This quote means you cannot stay quiet when you see unfairness or people being disrespected. Traba believed it was a moral duty to speak up and act when injustice occurs, emphasizing that silence can be a form of complicity.
Quote by Marta Traba: “Silence is not an option when injustice screams, when human dignity is attacked.”
Silence is not an option when injustice screams, when human dignity is attacked.
Insight
Historical Context
Amidst widespread human rights abuses and state terrorism in South America during the 1970s, Traba consistently called for intellectual and artistic engagement. She believed silence implied complicity, urging active opposition against tyranny.
About the Author
Argentine art critic and novelist, one of the most influential art critics in twentieth-century Latin America, whose writing challenged both European artistic dominance and politically complicit art. She was expelled from Colombia for her criticism of US cultural imperialism and her support of student movements.
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