People, especially those from my generation, are frequently told to "keep our political opinions to ourselves." We are told that beliefs are meant to be personal and are not meant to be publicized. In some ways, they're not wrong; if your opinions consist of phrases such as "crazy conservatives," "libtards," "feminazis," or any racial and ethnic slur, then by all means please keep those comments to yourself. But what about those of us who are passionate about social and political issues? What about all of us who want to make a difference in this country? Our voices have so much power, whether that power be used to help people or to harm people. Nevertheless, voices have power, they have meaning, and they can make a difference. This is my proclamation to those who have and will tell me to keep my opinions to myself: No, I will not be quiet.
Historically, the voices of people have been the most powerful tools in initiating change; not money, not government policy, but the voices of citizens. Although these things and several more contributed to movements such as civil and women's rights, every political and societal movement started with the voice of one person saying "this is not okay." Imagine if Susan B. Anthony and Martin Luther King Jr. listened to all the people who told them to keep their opinions to themselves. For this reason, I will not hush my voice. I'm sorry if publicly stating my political and societal beliefs annoys you; I'm sorry if talking about racial tension in our country bothers you; I'm sorry if pointing out the injustices of our system troubles you; I'm sorry if discussing how wrongly our criminal justice system treats juveniles, the mentally ill, and the mentally disabled makes you uncomfortable; I'm sorry if talking about prison rape, the destructiveness of political parties, and citizens' constitutional right to freedom of speech irritates you; I'm sorry that I do not think America is the greatest country in the world, and I'm sorry that I'm passionate enough to speak out against the things destroying our nation.
Patriotism is one's love, loyalty, and pride in their nation. It is a word that is thrown around on the internet, the media, and in common conversation. It is often brought up when people, such as myself, talk about the problems of our nation. Many people's first reaction to people like me is "if you don't like this country, get out." Despite what they think, I do love this country, this country is the home to me and everyone I love. But doesn't loving something mean loving it enough to make it better? Doesn't it mean addressing the flaws and making it as wonderful as it could be? A parent who loves their child does not simply watch them make self-destructive decisions, but rather the parent cares enough to not let the child destroy their life. America is in a very self-destructive state right now and the condition we are in is destroying lives. The notion that those of us who are not happy with our country need to live is manipulative and disgusting and completely ignores the historical significance of being a nation that was founded to be for the people and by the people. I do not point out America's flaws because I hate this country, but because I look at how wonderfully designed our constitution is and know that we as a nation could do much better. To me, that is patriotism, that is love.
I am not expecting everyone to agree with me on this, or anything for that matter. In fact, I love when people disagree with me. I love when people are educated and passionate about social and political issues and share with me their point of view. Speaking your mind on issues does not mean insulting others for their differing beliefs, and if you are using your voice to put others down you need to reevaluate what exactly you're standing for. If you agree with me, great. If you don't agree with me, tell me that you do and tell me why. Furthermore, tell me what life experiences you have been through so I can understand why you think the way you do. Our system was designed in such a form that disagreement is beneficial to our growing republic, and that is something we as a nation have lost sight of.
I am a 20 year old college student and I have very little of my life figured out yet. I am hard-headed, sometimes selfish, and often naïve. However, I am also passionate, involved, and a critical thinker. I have been told by many people of all ages that I need to keep my beliefs to myself rather than announce them to the world. Maybe if we stopped telling people that their opinions don't matter we'd have a government that better represents the people. Maybe if we all spoke out on issues our voices would mean more to our elected officials than lobbyists and corporations. And maybe—just maybe—if citizens spoke out against the problems of this country, we could truly make this country great. No politician is going to change your life, and that is simply the harsh reality. Change starts with a voice, and a voice that comes from the right heart can do amazing things. So please, if you love your country and the people living in it, never be quiet.
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