The Three Sages and "I Cannot Forgive Violence"

I cannot forget the sound of that fist landing.
The desk shook, the pencil case rolled, and the classroom fell silent.

I wanted to say, "Stop it," but no voice came out.
The teacher also pretended not to see.
No one helped.

From that day on, a question was born in my heart.

Why does violence never disappear?
Why can't it be stopped?

On my way home with a face on the verge of tears,
I encountered a strange sight.

Three men appeared in a vacant lot.
They looked just like characters from a movie.

• The first was a dignified man in a military uniform.
  　⇒ Kemal Atatürk, the "Father of the Republic" of Turkey.

• The second was a British gentleman puffing on a cigar.
  　⇒ Winston Churchill, a man of war and oratory.

• The third was a German aristocrat quietly looking into the distance.
  　⇒ Otto von Bismarck, the Iron Chancellor.

They sensed my distress without me having to say a word.

Atatürk speaks.

"Bullying is a lawless zone in the blind spot of the system.
If a teacher remains silent, that is a silence that permits violence."

Churchill laughed as if cutting through the words.

"The cowardly bystander is the greatest sinner of all.
The landscape changes just by having one person shout, 'Stop it.'"

Bismarck stated coldly.

"Ideals alone are not enough. Violence requires deterrence.
If those who are feared run rampant,
you must design a 'structure of power' to suppress it."

I shouted with a trembling voice.

"But... I'm scared.
I'm scared of the guy who hits,
and I'm scared to speak up when no one is watching!"

Then, Bismarck said.

"A lonely hero will always be defeated.
Then form an 'alliance.' Do not be isolated."

Churchill laughed.

If there is one voice,
others will follow.
That line will eventually overcome violence.

Atatürk said straightforwardly.

Children are also citizens of the future.
The classroom is the origin of the republic.
That is precisely why a voice that breaks the silence is necessary.

The next day,
I looked for allies.

You saw what happened yesterday, didn't you?
Yeah... I saw it. Honestly, I wanted to stop it.

After school,
my two friends and I stood before the teacher.

Please face what happened yesterday properly.
We will not be silent anymore either.

I felt as if a breeze had passed through the classroom.
It was the wind of the republic.

Not forgiving violence is not about a sense of justice.
It is the choice to "not be silent."

And that choice
begins with the awakening of Atatürk (Ideal),
Churchill (Courage),
Bismarck (Structure) within you.