Twenty years ago today, the above happened. I was 11, and I'm certain that Tank Man in no small way shaped my worldview and led me into a career in criminal defense. Tank Man became the ideal for me. In my estimation, Tank Man is the only way to be a true man. John Wayne barely holds a candle to this guy: alone, unarmed, standing firm as the tanks of a repressive regime roll toward him.
I think about Tank Man often when I think about what it is that criminal defense lawyers do. While there's truly no grave danger associated with being a criminal defense lawyer, he or she is the only person standing between a citizen and the power of the state. The criminal defense lawyer, metaphorically, stands in front of the tank for his or her client. I encourage each of you to find your own tank, and refuse to back down.
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Tank Man Lives. New versions of this iconic image are all over the Web. Here, for example:
http://notionscapital.wordpress.com/2009/06/03/20th-anniversary-of-tiananmen-square/
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