We live in a man's world, so it was only right growing up to be fed the mantra that silence was golden. Job 13 v 5 advises that "if only you would be altogether silent...that would be wisdom", but that didn't seem to sit right with my spirit growing up. I saw injustice all around in the form of bullying at school, and discrimination on a larger scale in University (most especially post-graduate studies), and found myself struggling to marry the Proverbs' advice of silent wisdom with the yearning within me to speak out against injustice. So on I churned in my pursuit of a purpose advocating against social injustice, and out my anger boiled against the ignorance of those around me who failed to share this mindset for challenging inequality, corruption and deceit.
Hat : ASOS | Dress : Henry Holland | Chelsea Boots : Dorothy Perkins
I've been branded naive and idealistic for speaking out against social injustice. I've always known it was the right/Godly thing to do, but battling years of social training that to speak out was foolish had me in a tizz. Until I stumbled upon Dr Martin Luther King Jr's "In the end we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends", and it hit me. Looking back to my troubled years as a bullied teen, I cannot recollect who bullied per se or even how it happened, just the effect it had on me and how my supposed 'friends' at the time failed to defend me. Dr MLK Jr was right, and I refuse to stand beside cowards and accept injustice as status quo. Instead, I will "speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute" Proverbs 31 v 8.
This time last year, I was in Nigeria advicating against gender based violence and speaking on behalf of marginalised rural women, and I've never felt more alive. I attended an event recently where a practicing commercial Barrister was slating non-public school scholarship applicants who chimed the routine aspiration of becoming human rights' barristers, and it struck me as odd that a man who prided himself for building a name for himself from such humble beginnings could turn around and mock his roots. I have a post coming up about dinner-table-debates, but my family often engage in political discussions about the root cause of social inequality (especially in Nigeria), and why corruption, the fight for power, and the greed of a few is bleeding the economy dry. Without engaging you all in the inner workings of such conversations, I just wanted to shed light on my understanding that it is the actions of such ignorant men that lead and had led us into the current state of society.
Knitted Cape : Primark | Bag : ZARA | Watch : Michael Kors
Society now lacks a conscience. So I implore you all to critically assess your understanding and actions towards equality. My faith teaches me to actively pursue wisdom and understanding so I can develop useful life skills. I remember my Business Studies teacher once advised us to stop watching the news, and I thought it ludicrous! Years later, I did, and noted I was happier but at the expense of my lost touch with reality, and social awareness. Remaining socially aware aids self-awareness, so it's critical to remain one step ahead by constantly reading, learning and speaking up. "Silence is the residue of fear" Clint Smith - TED Talk. I understand it's easier to remain in your comfort zone and shy away from public scrutiny in case you get a point wrong politically, but I want to motivate you to speak up even about the little things, and in doing so, you will regain the volume in your voice.
Read Critically ~ Write Consciously ~ Speak Clearly ~ Tell Your Truth
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