Writing for an Academic Discussion When you witness a wrong doing, is it your responsiblity to step in? - revised -

When you witness some wrong doing which is not directly affect you, is it your responsibility to step in or should you mind your own business and avoid conflict?

☆Let’s Think

1.       If you see an old homeless woman being made fun of by some young bullies, what would you do?

2.       In the Nazi holocaust, would you have tried to save Jews like Osker Schindler?

3.       What do you think of the ongoing genocide in Gaza and the silence of the world?

4.       Read the following poem, and share your thoughts about it:

First they came for the Communists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Communist
Then they came for the Socialists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Socialist
Then they came for the trade unionists
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a trade unionist
Then they came for the Jews
And I did not speak out
Because I was not a Jew
Then they came for me
And there was no one left

To speak out for me     - Pastor Martin Niemöller

 

 

☆Hints for Points

1.        “Silence is complicity.” – Albert Einstein

2.        “We do these things not to change the world, but so that the world will not change us.” – Mahatma Gandhi.

3.        If everyone thinks someone else will stop it, no one will do it.

4.        You will not only feel guilty and lose your self-respect and confidence but also allow crime against humanity, meaning you or your people will be in danger in the end in the future.

5.        You must protect yourself first of all. If you are a family person, you may want to stay away from troubles to prioritize the safety of your family.

 

 

☆Sample Reply for Ideas and Expressions

I’m with Tanya. The case in point of this issue now is Gaza. As many Jewish people in Holocaust are missed, so many Palestinians should be missed. People wonder why genocide of Jews by Nazi Germany was allowed to occur, but stay silent about the very holocaust occurring live right in front of their eyes in Gaza for almost 2 years. Though it is said that the situation is complicated, actually it is simple: the genocide in Gaza is the last phase of the Israeli colonial policy that has been going on since the inception of the state of Israel. It is not self-defense but is the working remnant of imperialism from the last century. Everyone knows that the West dehumanized the rest of the world in imperialism, but the same people turned a blind eye when Israel called Palestinians “human beasts” to start the mass killing disguised as “self-defense”. It is judged as genocide by International Criminal Court and the International Cour of Justice. It is officially a crime to humanity. Yet still, the world is silent. Most people are busy coming up with excuses for not being involved. Some even attack those standing with Palestinians. In this loud silence, in response to pessimistic by-standers, those few raising their voices quote, “Silence is Complicity”. As the world take no effective actions to stop it, the Israeli violence and humiliation on Gaza escalate. In other words, those who choose not to be involved facing injustice facilitate the evil, and as they do so, they are deteriorating the human race. We the people living in today’s world will bear forever the sin of facilitating the ethnic cleansing and doing nothing to reform the capitalist society benefitting from slaughtering the people in Gaza. Your grandchildren will ask you why you didn’t help Gazans when you completely knew what was happening to them and there were ways to stop it through actions like BDS Movement, and you will have no excuse. The same applies to all cases of this sort of incident. There is no line to that makes you not accountable. If you don’t stand for justice, you are a failure forever. Therefore, I agree with the opinion that it is your responsibility to step in when you witness a wrong doing. (379 words)