća sigurno.
03:13
SilenceTišina is RwandanRwandi genocideгеноцид. SilenceTišina is KatrinaKatrina.
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Tišina je genocid u Ruandi.
Tišina je Katrina.
03:16
It is what you hearчујеш when there
aren'tнису enoughдовољно bodyтело bagsторбе left.
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Ono što čujete kada nema
dovoljno vreća za leševe.
03:19
It is the soundзвук after the nooseNouz is alreadyвећ tiedvezane.
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To je zvuk koji se čuje
kad se zategne omča.
03:22
It is charringSpaljen joj. It is chainsланци. It is privilegeпривилегија. It is painбол.
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Ugljenisanje. Lanci. Privilegija. Bol.
03:25
There is no time to pickпицк your battlesборбе
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Nema vremena da se bitke odaberu
03:27
when your battlesборбе have alreadyвећ pickedизабран you.
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kada su bitke već odabrale vas.
03:29
I will not let silenceтишина wrapзавити itselfсам around my indecisionneodlucnosti.
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Neću da dopustim da se tišina
umota oko moje neodlučnosti.
03:32
I will tell ChristianKristijan that he is a lionLav,
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Reći ću Kristijanu da je lav,
03:34
a sanctuaryutočište of braveryhrabrost and brillianceбриљантност.
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utočište hrabrosti i izvanrednosti.
03:36
I will askпитати that homelessbez krova nad glavom man what his nameиме is
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Pitaću beskućnika kako se zove
i kako mu je dan prošao, jer ponekad,
03:38
and how his day was, because sometimesпонекад
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03:40
all people want to be is humanљудско.
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sve što ljudi žele je da budu ljudi.
03:42
I will tell that womanжена that my studentsстуденти can talk about
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Reći ću onoj ženi da moji učenici
mogu da pričaju
03:45
transcendentalismTranscendentalizam like theirњихова last nameиме was ThoreauThoreau,
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o transcendentalnosti
kao da im je prezime Toro,
03:47
and just because you watchedгледао
one episodeepizoda of "The WireŽica"
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i samo zato što ste gledali
jednu epizodu "Žice"
03:49
doesn't mean you know anything about my kidsклинци.
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ne znači da znate išta o mojoj deci.
03:51
So this yearгодине,
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Zato ove godine,
03:53
insteadуместо тога of givingдавање something up,
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umesto da odustanem od nečega,
03:55
I will liveживи everyсваки day as if there were a microphoneмикрофон
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živeću svakoga dana kao da je mikrofon
03:58
tuckedmajicom underиспод my tongueјезик,
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zabijen ispod mog jezika,
04:00
a stageфаза on the undersidedonje strane of my inhibitionинхибиција.
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a scena ispod mojih inhibicija.
04:04
Because who has to have a soapboxSoapbox
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Jer šta će vam govornica,
04:06
when all you've ever neededпотребно is your voiceглас?
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kada je sve što vam je oduvek
bilo potrebno - vaš glas?
04:10
Thank you.
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Hvala vam.
04:12
(ApplauseAplauz)
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(Aplauz)
Translated by Olivera Spasojevic
Reviewed by Milos Milosavljevic

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ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Clint Smith - Poet, educator
Clint 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.

More profile about the speaker
Clint Smith | Speaker | TED.com

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