"I became the messenger who had to be killed"

Anita Hill's quote talks to the power of speaking truth to power. In her case, she was the messenger who needed to be eliminated, metaphorically speaking. She was the one who needed to bear the brunt of the backlash for speaking out versus unwanted sexual advances in the workplace. Her nerve to speak out against an effective figure, despite the possible consequences, is an example of the strength of her convictions. She was willing to risk her credibility and career to stand up for what she believed was right. Her quote functions as a suggestion that speaking fact to power can be a difficult and hazardous task, but it is a necessary one. It is a reminder that we should all want to defend what we believe in, even if it implies facing opposition and criticism.