READ TAYLOR OWEN’S COUNTERPOINT OPINION

Integrity isn’t simply something that is handed to you;  it appears through the honesty and truthfulness of your actions.  It’s about taking responsibility for yourself and realizing that you aren’t the only one affected by the choices you make every day.  It can be difficult to ignore the influence of fellow classmates and friends when making decisions, but you have to stop and think before you proceed.  Sometimes we act upon faulty notions that may seem to be right at the time, but can later have more serious consequences on our character and even someone else’s self-esteem.  It doesn’t mean you’re a bad person, but it means you have made a bad decision.

With this said, a student at our Holiday Concert assembly made a less than responsible decision by throwing an apple across the auditorium, hitting someone in the performance.

I am confused by why someone thinks it’s okay to not only disrupt an assembly but also throw another object at a student.  As cheesy as it sounds, isn’t the golden rule to always treat others the way you want to be treated?  I highly doubt having something thrown at you is going to boost up your confidence and make you want to continue to be vulnerable in front of your classmates.

High school can already be a confusing and difficult place to navigate properly without having to worry about what others think of you.  Contrary to what most people believe, the words you say and the actions you take can have an extremely positive or negative effect on other people.  It’s easy to complain about what you don’t have, but it’s a whole lot harder to be the bigger person and embrace the things you have and just be happy.

It’s unfortunate that so many high school students choose to get caught up in the hype of being popular instead of being true to who they are and searching for what they really want out of life.  It takes a lot of guts to get up on a stage in front of teachers and peers and perform.  Why make it harder for those people who are just trying to share their talent and hard work?

Although the incident was disrespectful, it is all part of growing up and learning from our mistakes and letting go of the injustices people have done to us.  We will all make our fair share of mistakes, but the important thing is to realize that you did wrong and to make sure not to repeat it.  Recognize that you are not the only person who is learning and forgive those who have treated you badly.

That doesn’t mean if you are witnessing something you believe is hurtful or unfair that you should just ignore the situation.  One person voicing their opinion can and has made an impact on other’s decisions and people’s views.

 It can be tough to be the only one out of your friends who would speak up, but what is the point of being silent?  If you saw your friends laughing at the incident and you think it was wrong, don’t stay quiet.  Say, “Hey, I don’t think that’s very funny.  Think of how the other person might have felt when it was thrown.”

Stand up for what you believe in because it does matter and it will make a difference.