Toni Morrison

And in that instant, for that segment, because I had planned several books around that theme, it was the effort of a woman to love her children, to raise her children, to be responsible for her children.

And the fact that it was during slavery made all of those things impossible for her.

And there was this interesting historical incident, you know, the Margaret Garner story, in which that actually happened.

There was a great deal of impact.

She killed her child.

in order to prevent her from living a life she believed would be intolerable.

But that's her claim, you know, kind of a control that she was trying to exercise in order to be simply a mother and that the best thing she was was this lovely child or these children.

And of course, that set her on a very complicated, self-destructive journey.

But the question was still there.

And the answer, or at least the other question that's delivered is,

is when somebody asks her or tells her, no, no, you are your best thing.

You are.

Yes, I do, Charlie, but let me tell you, that's the wrong question.

How do you feel?

Not you, Charlie Rose, but don't you understand that the people who do this thing, who practice racism, are bereft.

There is something distorted about the psyche.

It's a huge waste and it's a corruption and a distortion.

It's like it's a profound neurosis that nobody examines for what it is.

It feels crazy.

It is crazy.