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We must take care not to set stage for oppression

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  • We must take care not to set stage for oppression

    South Bend Tribune, IN
    May 1 2005

    We must take care not to set stage for oppression
    MICHIANA POINT OF VIEW

    By MATTHEW R. ERDEL

    Erdel


    Throughout history, what if the oppressed had merely accepted their
    lot? What if, despite intuitive doubts about the justness of their
    servitude, they viewed their misfortunes as inevitable and
    unchangeable?

    Or, from another perspective, what if the privileged felt no
    indignation about subjecting others?

    What if, although in a position to question immoral and inhumane
    practices, those in power lacked the vision to help the
    underprivileged?

    What if the great heroes of humanity, whether aligned with the
    oppressed or the empowered, had lacked the vision to demand change --
    to demand freedom and justice for the exploited?

    What if Frederick Douglass had not overcome his master's prohibition
    against learning to read? What if Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had seen
    no need to press for change or had failed to dream?

    What if Mahatma Gandhi had found the military might of Imperial
    British India too overwhelming to challenge by stubborn, peaceful
    protests? What if Mother Theresa had decided that the untouchables of
    India were beneath her dignity?

    Would such a world where evil had gone unchallenged be bearable?

    Thankfully, there have been individuals who have had the vision to
    challenge inhumane practices. Over the centuries, reformers have
    ushered in important social and legal changes.

    Though many cruelties have been challenged, there are still serious
    injustices. That is why vision matters: as long as there is evil in
    the world, we still need people with the vision to demand justice.

    Through the instruction of my parents, maturing in my Christian
    faith, and my own convictions drawn from experiences, I have
    developed a world view founded on several indispensable principles.
    One of these principles is the essential equality of all human beings
    before God; neither race nor ethnicity nor class nor capacity can
    detract from a person's intrinsic self-worth.

    While the inherent dignity of each person may seem like an obvious
    principle, millions find a way to hold on to their prejudices.

    Adolf Hitler understood this. He fueled and manipulated people's
    prejudices, and he knew he could get away with it -- he had seen the
    Turks do it decades earlier when they embarked upon a genocidal
    slaughter of the Armenians without suffering serious consequences.

    Thankfully, oppression does not always appear on such a grand scale,
    but it is still important to have the vision to recognize and
    challenge the everyday inequalities. Like most oppressive actions,
    both the Armenian genocide and the Holocaust were founded on
    generations of prejudice. This is also true for the oppression of
    Africans, Native Americans and other indigenous peoples during the
    age of European imperialism and beyond. We must be careful to guard
    against our own prejudices lest we lay the groundwork for future
    oppression. My challenge is to maintain the vision I have, and to
    seek ways to overcome evil with good.

    On most days, my battles for what is good and right are very small.
    Someday, I may be ready to do more.

    Matthew Erdel is a senior at Penn High School. This is his winning
    essay in a scholarship contest sponsored this spring by the South
    Bend Human Rights Commission.
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