Two-Fifty Tuesday: The Power of Language

There is No “Should”

The 1997 movie Amistad is based on a real-life story of an 1839 rebellion aboard a slave ship. The Africans, illegally abducted into slavery (not that any abductions should have been “legal”) were put on trial. Their lawyer, Roger Baldwin enlisted the help of a Mende translator, James Covey. After the Africans won their case, Baldwin learns the government plans to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. He asks Covey to translate as he explains the crushing turn of events to the Africans’ leader, Cinque. Confused, Cinque demands an explanation.  

Cinque: You said there would be a judgment and we would go free.

Baldwin: No, no, what I said was that if we won it at the state level…

Cinque: That’s what you said!

Baldwin: All right, yes! I said it! I said it but I shouldn’t have! What I should have said…”

Covey (the translator): I can’t translate that.

Baldwin: Can’t translate what?

Covey: I can’t translate “should”.

Baldwin: There’s no Mende word for “should”?

Covey: Either you do something or you don’t do it.

I love that line. Either you do something or you don’t do it. 

Get rid of the shoulds. Or shouldn’ts. 

Write or don’t write. 

Whatever you decide, it’s up to you. It’s right for you.

And do you know what that means?

NO GUILT. 

The advice is incredibly freeing.