Objects in mirror are closer than they appear.

I was once afraid of speaking my mind for fear of being ’shot down’ or having my ideas rejected and shunned. I was never the best networker, and so by asserting a particular opinion, I knew that some of the fragile bridges I had built would be burned.

However, over the past couple of years, I have slowly figured out that being always passive and agreeable is a lose-lose, because I never was truly understood by others, and others would be puzzled when they found out one way or another that I actually did not agree with what was being done or said. I am loathe to give the military and ROTC so much credit, but I have definitely accentuated that quality through the experiences I’ve had in military leadership: Be assertive, be loud, and be confident.

When I wrote my article in the Daily Emerald about racism and discrimination, I was still afraid. But I submitted it regardless of that fear, which is something that I would not have done a year ago. I was surprised when it was actually featured in the newspaper, and prepared for the definite backlash that would be coming from the MCC’s direction.

Through what I wrote and the discourse that ensued that week, I may have lost some favor with certain people in the MCC and the student groups. In general, on campus, some agreed, and some disagreed, but the majority of people respected me for speaking up, regardless of their opinions. I thought that the ripples caused by the splash would end there, but the effects were far from over. After a week of battering from the opposition, after the guns of the MCC had quieted, voices of agreement started coming out of the woodwork. Various Senators gave me nods of approval, other people wrote similar articles, and the Oregon Commentator reached out. Above all, I know that my friends, and other people that know me personally, see me as a stronger person for speaking up.

There is absolutely nothing to lose in the long run by asserting one’s opinon.