In South Africa, I feel I am a stranger, at best an animal.
Oliver TamboRead
There is no way a spirit of resistance that has sunk so deep in the population can be repressed.
Interpretation
The quote emphasizes that deep-seated resistance among people cannot be easily suppressed.
Oliver Tambo's quote reflects the idea that when a spirit of resistance is firmly rooted within the populace, it cannot be extinguished or ignored. It suggests that societal change is driven by the collective will and determination of individuals who oppose oppression, and regardless of external attempts to suppress such sentiments, the spirit of resistance will ultimately prevail.
In practice
During a speech at a rally for social justice, one might use this quote to inspire the crowd to continue fighting for their rights.
In South Africa, I feel I am a stranger, at best an animal.
The more pressure you bring from without, the less internal pressure is necessary.
The sanctions will not kill us. It's apartheid that's killing us.
How do you deal with a criminal that will not listen to what you have to say and who continues his policy of violence? Some say you continue to talk and let him tire himself out. But nearly 40 years after the institution of apartheid, is there anyone who still believes that verbal persuasion will work?
The U.S. is the last country that should see itself as an ally of the apartheid system.
It was of limited usefulness to head great rallies. The government did not listen, and, soon enough, the tear gas and the muzzles of the guns were turned against the people. The justice of our cries went unrecognized.
The principal act of courage is to endure and withstand dangers doggedly rather than to attack them.
Do you want to understand how to swim, or do you want to jump in and start swimming? Only people who are afraid of the water want to understand it. Other people jump in and get wet.
"Face the brutes." That is a lesson for all life-face the terrible, face it boldly. Like the monkeys, the hardships of life fall back when we cease to flee before them.
The patriot's blood is the seed of Freedom's tree.
To gain a crown by fighting is great, to reject it divine.
In 1989, a lone and still-anonymous Chinese student stood unarmed in front of a Chinese tank and gave the world an enduring image of the determination of China's young to change their nation. He didn't text message the tank or share a video on YouTube.
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