By: Anahat Bawa
From a young age, my father has always told me to talk to
people who think differently than I do and who have different opinions and perspectives. Like most kids around me, I made friends with people who I felt most comfortable around and who I fit in with. However, as I grow older and pay attention to the social issues which exist around me, I realize that unity seems to be tearing our society apart. I truly believe the main issue that causes the distance between groups of people (whether it be political, by race, or by any other factor), is the inability to have difficult conversation and the inability to maintain respect. Sometimes it is hard for me to engage in debate with people who I believe to be ignorant or dismissive, but, in order to make true change, we must have the courage to educate others and express our opinions. Recently, in my English class, we read On Liberty, a piece of literature published in 1859 by John Stuart Mill. Mill speaks on the importance of conversation, in order to create a more morally correct society. I challenge whoever is reading to talk to someone they normally wouldn’t talk to. Our most powerful weapon is our voice. We can use it to express love, anger, sorrow, and more importantly, we can use it to bring change
Comments