The Tiananmen Tank Man

How does a discussion on the right to bear arms lead one to the events of Tiananmen Square in 1989?

It starts with an understanding the fear held by the 18th-century Framers of professional, standing armies. For them it was no abstract fear. Their experiences with the British military (and Hessian mercenaries) were proof enough of the danger of a military unaccountable to the local population.

The iconic photo of the Tiananmen Tank Man seems a perfect illustration of the threat to individual liberty. Ultimately, it wasn't the tanks that crushed the man, but the authoritarian state. He was whisked away and never heard from again. Many presume he was executed for his act of defiance.

There is another story associated with the Tiananmen Tank Man, and that is the story of the Newsweek photographer, who risked his life to take the photo and had to go to extraordinary measures to get it published.

Most disturbing, is that even with Cole's as a result of government censorship, Chinese college students know nothing of what took place in 1989.



Perhaps its important to remind ourselves that--as much as we like to bash the media--the press has always been, in the word's of George Mason, "one of the great bulwarks of liberty." In the 18th century, a musket hanging over the hearth may haven been enough protection against a despotic government. But today, it may be that the 1st Amendment is probably the most powerful weapon a citizen holds.

Hitler High School

Today in Civil Rights and Liberties class, we began examining the issue of hate speech and the case of RAV v. St. Paul (1992). Since this case begins with teenagers placing a crudely fashioned burning cross on the lawn of an African-American families lawn, we spend a little time exploring the history of that particular image. That led us into a discussion of the history of the KKK and its founder, Nathan Bedford Forrest. The former Confederate general is infamous in most circles for his involvement in the Fort Pillow Massacre and establishment of the KKK, but is still revered in some (mostly southern) communities.

In 2008, a controversy erupted in Jacksonville, Florida, when the Duvall County School Board was petitioned by local residents to change the name of Nathan B. Forrest High School. The school was built in 1955, and its name adopted at the behest of the Daughters of the Confederacy. Given the timing, it was clearly adopted as a statement of defiance to federal mandates to integrate public schools. Keep in mind, this was around the same time when states such as Georgia and South Carolina began flying the Confederate Flag over their state capitols.

This short documentary details the fight over the name change, and the (perhaps not surprising) decision of the school board. But it also reveals that today's students have a very different perspective on race and history than the adults in their community.


In case you thought this issue was over, check out this story on Mississippi's "Nathan Bedford Forrest" license plates.