Sometimes you just have to stand up for what you believe is right, no matter the consequences. There are countless people throughout history who stood up for the truth, and their fate was not always a pleasant one. In this article, we compare the fates of two Chinese brothers who lived in the time of King Wen, and 2500 years later, Sir Walter Raleigh, a prominent figure in England in the 16th Century during the time of King James, who did just that.
The Legacy of Two Brothers
Two brothers, Bai Yi and Shu Qi, lived in the ancient Chinese Kingdom of Zhou. When the ruler, King Wen, launched a revolt against the Tyrant of Shang, the brothers disagreed with the King because they believed to overthrow any king was wrong. When the tyrant was overthrown, they retreated to the mountain of Shou Yang. Refusing to eat the food produced by the Zhou dynasty they both, of course, died.
The story of how the two brothers stood up for what they believed in is a legend in Chinese history.
This is what the two brothers believed and what they lived by:
- They did not serve a lord of whom they did not approve.
- They would not associate with a friend they did not esteem.
- They would not stand in an evil man’s court nor speak with an evil man.
What does this story have to do with today? The last two speak for themselves. Keep good friends and stay away from evil men. But the first. We do not have lords today, or do we?
Standing up for right is not always easy nor approved by others. When you take a stance for what you believe in, you are risking leaving your comfort zone and stepping into a world you later will wish you had never gone.
Adversity Builds the American Justice System
The history books are full of people who have given their freedom or their lives for not bowing to their “Lord.” One example is Sir Walter Raleigh (1552-1618), a great British Statesman who was beheaded for not bowing to his “lord,” King James. A favorite of Queen Elizabeth I, he was discovered in a plot to thwart her successor, King James. He was tried and found guilty for treason. He spent fourteen years in the Tower of London and was finally released when he convinced the King to let send him to the new English colony, America.
Before his imprisonment, he was heavily involved in fighting against the Spanish, and was cautioned that he was not to associate with any Spanish settlement in America, or he would be sentenced to death. One night, while he was sleeping, his men attacked a nearby Spanish fort. Because Raleigh was the one in charge, even though he knew nothing of the plot, he was sent back to England and beheaded for treason.
His legacy did not stop there, however. His trial was a dog and pony show. He was considered guilty even before he was tried. He faced numerous horrible accusations and falsities, but he never once got angry. He calmly presented his views. The people were impressed with his demeanor, and this made him a very popular man in England.
His trial eventually was the basis for our American Justice system. Every law student should be able to tell you something about Sir Walter Raleigh and his posthumous contribution.
Consequences for doing what is right?
We are taught from a young age that every act has a consequence, and if you don’t want to suffer the consequence, then don’t do the act! There are some things where this holds true, like breaking the law. If you don’t want to get caught, don’t break the law. But there are other things in life where you suffer consequences for doing a good act. You do it because you have a strong belief you are doing the right thing.
Be careful, here though. People have a tendency to get overdramatic, to miss the point of the idea, and go out on a limb without first testing its strength. Be sure the idea you are standing up for is the right idea. It is easy to follow the leader and speak for the crowd. Not so easy to stand on your own and speak against that crowd. So be sure your pursuit for the truth will further, not hinder, the good of humanity.
Sir Raleigh is a perfect example of “not serving a lord with whom he did not agree.” Some people may argue that his “lord” was the Queen, but valor is never dead, is it? Standing up for what he believed was right cost him dearly but look at the legacy he left.
The two brothers and Sir Raleigh are only two examples of people who stood up for their beliefs. If you say you stand on your principles, and your principles don’t hold you up when it is time to use them, then you need to reevaluate your moral compass.
Going against the grain is not comfortable. You get splinters and a rash from rubbing the wrong way.
Humiliation, ostracism and even death can be the result of standing on your honor, but would you have it any other way? Could you live with your conscious if you went with the crowd, even though you knew it was wrong?
We all want to fit in and be accepted, and unfortunately, many people do not always appreciate a morally strong person.
How does this apply to today? Today it is especially important to stand up for what is right. The world is in great need of leaders who have ethics and value morality. Be a leader.
Truth. Democracy. Freedom.
Yes, the history books are full of people standing up for truth, democracy and freedom. We remember them because they made a mark on the world, not because they were worried about their comfort. Many of the greats spent time in prison, persecuted for their beliefs.
The moral of the story is you cannot worry about how out the outcome will affect you if you plan on making a stand. Either go all in or do not go at all. Once you step through the door, you may never return to the life you left behind.
Life is all about challenges and making the most of those challenges. What is life if you are too afraid to step outside your comfort zone because someone will make fun of you or ostracize you?
You know who you are. You know you can only live with the truth – however painful that might turn out to be.
I leave you with this thought from a great mind. He was a strange man, driven, difficult to live with. But his contribution to the world says it all.
“Great spirits have always found violent opposition from mediocre minds. The latter cannot understand it when a man does not thoughtlessly submit to hereditary prejudices, but honestly and courageously uses his intelligence.”
– Albert Einstein (1879-1955)
Sometimes you just have to step out of your comfort zone.
Be Strong.
