This moment was photographed and video taped allowing it to live on forever in infamy. A column of army tanks was stopped single-handedly by a lone man in a white shirt who stood his ground in the middle of the road blocking them from proceeding. As the driver of the lead tank tried to go around him, the "Tank Man" (which he has become known as) continued to keep himself in front of it blocking its way. After repeatedly attempting to go around rather than crush the man, the lead tank stopped its engines, and the armored vehicles behind it seemed to follow suit. Here is video of that moment...

At the obvious risk of death, this man made the ultimate demonstration of nonviolent action. Time Magazine dubbed him "The Unknown Rebel" and, in April 1988, later named him one of the 100 most influential people of the 20^th century. This quote from the following video summarized this moment appropriately:
"Images of that extraordinary confrontation became icons of freedom. They have been re-produced on t-shirts and posters ever since. President (George H.W.) Bush commended his courage and leaders the world over hailed him. He became an inspiration to millions and changed lives forever."

The identity of "Tank Man" and what happened to him following this historic demonstration is still debated. Some claim he was executed by the Chinese government and some claim the man is still alive and hiding. One thing is certain, even though he has never been officially identified or seen again, "Tank Man" made an impressive statement at a critical time which has had a lasting impact. Here is one last video of a report from last year on the 20^th anniversary regarding the mystery of the man responsible for this iconic moment...

Though it occurred as the 80s were coming to an end, the "Tank Man" moment from 1989 is one of the great moments not just of the decade, but of all time.

That's all for this issue of Kickin' it Old School. Thanks as always for reading. If you are interested in reading any of my other 80s related issues, please click there for a summary of those. You can also always click on the Archives in the upper left hand column or use the Google Search Box at the top of the right hand column to find any other issues you may have missed. If you are a fan of Kickin' it, PLEASE CLICK ON THE FACEBOOK LOGO in the upper right hand column. This will take you to the Fan Page where I ask you to then click on the "Like" button. Even if you are not a Facebook member yet, please consider joining and registering as a fan at that page. You can also follow Old School on Twitter by clicking on the FOLLOW ME ON TWITTER LOGO also in the upper right hand column. This will take you the page and you can just click on the box that says "Follow". I am sending daily 80s tweets, so sign up to get those. Let other 80s fans know about it as well! Peace and much love.

Check this out: I commend this woman on getting some exercise on her bicycle, but I can't help but notice the unfortunate situation for the small child in the back seat. Can a parent really be that oblivious? I hope this was recognized and stopped before any harm came to the poor child...

Quote of the day: "Freedom has its life in the hearts, the actions, the spirit of men and so it must be daily earned and refreshed - else like a flower cut from its life-giving roots, it will wither and die." -Dwight D. Eisenhower
+ a bonus quote:
"History does not teach fatalism. There are moments when the will of a handful of free men breaks through determinism and opens up new roads." -Charles de Gaulle