WE shall prevail, Richard—though likely not in my lifetime nor even in that of our children. Why am I so confident of this? Because as Gandhi realized, truth is indestructible, even in a time of universal deceit. If we adhere to that realization, even at the risk of our own lives, we shall overcome. That was the timeless realization of Gandhi, King, Mandela, Vaclav Havel, Wangari Matthai, Vandana Shiva, and thousands of other heroes and martyrs.

So we all need to embrace nonviolent noncooperation with evil, even at the risk of our own lives and liberty; speaking truth to power, despite the risks, and cultivate resilience, autonomy, and awareness among our friends and neighbors. And do it all mindfully, strategically, and relentlessly, right up to our last breath…Never give up! As Bob Marley said, “The truth is an offense, but not a sin.”