My New Year's Declaration

I don't normally do New Year's Resolutions, but this year I want to make a small declaration. As part of my Running for Rights project, my intention is to become a more vocal campaigner for human rights in 2013.

It is all too easy to remain silent about contentious issues such as boat-people, to sit on the sidelines while the debate rages in the media, at the pub or during a dinner party. I am sorry to say that I have been guilty of not always speaking my mind in case I put a client, friend or family member off-side. Disguised as 'politeness', such silence is more closely related to fear. The price of such 'politeness' is to allow important ethical issues to drowned out by loud opinions and bigoted voices.

So this year I intend to be more vocal, to make comments in the media, to research facts and inject them into debates; and not to be so 'polite' when conversations involving ethical issues crop up. Let's see how it goes.