What will people say? What will people think of me? What will they do to me? Maybe they won't like me if I say something.

These are questions many of us ask whenever we take a position that is or, we consider, unpopular with the perceived majority. We want others to stand up and defend what we believe in so we can safely and, sometimes, timidly say "me too". It is, indeed, less risky than boldly stating and defending our position.

As we begin to stand up and be counted, we find there are many others believing the same way. Many times, we learn that we are not in the minority at all.

If you truly believe something, stand up for it and be counted. Defend yourself. Don't hope someone else will step up and do it for you.

Let's not let this world where people seem to be intimidated into saying and doing nothing keep us from exercising our right to speak up and defend what we believe important and needing to be said.

This week, let's all go out and, as needed, defend our positions proudly, even if we disagree among ourselves.

Jim