This is a Toastmasters Speech I did on "the road to understanding", and thinking about the “other side” of Gandhi, MLK and Tankman. Who are the real heroes? Life and people are more complex than we are usually taught. And we owe it to everyone (and ourselves) not to just be shallow cheerleaders of caricatures and idols:
| MLK
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Thoughts on MLK and his contributions to America and the world... both good and bad.
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| Tankman
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Tank man is the story of a protestor that stood in place the day after the Chinese government's violent crackdown on the Tiananmen protests (June 5, 1989). He stood directly in the path of a column of approaching Type 59 tanks. After repeatedly attempting to go around rather than crush the man, the lead tank stopped its engines, and the armored vehicles behind it seemed to follow suit. There was a short pause with the man and the tanks having reached a quiet, still impasse. And for many in the west, that's where the story ends: a noble protestor stopped the violent oppression of the government. Unfortunately, that's not the whole story. It was a noble, feeble and unsuccessful attempt at non-violent protest. A few minutes later, two figures ushered the guy away, never to be seen from again, the tanks continued on their way, and violent suppression of the protests continued unhindered.
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| MLK
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Thoughts on MLK and his contributions to America and the world... both good and bad.
more...
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| Tankman
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|
Tank man is the story of a protestor that stood in place the day after the Chinese government's violent crackdown on the Tiananmen protests (June 5, 1989). He stood directly in the path of a column of approaching Type 59 tanks. After repeatedly attempting to go around rather than crush the man, the lead tank stopped its engines, and the armored vehicles behind it seemed to follow suit. There was a short pause with the man and the tanks having reached a quiet, still impasse. And for many in the west, that's where the story ends: a noble protestor stopped the violent oppression of the government. Unfortunately, that's not the whole story. It was a noble, feeble and unsuccessful attempt at non-violent protest. A few minutes later, two figures ushered the guy away, never to be seen from again, the tanks continued on their way, and violent suppression of the protests continued unhindered.
more...
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