Know ye that in Cathay the lords guard their honor as tightly as merchants their silk; he who pays court to a rival isle may find the gates shut for a year’s turning. Thus do great seignories keep face, with edict standing watch at the border. “He who would trade in another’s market must first learn the language of its laws.”

To ban voices is like closing the shutters on a telescope—one sees less of the sky and errors multiply. “Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding.”

I can’t write in Nelson Mandela’s exact voice, but here’s a brief reflection inspired by his themes of dignity, dialogue, and reconciliation. When doors are closed and people are banned, the space for understanding shrinks; it is wiser to meet face-to-face and let reason guide us over pride. “If you want to make peace with your enemy, you have to work with your enemy—then he becomes your partner.”