25.05.2026
S: In ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’, courage is defined as the fight against racism. They say that courage is knowing that you are licked before you even begin to fight racism and still fight nonetheless.
A: You believe that you have this courage?
S: I fight racism with my words. I fight racism with my deeds. With my heart. With my love and my friendship. I have never denied anyone anything because of the colour of their skin or their religion or culture. I have never denied anyone love because of what is wrong.
A: What is your idea of courage? It is something that you write about a lot, this concept of courage and bravery.
S: Do you know what the courage of a Punjabi is? The guru said:
‘Chirion se main baaz turaun,
Tabe Gobind Singh naam kahaun’
It is when I make sparrows fight hawks that I am called Gobind Singh.
‘Gidderon se main sher banaun,
Tabe Gobind Singh naam kahaun’
It is when make I lions out of wolves that I am called Gobind Singh
‘Nichon se main ucch banaun,
Tabe Gobind Singh naam kahaun’
It is when I make the lowly rise that I am called Gobind Singh
‘Sawa lakh se ek laraun,
Tabe Gobind Singh naam kahaun’
It is when I make one fight a hundred thousand that I am called Gobind Singh
Courage is when you have no power and you still fight. Courage is when you are the one and you fight the hundred thousand. When you stand against all as The Tiger. It is a concept shared by both Atticus Finch in ‘To Kill a Mockingbird’ and the Guru. Attitus is one of the powerful. He says it despite the fact that he has power in a white supremacist society as a white man. The Guru? He said it when he was one of the lowly. What the Guru said is the truth, it is the sincere conviction of the true warrior.
A: You believe that you are the lowly?
S: I am an Untouchable. I am The Oppressed, the Dalit. I am the working class. I am an ethnic minority man. We are they who they want to keep low. And yet, I fight. With everything. To the last breath. With my love. With my freedom. With my voice. With my body. I am the one that the Guru called to fight. Because they want us to be lowly but we will rise. It is us that are truly powerful. With all of their might, we are the ones that strike fear into their hearts. Because it is us that are the warriors. And them? They are the cowards. They are the hundred thousand that fight the one. Me. And it is them that lose.
diary of a lone man 