Regardless of what hypothetical "side" you take on controversial issues that are currently plaguing the United States of America, there is one thing that is of paramount importance to remember: We, as responsible citizens of this country, cannot stay silent. We must have discussions on these topics, no matter how "uncomfortable" that may be. Silence is deadly.
Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. said it best in 1965 when he declared, "Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter." The day that you stop expressing your opinion about the things that are important to you -- whether that be your personal opinion on gun control, immigration, healthcare, environment, minority rights, or otherwise -- is the day that you allow the true beauty of the First Amendment of the Bill of Rights to be neglected. In America, we are blessed to have the opportunity to say whatever it is we desire without fear of persecution...a right that far too many individuals globally do not have. This right is one of the many reasons that I am personally so proud to call myself an American.
At the same time Bill Nye stated in his 2014 Commencement Speech to graduating seniors at the University of Massachusetts Lowell, "Everyone you will ever meet knows something that you don't... Respect their knowledge and learn from them. It will bring out the best in all of you."
Discussion about these pressing topics should be valued and welcomed, even if these are difficult conversations to have. I've noticed that the most significant conversations that people have typically are the most difficult, because they are about things that matter greatly.
Let's embrace the amendment that James Madison thankfully included in our Bill of Rights, America, and start to have intellectual conversations about the topics that matter.
Let's be respectful of other peoples' opinions as we share our own, and always remember that the people around you have a perspective that you know nothing about, and you have a perspective they know nothing about. Let's use our words to have these sometimes cumbersome but essential discussions to pave the way to a more peaceful tomorrow for all Americans. You have a voice.
You have the ability to get a conversation started about these important issues, and it would be an awful shame to take the power of your voice for granted.
