Courage

I was attending school in Davis when the pepper spray incident happened.  I didn't care too much about the big protests because it didn't affect me personally.  I was getting all my tuition paid through the school and the loans covered rent and bills.  I went home either that weekend or the next weekend and told my mom about the incident.  As was expected, she was horrified.  But what she told me next was completely unexpected and left me wondering.

She told me that I should never participate in any protests because there's always the possible danger.  I should always keep my head down and just pretend that nothing's going on.  I shouldn't ever be involved in something so political.

What?

Shouldn't she be telling me that I should stand up for what I believe in?  Okay, I know she grew up in a different era.  She probably survived through whatever she went through as a kid by keeping her head down.  But I disagree.  I think that keeping your integrity, your values and morals, is so much more important than being able to eat another day.  It's what makes us human.

God give me the courage to persevere in my beliefs no matter what troubles may come my way.