Bravery and Tragedy

In their epic struggle for freedom thousands of South Africans lost their lives in the anti-apartheid movement. Ordinary people stood shoulder-to-shoulder against tyranny and bigotry, and it cost them dearly. The hopes of a nation fueled their zest to shuck the yoke of oppression, and gain their freedom. They suffered extraordinary hardships and cruelty, designed to break black spirits. But they would not cow down to white supremacy, demanding their inalienable rights as human beings. They were the poorest of the poor, and yet, they were the bravest of the brave, adopting a policy of nonviolence through civil disobedience. Often jailed and severely beaten, they bled and died for their cause... but they did not capitulate. Nelson Mandela was a whisper in the wind and yet a hero to his people, never faltering in his convictions. Being black meant starvation, humiliation, and segregation at the hands of a white government. But united in their voices, they shouted, "Enough!"... We will no longer obey the laws that take away our liberty.... never again! Freedom was paid for with the blood of the brave, whose only currency was their precious lives.