Many pan-democrats draw inspiration from the likes of Nelson Mandela, Martin Luther King and Aung San Suu Kyi. That may be good for their self-image but it may not be a very good comparison. For one, they don't have to fear the midnight knock on the door that leads to permanent disappearance into the night. In fact, many of them are rather well-paid by the same government they so valiantly oppose and denounce.

They now have the power to completely paralyse the Leung Chun-ying administration and its key policies. Whether that's in the city's best interests is a different question. Rounding on Leung and Co takes as much courage and skill as shooting fish in a barrel. When the real dictatorship is still across the border, we are merely fighting against a weak dysfunctional government that is getting weaker and more discredited by the day. This is precisely why it's a moment for pan-democratic moderates to show courage and leadership. Do the hard stuff, not just the easy denunciations. It's what you go into politics for - to serve the community's long-term interests, not just follow opinion polls.

Perhaps the better historical personages to emulate are Egypt's Anwar Sadat and Ireland's Michael Collins. If a plebiscite were conducted before Sadat made his historical trip to Tel Aviv or before Collins went to London, it would be almost certain that most Arabs would not sue for peace with Israel and most Irish would not accept the partition of their country as the price for independence. By going against their people's wishes, they secured their future - but signed their own death warrant.