What I’m going to talk about isn’t controversial or political or even economic. It’s just something that has been bothering me for a long time. It is something I hear about almost on a daily basis, normally at school, but it is appearing more and more often in movies and television. It’s when someone or something does wrong by you, and you feel the need to retaliate. If you don’t, you are considered weak or a coward.

One time, in my previous school, I was almost in a fight. I was sitting down, and this, guy, came up to me and pushed me onto the ground. When I got up he got really close to me, really up in my face, and shoved me again. I responded with a natural “What the hell?” He then started yelling that I had thrown a handball at him or some other thing that made him angry. Honestly, I wasn’t really listening, I was scared. He was like a full head taller than me, and a real rugby type. Anyway, he shoved me again, and people around me started yelling ‘Punch him’ and ‘Hit him’. I didn’t do either. I walked away.

For the next week or so, I was called, or referred to, as a part of female anatomy, that can be construed as a coward. I was really confused. I’d been taught to turn the other cheek. I’d been taught that the right thing to, if you are hit or shoved, was to walk away and tell a teacher. I didn’t tell a teacher but I walked away. And because I did that, I was mocked and insulted. I thought I had done the brave thing yet everyone told me otherwise.

Is it cowardice to turn the other cheek when you are being physically, let’s say attacked for lack of a better word, especially when you know you are not in any real danger, or is it courage to walk away despite what everyone says you should do? Something is wrong with society. It should not be acceptable to hit someone back when they hit you. It should be encouraged, not only by teachers at school, but by people at home, that when someone hits you, you say ‘whatever’ and walk away.

Earlier I stated, this problem had become more apparent in movies and television. This point of issue, is mainly directed at the action movies, more or less marvel and dc movies. They have people who decide to go out and attack or beat up people who have wrong them. It is just wrong and quite frankly stupid. People who can’t use their words, use their fists.

Dorothy Thomas, who is an author, stated ‘Peace is not the absence of conflict, but the ability to cope with it.’ This means that you will always experience either verbal, emotional or physical conflict with people in your environment. The only difference is how you cope with it. You can beat the living hell out of them, which would cause you severe bruising, possible broken bones and an enemy for life, or, you could be the bigger, more mature person, and walk away. This way, you stand by the basic human rights, especially article 5 ‘no one shall be subjected to torture or to cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment’. 

And lastly, if those don’t motivate you enough to walk away despite what everyone says, then this might. You have done the right thing, and while these people may call you coward or other degrading names you will have won their respect.

Now that you have heard my case, do you really believe walking away, or showing mercy, is weak? Is it a weakness to not hit back, or is it a strength to know when you should stand down?

So, you now know the problem and you know a possible solution. So I implore you to be better than the rest. If you are attacked or assaulted either verbally, physically or emotionally, and you know there will be now serious harm, turn the other cheek and walk away. Be the bigger and better person. Do this and earn everyone’s respect. So with that, I will finish with another quote ‘Respect is for those who deserve it, not for those who demand it.’