Speak Up!

When I was a senior in high school, a rhetorical situation involving R-rated movies created a need for communication amongst my community. A group of parents within the school district believed that R-rated movies should be banned from class because they were “corrupting the minds of the students.” Students were outraged and spoke to the community about the issue. I was personally involved because I had a strong opinion as to why our right to view R-rated movies should not be revoked. I first demonstrated civic engagement by acting on my own in a private manner. I wrote a letter to the administrator of the school board addressing the problem and my concerns. I then became a public advocate on the issue. I spoke in a civic arena, in this case at a school board meeting, to the community about the issue. Civic engagement and public advocacy require both critical listening and thinking. I had to communicate my concern clearly as a critical listener and I also had to stay open minded about the issue as a critical thinker. I strongly recommend everyone to get involved like I did whether it is civic engagement or public advocacy. Expressing your opinion on an issue is a great way to help the community, and if you get your way, it is very rewarding!

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