Read this excerpt from I Never Had It Made.
He knew I would have terrible problems and wanted me to know the extent of them before I agreed to the plan. I was twenty-six years old, and all my life – back to the age of eight–I had believed in payback, retaliation. The most luxurious possession, the richest treasure anybody has, is his personal dignity. I looked at Mr. Rickey guardedly, and in that second I was looking at him not as a partner in a great experiment, but as the enemy –a white man. I had a question, and it was the age-old one about whether or not you sell your birthright.
"Mr. Rickey," I asked, "are you looking for a Negro who is afraid to fight back?"
I never will forget the way he exploded.
"Robinson," he said, "I'm looking for a ballplayer with guts enough not to fight back."
Which statement best summarizes this excerpt?
