DENIGRATE

March 13, 2010

Denigrate
\’de-ni-‘grat\ v 1: to attack the reputation of : defame 2: to deny the importance or validity of : belittle

I like to believe that I am the type of person who stands up for what I believe in even though, at times, it may not seem like the most popular choice. I have fought for a myriad of things in my life from programming to the implementation of the study of a particular culture and the journey (while more often than not, arduous), taught me what it is to believe in something and to be willing to pass that on to my fellow leaders.
During my junior year of high school, I was appointed to serve as the editor of the newspaper. Shocked yet happy, I promptly took on appropriate duties and worked hard to prove myself. As the year went on and certain situations occurred, I found myself in a convoluted dilemma that required me to stand up to the moderator in hopes of demanding some respect for the stance I had taken on a specific issue. The exchange between teacher and student did not go over well and if I had thought that it would all blow over, I was sadly mistaken.
The following year I had applied for a position within the National Honor Society. Due to an accumulation of various factors, I had been turned down. I scheduled a meeting with the head of the board and inquired as to why I had not been accepted. She explained the other factors, and then proceeded to tell me that I had received an unfavorable recommendation from one of the board members. A feeling had settled in the pit of my stomach and even though I knew, I wanted proof.
Indeed I was right! The letter was from that teacher who had been “disrespected” the year before. Not only was the letter harsh, it was an unflattering depiction of what she thought my character consisted of; denigrating my integrity for the rest of the board to peruse. I was mortified! Never in my whole life had I been treated that way by an adult; someone who prided themselves on being a positive role model for her students and who taught Religion for heaven’s sake!
I may not have been granted an opening in the National Honor Society, however I still believe that the action I so strongly believed in and stood up for was not for naught. I’ve learned not everyone will always agree with what one has to say or do, but that should never serve as an obstacle to not asserting one’s convictions.