Some people tried to hurt us to protect themselves, their family and communities...This was one of the consequences of civil war. People stopped trusting each other, and every stranger became an enemy. Even people who knew you became extremely careful about how they related or spoke to you.
Interpretation
In conflict, trust erodes and relationships fracture as people prioritize their own safety over connection.
Ishmael Beah's quote reflects the devastating effects of civil war on human relationships and trust. In times of conflict, individuals may resort to harmful actions to protect themselves and their loved ones, leading to a breakdown of community bonds and an atmosphere of distrust. The idea that every stranger is viewed as a potential enemy illustrates how fear can dismantle the very fabric of social connections, transforming known relationships into cautious interactions filled with suspicion.
In practice
This quote can be referenced in discussions about the psychological impact of war on communities.
How many more times do we have to come to terms with death before we find safety?" he asked. He waited a few minutes, but the three of us didn't say anything. He continued: "Every time people come at us with the intention of killing us, I close my eyes and wait for death. Even though I am still alive, I feel like each time I accept death, part of me dies. Very soon I will completely die and all that will be left is my empty body walking with you. It will be quieter than I am.
...children have the resilience to outlive their sufferings, if given a chance.
When I was young, my father used to say, ‘If you are alive, there is hope for a better day and something good to happen. If there is nothing good left in the destiny of a person, he or she will die.’ I thought about these words during my journey, and they kept me moving even when I didn’t know where I was going. Those words became the vehicle that drove my spirit forward and made it stay alive.
This is one of the consequences of the civil war. People stop trusting each other, and every stranger becomes an enemy.
Though liberty is established by law, we must be vigilant, for liberty to enslave us is always present under that very liberty. Our Constitution speaks of the "general welfare of the people." Under that phrase all sorts of excesses can be employed by lusting tyrants to make us bondsmen.
Every day a new picture is painted and framed, held up for half an hour, in such lights as the Great Artist chooses, and then withdrawn, and the curtain falls. And then the sun goes down, and long the afterglow gives light.
A democratic government is the only one in which those who vote for a tax can escape the obligation to pay it.
I'm very proud to be black, but black is not all I am. That's my cultural historical background, my genetic make-up, but it's not all of who I am nor is it the basis from which I answer every question.
I believe that at this point in history, the greatest danger to our freedom and way of life comes from the reasonable fear of omniscient State powers kept in check by nothing more than policy documents.
That which is impenetrable to us really exists. Behind the secrets of nature remains something subtle, intangible, and inexplicable. Veneration for this force beyond anything that we can comprehend is my religion.
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