J.S. Park

The Right To Talk: When Reputation Steals Your Voice (And Why It Should Not)

You’ve heard this statement:

Well it’s not really my place to say anything. It’s not like I’m any better than them.

I understand what this means: that we all have our faults and flaws, that we shouldn’t judge so quickly on things we can easily fall for ourselves, and that it’s better sometimes to just let it slide.

What it can never mean is that you don’t have a right to say something. You do. That’s regardless of who you are or what you have done. You always, always, always have a right to speak up when you know something is wrong, even if you have been guilty of that thing yourself. Yes, there are parameters for that, and it does matter how you say it, but no one can ever revoke your voice just because their record is slightly cleaner than yours.

God doesn’t look at a murderer and a gossip and think, “She’s got a thousand points on him. He is so way behind.” Under the same sky where a cross was raised, we’re all a bunch of hungry sinners in need of grace.

Actually: If you’ve been through some things, you might have more of a right to speak. Because you know how horrible it is back there. I want to hear from the ex-heroin dealer how bad it is; not the Harvard honors graduate. Give me the voice that is rugged, raggedy, weathered, with an uphill climb up a dark path.

Continue Reading