break the spirit

“They’ll know if a team is trying to break the spirit of the rule,” Sword said.

“In fact, most people facing federal criminal charges, should have the opportunity to fight their charges from outside. Detention serves to break the spirit and strength of clients and that is not the purpose of the bail act.”

“I just hope this doesn’t break the spirit of other young Black people who want to do positive things in their communities. Some of us have to stay here and fight.”

Yankee Stadium public address announcer Paul Olden began a brief pregame ceremony by calling the attacks “an unsuccessful attempt to break the spirit of our great nation.”

The objective, say those who deal with such cases, is to humiliate and degrade, to break the spirit of defenders, to shatter families and communities, to instill a sense of hopelessness and despair.