“When Silence Is Injustice” written by Emma Shedden, is a piece that introduces a topic I can strongly connect to. The narrator attends a Chinese class, where the teacher is different from the usual teachers. One day, the instructor makes a comment about how lucky the students are to attend the class. She lectures the students and soon begins to talk about black kids- how they don't have many privileges and a good education. The narrator desperately wants to speak up, but speaking against the teacher is wrong in the ways of Chinese culture.
I can connect to this piece because I have been in this situation countless times. The urge to speak out is so strong, but the amount who do so is lacking. The idea of respect plays a huge role in Chinese culture. My parents taught me to be respectful and to not speak out because it would be extremely rude. The act of bad mouthing a certain race or making assumptions about an ethnicity is something I have encountered numerous times. Although I know that it's hypocritical and disrespectful, I can't bring myself to say anything against it. Staying quiet has become a habit and a “habit is a difficult thing to overcome.” Reading this made me realize that instances like this will happen, but the choice to speak up is controlled by us.