 But they can break us, says a voice from the far end of the table, Catherine Vale. I'm sorry, says Jasmine, confused. You said they can't break us. I know it's a metaphor, and I'm not an activist like you, but I never understand when people say things like, they can't break us. Of course they can. They can break our backs with their batons and our skin with their bullets. We are breakable. We break.