Being an Upstander in the Face of Oppression Essay

The history of humanity illuminates hundreds of years of injustice. After so many millenniums, men have seen slavery, wars, conflicts, and many other moments where some individuals endeavored to gain supremacy over others and establish the notions of who fits in and who has to be ostracized. As a result, one hard lesson that was learned by society is that in moments of injustice, a person must forget about silence and fight for their interests and demands. Remaining silent might be beneficial for oppressors, but not for the oppressed. Only action and bravery take one to be an upstander in the face of oppresion.

Around the world, there is so much unfairness and pain pleading for society’s recognition, involving those who struggle with discrimination or political oppression. According to Wiesel (“The Nobel Peace Prize Acceptance Speech” para.10), “thereis so much to be done, there is so much that can be done.” In this respect, the writer is emphasizing the fact that there is so much inaction and silence in the face of fundamental rights violations in every corner of the world. The author later stresses that there are more individuals who are oppressed than free. While Wiesel calls for action, the man states that “violence is not the answer” (Wiesel, “The Nobel Peace Prize Acceptance Speech” para.8). People must act to find solutions to the issues that concern violence and oppression. Wiesel states that too many people have suffered and it must stop, and every endeavor to stop it should be encouraged. Lastly, the author sees such people as Martin Luther King, Jr., Raoul Wallenberg, and Albert Schweitzer as the inspiration and individuals who are capable of navigating people in a time of transformation. In one of the TED talks, Clint Smith, an academic and writer, gives the perspective of action a new value. Smith opened his address by referencing Martin Luther King Jr., a historical figure recognized for his potential to address issues with his motivational words rather than violence: “We will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends” (Smith 00:01). With this quote, the writer wishes to say that the seemingly harmless act of silence creates more harm in the long run. Remaining silent has a rich history of leading to more problems than society is used to expecting. Smith says that when confronted with contentious issues that need a response, people tend to remain silent and ignore the matter, specifically when it is easy for them to do so. Through his speech, Smith tries to reach not only the people in the audience,but everybody on the planet. The author says that it is more crucial than ever before to stand up for what people value,and to stand up for those who desperately need to be heard but have no support.

Aside from encouraging action to fight for one’s demands, many writers stress the powerlessness of tolerance. While many consider the golden rule to treat others with kindness to be essential, it is, unfortunately, ineffective when confronting oppression. Forster (39) claims that “tolerance is a very dull virtue” and that “unlike love, it has always had a bad press.” Through these words, the author disagrees with those who assume that love and tolerance are required to restore peace and equality. While recognizing that tolerance is a powerful force in a smaller and trusted circle, Forster believes that it is ineffective in public matters. Thus, it might be considered absurd to battle the big issue of oppression with tolerance and love while the oppressors do not see such approaches as an option. Such an argument can be supported by the atrocities of Nazi officers’ actions, narrated in the book Night, written by Elie Wiesel. In the work, the author mentions that “humanity is not concerned with us” and “today anything is allowed” (Night 26). In the work, Eliezer witnessed his father being tortured multiple times, but the boy was powerless to intervene. He was not powerless physically, but emotionally, since he knew that if he did intervene, he would be killed instantly. In turn, Eliezer’s father had to also watch such scenes helplessly while his son was beaten by a German Nazi officer. Despite the fact that even a minor act of opposition is the same as suicide, the young man could not help but feel guilty about his terror and inaction. Such helpless indignation was felt by the entire oppressed community. Nevertheless, even by publishing the book, it can be considered as taking action and ensuring that these and other acts of violence are not forgotten.

Lastly, considering the importance of action and resistance, it also takes remembering to be an upstander. The history of the ancestors, their pain and injustice must always remain in the hearts of everyone who desires to stand up to the oppressors. According to Wiesel (“The Nobel Peace Prize Acceptance Speech” para.6), the reason for this is “because if we forget, we are guilty, we are accomplices”. With his words, the author wants to accentuate the importance of lessons provided through the experience of forefathers. The author later claims that he “swore never to be silent whenever wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation” (Wiesel, “The Nobel Peace Prize Acceptance Speech” para.7). People must always choose sides since it is the aggressor who benefits from impartiality, not the sufferer. Silence only benefits the torturer and never the afflicted, which means that those indifferent must intervene. When real people’s lives are at stake, when fundamental rights are violated, impartiality must fade away. Whenever individuals are oppressed due to their ethnicity, faith, or political beliefs, they must find the courage to fight for what is fair. In another essay by Wiesel (para.14), We Choose Honor, the author states that “forin the end, it is always a matter of choice.” Even when confronted with the ruthless insanity of murderers and the quiet suffering of their hostages, people must choose between flight, dignity, unity, or humiliation. In this case, people either suffer in an oppressive environment or fight for their values.

Hence, being silent in the moments of injustice only brings more pain. The only way to administer justice and overthrow the ossified dogmas, aggression, tyranny, and racism is through action. In situations like these, tolerance is a questionable approach, which only gives more power to the oppressor. When facing injustice, there are always several options: to either comply with the unfairness or act. As a result, in the face of oppression, people must unite and act, forgetting about silence and meekness and encouraging bravery. Otherwise, millions of people will continue to be discriminated against and die at the hands of aggressors.

Works Cited

Forster, Edward M. “Tolerance.” Something To Believe In. Routledge, 2017. 39-42.

Smith, Clint. “The Danger of Silence.”TED Talks, 2014.

Wiesel, Elie. Night. Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2012.

Wiesel, Elie. “The Nobel Peace Prize Acceptance Speech.” The Night Holocaust Project, 1986. Web.

Wiesel, Elie. “We Choose Honor.” Parade, 2001. Web.