Sometimes in life, it’s hard to figure out whether or not to take a stand for something you believe in strongly. Sometimes we are left to the question, is this stubbornness, or am I being loyal to my cause? We can take a good look at today’s world and see an example that could be interpreted either way. The protests and riots against a Trump presidency can be looked at in multiple different lights. Some people say that they are being big babies and that they should accept that Trump is their president and respect him. Some say that they have the right to make their voices heard but should do it in a less extreme manner. Some agree with them and that we should stay true to our beliefs and fight for what we believe is right. The problem with fighting for what you believe in, there are two sides and both sides think that they are right for most of the time. The Civil Rights movement lead by Martin Luther King Jr. is a perfect example of fighting for what you believe in. In this case, and as history sees it, he was not being a stubborn black man fighting for more rights because of greed or selfish desire; he was an honorable man who was fighting out of the loyalty of his people for equal rights and treatment. For something that he rightfully thought that they deserved and after fighting for those rights, he was able to achieve it. He was a smart man in the way he fought for these rights. He didn’t do so by damaging property or vandalizing or physical violence, but did so in peaceful victimless protests. As you well know, Rosa Parks refused to give her seat up on the bus, but notice that she didn’t trash the bus.

We look at situations in our daily lives and we wonder what should be fought for and what is considered stubborn of us to do so. Sometimes things are about loyalty and not stubbornness however you may be loyal because you fail to see the other side and fail to consider that you may be in the wrong. This usually happens with drastic change. Maybe you are a kid and your parents move you to a different school and you are determined to show them that you will be miserable because you wish you stayed at your own school and you wish you still had your own friends. This could be looked upon as being loyal to your past, your old school, your old friends, or to your old memories. However, this can also be looked upon as stubbornness for not giving your new school a chance and for trying to make the best of a situation.

Sometimes things do call for loyalty and by protesting, you are being stubborn. Somethings we cannot change even if we protest and the protesting is just a way to show our voice. Protesting is an effective way to show your voice but sometimes it can be looked upon as stubbornness. Most of Martin Luther’s tactics were quiet sit-ins where he and others acted like everyone else as equals. They acted in a way to show that they believe themselves to be equal and when they were attacked, they didn’t fight back. Now, there are many ways to protest in today’s current situation. But yelling “Not My President,” is not going to change anything. Nonetheless, he still is your president but that doesn’t mean you have to like him. If he passes something that you feel to be unconstitutional or in a moral sense that is wrong, you can protest that specific law or order or whatnot. California is being stubborn for talking about seceding from the United States same as how Texas was stubborn for talking about seceding when Barack Obama was elected his second term. Yes, there are going to be times when your party does not win. People were just as pissed off now when Obama was re-elected compared to when Trump was elected now. If you look at the basic principles it’s the same, when you get into the more details of the situation, Trump’s situation can call for a little for hostility. But there are multiple ways to show ones voice, we just have to be able to see which way is the best way to show it and if what we are doing is out of blind loyalty or true loyalty, stubbornness or a cause worth fighting for.