Written by Allison Bennett
When all hope ends, what lights the fire again? What lights the spark that makes you try harder? When all hope seems lost what gives you the fire to stand up and try harder?
Some people say it’s themselves, their heart, their memories. I say it’s others. We are a human society strong enough to tame the raging sea! We are strong enough to tame a lion and turn them into a friend. We can be stronger and unite all nations. Yet one thing seems impossible and stands in our way. Why do we have racial inequality?
Why do we discriminate over a simple thing as color? Why don’t we discriminate between hair color or eye color, since we want to discriminate color? Why do we fight and hurt? If you have seen the recent fist of a black hand on social media, understand that it is for lives lost both black and white! Understand that nobody ever stands alone. We need to stand up, not step down! I will tell you a fact not a story. Because a fact is true.
I was in 8th grade, not long ago. I was getting dressed out of my sports uniform and I saw a girl. She had a cleft lip. We’ll call her Sarah. I never knew her or ever met her. I saw this other girl, the local bully, we’ll call her Ava.
Ava was making fun of Sarah. Calling her a disease and asking if her cleft lip was infectious. As I stood behind my locker for about 5 seconds watching this, I noticed no one else in my class was stopping Ava! I had had enough! I stood up walked in front of Ava and said, “Leave, we’re done here.”
Ava looked at me like I grew a second head. She responded, “Why stand up for her? Do you see how ugly she is?
Then she stalked away.
I turned around and faced Sarah. I told her that no matter what, she was beautiful. She started crying. A few months later, she was able to get her surgery and she looked happy!
My point in this story is to stand up and be there for someone. Don’t fold down like a piece of paper. So please, understand that this isn’t about racial inequality it is about inequality in general.
