I have another quote hadn't been intruduced yesterday.
 
Let's go back to see a famous speech, 2 years after the speech, the Berlin Wall fell, and 2 more years later the Soviet Union, the powerful empire, collapsed.

Speaking at the Berlin Wall on June 12, 1987, Reagan challenged Gorbachev to go further, saying:
 
"Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!"
 
We all have known the stories about Berlin Wall, and we can understand the meaning of these words. But I want to extend it.
 
We can always find that someone or ourselves have built a wall against others, or we are stopped by other's wall when you want to get close to them. Why we put these walls up? Because we are afraid of something that we believe it will hurt us, or hurt us again. We are afraid because we have been hurt before, we got an emotional package for something happened had hurt us badly, but the reality in the real world is that hurt is unavoidable, we must get hurt sometimes, so we build one wall after another in order to "protect" us.
 
It seems that we build these walls naturally, but is it rational? Is the wall a good way to protect us?
 
My answer is "No, definitely no."
 
Firstly, a wall can not only stop bad things but also good things from you. For this civilization of human can stand for tens of thousands years, I believe that the good thing must outmumber the bad ones. So when you put up a wall you are hurting yourself first, it's not a rational choice.
 
Secondly, throughout the history we can find that no wall can keep people safe, only a strong army can keep us safe. Our strong army is our mind, our evolving intellegence, we use it to distinguish danger from the environment, avoid it or defeat it.
 
Thirdly, the only effect of the walls built by each individual is to decrease the society's efficiency as a whole.
 
Lastly, every thing has many aspects, good sides and bad sides. We can't stop eating because sometimes we get choked, we can't abandon cars because so many people was killed in traffic accidents, and we should not give up love because we have been hurt in love, for the lives mean nothing if we stop loving and being loved.
 
So, in my opinion, "Mr. Gorbachev" can mean anything or any people you will deal with. "this wall" can mean any kind of wall you or others have put it up to prevent something from happening.
 
Every moment we can say this quote to ourselvess: "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" To encourage us to go further in our lives, to get the whole meaning of our lives and to gain more happiness.

 This can’t happen in China

This is the book I have read

During the reading I had noticed one point that Lee came from a glorious family.

His father, Light Horse Harry Lee, was a Revolutionary War general that fought with Washington, he earned the title “Light Horse” in the war when he was a cavalry commander. He had been the representative of Virginia in the Continental Congress and United States House of Representatives, and he had been the governor of Virginia for three times, President Madison and Marquis Lafayette had visited Lee’s home, and he was buried in general Green’s family cemetery. It’s him who wrote at general Washington’s death: “First in war, first in peace and first in the hearts of his countrymen.”

But after he retired from political position Light Horse Harry Lee had been put into prison for two times because he can’t pay his debts! As far as I knew, this can’t happen in China anyway. Because he was a revolutionary hero, one of the founders of the state, and once a high-rank official in the government, he should have a all-life political power and tremendous economic resources, he can’t be troubled by debts, no one will dare to put him into prison except the emperors or the Chairmen wanted to for they might thought that he would threaten them. And even his children should be high-rank officials or wealthy people naturally.

Besides, Lee’s mother was also from a very wealthy family in Virginia and she would inherite a big fortune certainly.

Lee’s father in law, George Washington Parke Custis, is the grandson of Mrs. George Washington, wife of President George Washington. He left Mount Vernon in 1802 when his grandmother died. He had then built Arlington on the hills overlooking Alexandria and Washington.

It’s a legend.

Some sentences from the book:

Marse Light Horse harry Lee is a mighty fine gentleman! He was a Revolutionary War general that fought with Washington. Three times Marse Lee been governor of Virginy.

Mr. Lee also taught Robert the values of moral courage and personal integrity. These were about all the creditors had not taken from Henry Lee.

In 1809, when Robert was two years old, the creditors won. Gray-haired Henry Lee was thrown into Westmoreland County Jail because he could not meet his creditors’ demands.

While Henry Lee was in jail, his family waited uncertainly at Stratford Hall. Time was running out there for Mrs. Lee, her three sons and daughter. Her stepson had come of age. Henry could now claim the mansion willed him by his late mother.

Young Henry soon told his stepmother and her family they could stay as guests in the great home which he now owned.

But Mr. Lee refused the offer in the spring of 1810 when he was released from prison.

One of the first things the family did was to attend the Episcopalian Christ Church. “That’s where General Washington worshipped,” Light Horse Harry Lee said quietly. “That’s where our family will worship too.”

In the time of 1812 War, Light Horse Harry Lee was injured.

Little Robert E. Lee didn’t know these details, but he knew something terrible had happened when important men began arriving at his home. Among them was President James Madison.

“Let your father’s honor and matchless gallantry set an example that you will never forget.”

Soon there was more excitement. The British burned the nation’s capitol across the river. Robert could see the smoke from Alexandria.

Mrs. Lee told Robert that his father was a war hero who served under George Washington. “It was your father who wrote at General Washington’s death: ‘First in war, first in peace and first in the hearts of his countrymen,’” Robert’s mother explained. “Your father won important battles for Washington during the Revolution.”

Robert was very close to his many wealthy cousins, both on the Lee and the Carter side. Although Robert’s branch had suffered great financial losses, the dignity and honor of the Southern family was stronger than the loss of money.

Now Robert read the new letter which had come. “‘He was on his way to Savannah where he hoped to find a stage…’” a friend had written, “‘when an illness befell him, he asked to be placed ashore on Cumberland Island.’”

Robert stopped reading and glanced at his mother. She was dry-eyed, steeling herself for the words which would cut deep into her. “That’s an island off Georgia, near the Florida border.”

“‘Your husband had served with General Nathanael Green in the Revolution. This island is his home, or was, until he died, in 1786.’”

“General Green’s daughter and her husband made Father welcome while he was a guest in their home, but he seldom did anything but walk in the garden with their small son. Two surgeons were sent by the army and navy, but it was too late by the time they learned Father was on the island.”

“Father was buried with full military honors in the Green’s family cemetery.”

On October 14, 1824, the Lee family was to be honored with a visit from a famous Frenchman. Lafayette, who had fought alongside Light Horse Harry Lee in the Revolution, was coming.

(George Washington Parke Custis, Lee’s father in law, is the grandson of Mrs. George Washington, wife of President George Washington.) He left Mount Vernon in 1802 when his grandmother died. He had then built Arlington on the hills overlooking Alexandria and Washington.