From the Desk of Deborah O'Dwyer

The Argument of “Right verses Wrong”

When I was younger, I decided to go back to college after working for a few years. I jumped right back into it with now some life experience under my belt. I was accepted into Saint Xavier University and was so excited to attend. I was going into college differently this time. My mind was set on the knowledge I was going to obtain, the hard work I was ready to put in, and earning the education I longed for. I was READY!!!!

I remember walking into my first English class back, I sat down with my notebook eager to start this journey. We were given an assignment. The objective was to write “for” something that the majority of people were against. The next day we had to be prepared with ideas and facts to support your argument. We all had to individually stand up and read aloud our ideas. One girl presents hers and the professor immediately stopped her from speaking any further stating “there are things that can only be considered right or wrong. There is no “for or against” some things.” The girl was so embarrassed, she started to tear up. So, of course, me being older than most everyone in the class, and a cocky kid, I stand up. I say, “you can argue anything!” The teacher takes the paper in her hand, throws it at me and says, “Deborah, if you want to fail my class, you will fail my class!” 

Now, I am sure you are reading this and getting a lot of ideas how I should’ve handled this. But, in my mind, I was like “SHIT, what did I just do?” “Here it is my first year back to a University I wanted to attend so badly, and now my professor hates me.” Now there is a lot of wrong in this situation. I am sure you are developing an opinion.  I justified it, to myself, thinking I was standing up for another person, regardless of anything else. Since that, every time I turned in a paper, I never received higher than a “C.” She didn’t fail me, but I believe she sure tried to.

Looking back at that time in my life, I can very much relate that experience to many things. Questions come to my mind: “Was the professor, right?" "Are there things you just can’t argue, just a blatant right or wrong?" “Should I have just kept my mouth shut, and not of stood up for someone upset?” She is the professor, the one in charge. “Did I go about handling this the right way?” “Was she out for me because I stood up against her, or did I deserve the average grades?” 

When there are this many questions, emotions get fired up and opinions form. You may be for the professor, or me, but we both had our own individual reasons why we did what we did. Right or wrong, which one of us is? This is based on experience and perception. That is what we have to understand. Opinions are based on reason and experience, among other important factors. 

I don’t know why that girl cried and got so upset over what was said to her. I can speculate, as I did, that is why I opened my mouth. I don’t know why the teacher reacted the way she did? I can only speak for my reasoning. I feel, I could’ve presented myself differently. I didn’t have to call out the professor, in front of the whole class like I did. Although throwing a piece of paper at a student was wrong, she also reacted quickly. Maybe showing authority. With all of that, she couldn’t change me.

I will always stand up for what I believe is right or wrong. Now, I know there is more to that than my own idea of what “that” is. I can sit back and watch everyone voice their opinions on anything and everything. I am not quick to answer back or voice mine anymore. I wait, develop, understand, and think. There is a way to go about voicing yourself. We all have things the “strike a nerve” inside us. We become passionate and vociferous. This because we want to be heard, we want people to understand our opinion a why we think it. The experiences we gain, the relationships we have, all makes us individuals in life. So, how do individuals all come together when we all have such strong passions and ideas of right verses wrong? HOW? Because there will always be something that pisses someone off. Ideas of who a person is will never really be known. Deciding on acceptance, love, understanding without judgement, is a way. Taking responsibility and owning up to what you do or did, is a way.

In the argument that there is a clear right or wrong like the professor wanted to prove to us, I still don’t know. Maybe she is right about some things? I will strive to see good in wrong, even when I just CAN’T. But I also see wrong in the so called “right.” This is because definitions do vary.

When Jesus way dying on the cross, he prayed for the people who crucified him saying “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.” What a profound statement coming from a place of pain, people hating him to the point of death. They felt they had reason to do this. They had very different ideas for right and wrong. It was right to hurt someone that is hurting their ideas. Ultimately, I believe in Jesus’ way. Not hating people who don’t agree with me, or forcing them to recognize my ideas to become their very own. Just praying that they come to the realization of forgiveness and understanding. After all, I continue my path of learning every day.