When is it okay to dissent?

Question: When is it okay to dissent?

    
To dissent means to hold opinions which vary to those previously or commonly held. Typically in society people tend to go along with what the majority believes in. This way they are able to fit into a group and not stand out or be shunned in their own community. However, in certain circumstances people speak out, and sometimes those people change society or even the world. These are the people who we remember and go down in history; not those who join on the bandwagon and follow everyone else.

     One good reason to dissent from the majority is if the belief is hurting people. In Friendswood, the common belief of the town is that the soil surrounding the town is healthy according to the tests done by the EPA. However, one of the main characters, Lee Knowles, has taken it into her own hands to construct her own tests on the polluted soil, due to the death of her daughter because of the chemical pollution. In her own eyes Lee has become “the unofficial guardian” (Steinke 6) of Rosemont; however, her obsession seems in vain to other members of the society. Lee hopes her new research will “redeem her” (Steinke 11) as she is seen as crazy to her neighbors, such as Hal. Lee hopes her newly acquired information and evidence of the unsafe conditions will open up the public’s eyes in order to permanently deal with the situation. In East Chicago, a real-life example of the problems Friendswood is facing is occurring. Local residents of housing complexes, such as Stephanie King, are being evacuated from their homes due to unsafe and possibly lethal levels of lead in their soil, which is also being found in homes. Like in Friendswood, the EPA stated that the levels of contamination of the soil was “‘under the level [they were] concerned about’” (Goodnough 2). Like Lee, the residents of the buildings are trying to raise awareness about the horrible situation they find themselves in.

            Another reason to dissent is if the situation has to do with legal matters. In January 2015, two Stanford University students found a girl being sexually assaulted behind a dumpster on campus. Many people may have moved along, not wanting to get themselves involved; however, they did the right thing and caught the assaulter. In the novel Friendswood it is hinted multiple times that a main character Willa may be sexually assaulted at some point during her story. It is clear that Willa has a crush for Cully. When Cully touches her lightly on the shoulder, Willa “feels the wind go out of her” (Steinke 60). During the story of Dex, who has a crush on Willa, it is hinted that he will be there for Willa during her time of need. He may also be her savior, just as the boys helped save the girl who was sexually assaulted on the Stanford campus. Sometimes if a girl is sexually assaulted, society makes it seem like it was her fault and she faces negative repercussion because of it. If this is the case, Dex may dissent from those beliefs and stand up for Willa because of moral values. If society goes against your moral judgement, it is a valid situation to break away from society and follow your values.

This is a reading of the victim's letter to the man who raped her.