Soup with meat

I've been reading Mandela's biography "Long Walk to Freedom" and it's been a continuing source of inspiration. In 1955 the Congress of the People was formed that included Black, Indian, Coloured and White groups. This was a very early attempt to fight back against the white government's oppression. (which was to get much worse as time went on) Their founding meeting was broken up by the authorities and in the chaos the police even took the signs directing delegates to the meals appropriate to their cultures. They said:

Soup with Meat
Soup without Meat

Almost two years later, in January 1957, these signs were entered as evidence in the trial of Mandela and the ANC leadership on charges of treason. They all were released this time but were caught up again later. The signs were supposed to be evidence of the attempt by the group to break up the country into dissident groups and thus overthrow the ruling powers.

To me, the confiscation of the signs are clear evidence of an insecure paranoid organization that was making sure that no one had any independent (hence dangerous) thoughts. Since an organization like this has no rational argument to justify it's defensive behavior it reacts by lashing out at anything different from itself. I think you can see this happening around the world all the time. Too bad we all can't do better.