Standing Up For My Belief Essay Examples

Oprah Winfrey once said, “Don’t back down just to keep the peace. Standing up for your beliefs builds self-confidence and self-esteem.” We all come into contact with authority figures on a constant basis, whether these people are teachers, coaches, or bosses. I believe that obeying their commands is critical, but standing up for myself is equally as important. Sometimes this may result in negative consequences, but I would never let anyone, even an authoritative figure, affect my beliefs. One theoretical example of standing up for my beliefs and suffering consequences would be if I were to stand up for my religion, which is a very important part of my life. Because I have always attended a Catholic school, most of the people I have come into contact with have similar beliefs. However, not everyone I meet in the future will share the same beliefs as me. If I were to meet someone of a different religion and they criticized me for my beliefs, I would never let them change who I am. Even if this person were an authoritative figure, I would not back down from my beliefs. I would stand up for my belief in God even if it means being made fun of,
losing a job, or losing a friend. Another example of standing up for beliefs and suffering negative consequences would be when Martin Luther King Jr.
confronted the issues of racism and segregation. Martin Luther King Jr. grew up in the South, which was a very segregated area during the 1950s and 1960s. King first became involved in the civil rights movement in 1955. On December 1, 1955 in Montgomery, Alabama, an African American woman named Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on the bus for a white man. As a result, Parks was arrested. King and other African American citizens met and planned to boycott the buses of the city. Martin Luther King Jr. became the leader of the yearlong boycott. King was harassed, and his house was bombed as a result of the boycott. However, he did not let this stop him from trying to end racism and
segregation. On August 28, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. delivered his famous “I Have a Dream” speech. This speech is the one of the most powerful speeches ever given. In this speech, King addresses the need for equality despite race, religion, and culture. King discusses his dream of a peaceful end to racism and segregation. As a result of this speech, the Civil Rights laws were passed in 1964. Four years later, King was assassinated at his hotel in Memphis, Tennessee. Despite being arrested, harassed, and assassinated as a result of his beliefs, King never gave up on trying to end racism and segregation. Even though the white citizens had more authority during this time, Martin Luther King Jr. stood up for his race. His efforts to end racism and segregation have changed the world forever. This example just goes to show how important is is to stand up for what we believe in, no matter who is trying to change our beliefs. Even if there are negative consequences, we should always stay true to who we are.