Harriet Tubman always kept that thang on her, a pistol. It protected her and the enslaved people she led from slave catchers. You may not expect that she also used it for something else.
She wasn't afraid to pull her pistol out on those who got cold feet while escaping and wanted to turn back. “You’ll be free or die,” she was known to say. Tubman wasn't about to let anyone spoil the mission, jeopardizing themselves and the entire group's freedom. There's a deeper message here that has nothing to do with violence.
We’re supposed to hold each other accountable. Often, when the topic of liberation from oppressive forces arises, folks love to point the finger within our community at the need to "stop fighting each other first" or at things about "Black on Black crime," but neither is a prelude to liberation.
Harriett didn't intend to harm her people. Like we must, she knew that holding each other accountable is necessary for liberation. Her vision of freedom was so tremendous that she didn't allow anyone around her to give up on themselves or each other.
Remember this: we have the power to do great, unimaginable things when we are unified on one mission and committed to the roles we each play in our collective liberation.