We cannot tolerate abuse, constraints, or injustice. We can’t hide from our problems. We can only step to them. Submission is no cure. Nor can we expect outrages to magically go away on their own. We must draw the line, somewhere—if not right now, then very soon. We must demand our sovereignty. Insist on it. Each of us has more power than we know. And by demanding our rights—by fighting back against oppression or abuse or poor treatment—we’re not only being brave, we are, like Douglass, helping everyone who comes after us.
