Name: The danger of silence
Uploaded: 2014-08-15T15:46:05Z
Duration: 4 min 9 s
Description: "We spend so much time listening to the things people are saying that we rarely pay attention to the things they don't," says poet and teacher Clint Smith. A short, powerful piece from the heart, about finding the courage to speak up against ignorance and injustice.

Clint Smith: The danger of silence

The danger of silence

"We spend so much time listening to the things people are saying that we rarely pay attention to the things they don't," says poet and teacher Clint Smith. A short, powerful piece from the heart, about finding the courage to speak up against ignorance and injustice.

Staying silent in the face of discrimination or cruelty allows harm to deepen, while speaking up can create change. One memorable moment describes sacrificing a voice for Lent, only to realize silence had become routine far earlier. Small daily choices, like ignoring a bullied classmate or a homeless man's glance, reveal how silence can quietly endorse injustice. By inviting others to tell their truth, it becomes possible to break the cycle of fear and foster dignity.