Courage: Risk and Martin Luther King

Courage is a necessity to overcome fears and achieve a desired goal. Fear is something that exists in all of us. There is no hero or any particular courageous figure that is without fear. Being fearless is not required to be courageous, one simply has to look past or overcome their fears to possess this great quality. When overcoming fears and going against the norm, there are always risks involved. There are different types of risks that come about. Someone could risk life or limb, while others risk their reputation. Either risk is serious enough that a person must have courage to endure that particular risk. Courage can occur anytime, anywhere, and often in our everyday lives. Everyone will experience courage no matter how young, old, wise, or foolish. The effects of courage may not always be positive, but they are definitely remembered. Overcoming fears when the odds are against you is a requirement for courage. If you feel afraid to do something but you still do it, you are courageous. Gandhi spoke courageously by standing up in the face of violence. He said, "Nonviolence is the greatest force at the disposal of mankind." (286); this is a statement that many would find naïve, but Gandhi went against the norm, and that is something that is courageous in itself. Courage is doing what you believe in despite the odds that may be against you, and this is exactly what Gandhi did. Overcoming your fears and standing up for what you believe in is an important aspect of courage. In the story "My People Will Never Believe Me Again," Sarah Winnemucca Hopkins describes a young Indian woman who works for the United States military as a translator. Throughout the story, Sarah takes orders from the military men despite whether or not she thinks their orders are fair. At the very end, though, she stands up for her people and refuses to obey the officers. "The agent told me to be sure and keep my people away, as they were very poorly dressed. I did...