OP, numba 3.

When I was 5, my younger brother (age three) was diagnosed with Autism. The year he was diagnosed, 1996, no doctor had heard of Autism, or knew what to do with the children that showed symptoms of having this learning disability. My mother had to sue Reynoldsburg School Systems, research for why my brother wasn‘t developing mentally as fast as other students, and fight to prove everyone wrong. What I would like to discuss in this OP is how I believe in standing by your principals, even when everyone says you are wrong, within reason.

My mother upheld this idea by standing by her principals by researching, I am not saying to stand by your principals if you are ignorant of other viewpoints. Take the election as an example. Obama fans were bashing McCain fans, McCain fans were bashing Obama fans. Emotions ran high. However there was always the blind supporter, who loved anything their candidate said, without ever checking their opinions for fact. When brought into an argument, the supporter often became violent, because they came to the abrupt realization that they had nothing to back themselves up.

Closer to home, I hold my values of family closer than anything. It is what I believe in. Understand that my family isn’t exactly conventional, with there only being 10 biological members. The rest is made up of friends who are so close to me they may as well be my family. I will stand by them, definitely take their side in a fight. We keep each other accountable on our beliefs, and make sure we all have conclusive principals. We do not agree all the time, of course, which is a central part of family.

Now, take people in International Justice mission. They are working to free the 27 million slaves worldwide, with stations all over the world where they word to free sex slaves, forced laborers, and those who are victims of land grabbing. They stand by what they believe, and work for what they believe, because they know it is right, and they have proof of why they work for what they do.

The reason for this OP comes from the past few weeks of my life, where I have been challenged and accused of not being real. I stand by my principals, and will not move them unless I find out I am soundly wrong. So this Occasional Paper is a call for understanding, for forgiveness, for principals. A call to stand by what you believe, without being afraid of being wrong.

As much that my mother annoys me some days, I keep her close as a role model. Hopefully some day I can help someone learn the way she taught those doctors who said that Autism was not real.