" I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Nuetrality helps the oppressor, never the victem. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented" Elie Wiesel
I think I keep finding and writing about these things to work out a lot of my own issues. Sometimes I wonder if I will ever have them worked out completely. There have been times in my life when I have witnessed abuse and kept silent, perhaps because of the times I was abused and kept silent; sometimes because of shame and/or fear. I wish I had the courage to say, with certainty, that I would never remain silent again when I witness such behavior, because I do believe that nuetrality always helps the oppressor and silence always encourages the tormentor.
I suppose in all honesty, and I am really trying for honesty here, perhaps there were times when I was the oppressor or the tormentor. However, in my case it would have been in my "passive aggressive" way. If anyone had challenged me at that time I no doubt would have stopped, because basically I am a coward, as I think all people are when they are bullying.
I think if I was ever the abuser it was a long time ago when I was acting out what had been modeled for me. Remember "Power Corrupts And Absolute Power Corrupts Absolutely". Lord Acton
Sunday March 20th, 2011...........11:32p.m.
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