On June 5th, 1989 there were significant events occurring in communist China. The young people were rebelling against governmental powers. The young people of China were tired of being ruled by a dictatorship; they wanted basic human rights and freedom. There was a violent crackdown by the government on many young people who were non-violently demonstrating. Many of the young people of China stood up during this time for precious values, desires and principles of goodness and freedom. Much of the stand took place in Tiananmen Square in Beijing. Today these events are called the Tiananmen protests. 

A photograph from that day in China has been circulated for the last thirty years. This photograph captures the courageous stand of one young man and is called “Tank Man,” taken by Frank Widener. Time Magazine called the photograph one of the most influential images of all time. The photo depicts a young Chinese man standing in front of four Chinese tanks. The imagery is powerful. The tanks were sent in by the Chinese government to squelch the protests. In the video of the event, the tanks try to circumvent the young man, but he keeps stepping in front of the tanks as they change direction. Eventually, the tanks stopped their intended progress and shut off their engines for a time. It was a powerful stand for democracy by a young man willing to stand and risk his life.

During those few days of protest in 1989, thousands of young men and women stood up to an oppressive government. They stood with power for principles, ideals, values, beliefs and freedoms. For many of them, the price of standing was death by the hand of their government. It is not known what consequences the young man called “Tank Man” received for his stand, but this much I know, he was willing to risk his physical life for principles and values that he believed in.