Remaining Silent, By Martin Luther King Jr.
With every word spoken comes a sense of authority as it grasps the attention of the listeners. The freedom of expression opens up the possibility to influence society as it gives the opportunity for anyone to speak and to be recognized for its importance. However, there comes a certain point where silence holds the same strength as words, but in a way where it causes more harm than good. Remaining silent does not solve any problems, but rather lets it continue; it can not contribute of seeking the meaning of right and wrong. Martin Luther King Jr. was an outspoken man who advocated for equality in racism and and civil rights through nonviolence. With a passionate stance, King declares, “In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies,
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For example, at one point in a student’s life, they might confront being bullied, emotionally or physically. Often times, there are bystanders, most of them who merely witness the incident, which does not resolve the situation, but allow for tensions to escalate, causing more harm to the victim and validating the bully’s actions. As a bystander, one may contemplate about trying to stop the bullying, but realize that their silence creates an impact on the victim, who might have a more difficult time trusting people than avoiding another incident. For example, while still in middle school, I met a classmate who had a difficult time understanding concepts and lessons taught in every class, because she recently came to the United States. She understood English, but had a difficult time speaking it, which some classmates ridiculed her for, and telling her “to go back home.” At first, I did not intervene and focused on myself, but when I attempted to speak to her, she distanced herself from me, not wanting to associate herself with me. In the end, she made a few friends,still refusing to talk to me and every now and then, I think about what I should have changed in that situation. In other words, everyone has the right to express their thoughts. In fact, having an opinion should not create fear or doubt, but rather inspire changes in society. Holding back and creating silence prevents progress from being achieved and in some cases, results in conflicts to develop on its own. In other words, while speaking up creates lasting impacts, silence leads to
For example, at one point in a student’s life, they might confront being bullied, emotionally or physically. Often times, there are bystanders, most of them who merely witness the incident, which does not resolve the situation, but allow for tensions to escalate, causing more harm to the victim and validating the bully’s actions. As a bystander, one may contemplate about trying to stop the bullying, but realize that their silence creates an impact on the victim, who might have a more difficult time trusting people than avoiding another incident. For example, while still in middle school, I met a classmate who had a difficult time understanding concepts and lessons taught in every class, because she recently came to the United States. She understood English, but had a difficult time speaking it, which some classmates ridiculed her for, and telling her “to go back home.” At first, I did not intervene and focused on myself, but when I attempted to speak to her, she distanced herself from me, not wanting to associate herself with me. In the end, she made a few friends,still refusing to talk to me and every now and then, I think about what I should have changed in that situation. In other words, everyone has the right to express their thoughts. In fact, having an opinion should not create fear or doubt, but rather inspire changes in society. Holding back and creating silence prevents progress from being achieved and in some cases, results in conflicts to develop on its own. In other words, while speaking up creates lasting impacts, silence leads to