Silkwood Quotes
The story of Karen Silkwood, a metallurgy worker at a plutonium processing plant who was purposefully contaminated, psychologically tortured and possibly murdered to prevent her from exposing blatant worker safety violations at the plant.
Karen Silkwood: I remember in high school her saying, 'Now what'd you want to take that science class for? There's no girls in that science class. You take home ec, why don't you? That's the way to meet the nice boys.' 'Mom,' I said, There ain't no boys in home ec. The boys are in the science class.' She hated when I said, 'Ain't.'
Winston: These pills don't look like enemas to me.
Karen Silkwood: Winston, do you know what these are? These are little tiny time capsules, like the ones you see on TV. They clear up your nasal passages for up to twelve... hours straight...
[Karen sneezes into her hand loudly, then wipes it on Winston's lab coat]
Karen Silkwood: Excuse me.
Winston: God bless you.
Karen Silkwood: Winston, do you know what these are? These are little tiny time capsules, like the ones you see on TV. They clear up your nasal passages for up to twelve... hours straight...
[Karen sneezes into her hand loudly, then wipes it on Winston's lab coat]
Karen Silkwood: Excuse me.
Winston: God bless you.
[Drew sees Winston standing outside, gawking at Karen and Dolly's quarantined home]
Drew Stephens: What are you doing here?
Winston: Just looking around... same as you.
[Winston bounces his empty beer can off the front porch and leaves it in the grass. Drew walks past him and Winston smiles, but suddenly Drew turns around and punches him in the side of the head]
Drew Stephens: What are you doing here?
Winston: Just looking around... same as you.
[Winston bounces his empty beer can off the front porch and leaves it in the grass. Drew walks past him and Winston smiles, but suddenly Drew turns around and punches him in the side of the head]
Mace Hurley: We're getting a room for Dolly... we can help you, we want to help you! We can help you with a place to stay, we can help you with money!
Karen Silkwood: [tearfully] ... but first I have to sign somethin' right? Sayin' I did all this?
Mace Hurley: Just in your own words what happened.
[holds out a notebook and pen]
Karen Silkwood: Okay... uh, in my own words... I'm contaminated... I'm DYIN'.
[Karen drives away through the crowd of rubberneckers in a rage, and Hurley glares at her car worriedly]
Karen Silkwood: [tearfully] ... but first I have to sign somethin' right? Sayin' I did all this?
Mace Hurley: Just in your own words what happened.
[holds out a notebook and pen]
Karen Silkwood: Okay... uh, in my own words... I'm contaminated... I'm DYIN'.
[Karen drives away through the crowd of rubberneckers in a rage, and Hurley glares at her car worriedly]
Winston: It doesn't matter whether you work in plutonium or dog food because they ain't gonna give you a thing, there's nowhere left to go! You close this plant down and then what? You're gonna be up in Washington, but we're gonna be down here outta work! Your cancer's a maybe, that's all it is, a maybe...
[Karen is digging through a filing cabinet, trying to find the film negatives and records from the plant. When she turns around she sees Morgan next to her and nearly screams]
Karen Silkwood: [gasps] Morgan!... jesus you scared me!
Morgan: Had to.
Karen Silkwood: ...I'm doin' somethin' good.
Morgan: I know what you're doing, and you're the wrong person to be doing it. It's dangerous... that's all I'm going to say.
Karen Silkwood: [gasps] Morgan!... jesus you scared me!
Morgan: Had to.
Karen Silkwood: ...I'm doin' somethin' good.
Morgan: I know what you're doing, and you're the wrong person to be doing it. It's dangerous... that's all I'm going to say.
