Some will ridicule you if you want to stand up for what is right and good. I remember years ago when I had to speak up about services that were not being delivered to a group of children. Nobody wanted to hear about it, and I gained the wrath of those I spoke up to. Yet, I knew it was unfair for these children not to receive services that they were supposed to receive. Since that time, there is little problem with children like that receiving their services--the services now are timely and of high quality. There's been some positive change.
None of us are always right, and we all err from time to time. Yet we should never have to be reprimanded for speaking up for what is right and good--we should not have to be met with teasing, ridicule, and reprimand when we speak up about something that should change or be remedied for the betterment of an organization or the people that organization serves.
Instead, people should be open to questions and concerns about the work being done and ideas to make that work even better--that's what helps organizations to develop in positive ways. On the other hand, if people are teased, ridiculed, or reprimanded for speaking up, people will be afraid to broach subjects of betterment and justice.
I'm not sure why some want to obstruct discussions about betterment or efforts to streamline systems and improve what we do. Of course how we speak up and the ways we organize conversations matter in this respect, and as much as possible, we have to go hard on the problems, not the people, and work with respect.
And it's best to deal with problematic situations sooner than later--the more you let time get in the way, often the deeper and more complicated the problem becomes. Bottom line is that we all have to have the courage to speak up for positive change, and we all have to work for that change with empathy, compassion, and putting our best effort forward. Onward.
