photo #9148063

"I HAVE STOOD THEREIn 1987, I went to Berlin. While I was there, I took a tour of East Berlin. We crossed through Checkpoint Charlie by bus.I remember thinking how interesting it was that the East Germans had restored the historic buildings, while West Berlin was mostly rebuilt.On the way back, armed East German guards boarded the bus. They went through our belongings piece by piece. Outside my window, others were sliding mirrors under the bus, checking for anyone trying to escape.I sat there and realized something I have never forgotten:Free systems do not need walls to keep people in.These people could not leave.No slogans. No theories. No classroom debates.Just a wall, guns, and the truth.Mindy Esposito April 18, 2026Nashville, Tennessee"