If you can’t be a good person, than at least be decent by Ruby

If you can’t be a good person, than at least be decent by Ruby - August 2017 Scholarship Essay

If I were a college professor, I would offer an elective course called “How to be a decent person 101”. In our modern age, it appears that parents have been lacking basic manners, avoiding the discussions of important topics, and not teaching their children proper etiquette. There are still individuals with open minds and manners, but they are an endangered species. As a professor, if I could only teach 100 students per school year, than I would be beyond the moon that I could teach 100 students to be at least decent people. I understand not everyone can understand everything or get over their ego, but if you can’t be a good person, than at least be decent. In my class I would teach beyond just not chewing gum with your mouth open, but rather the importance of treating everyone with value for who they are. While in high school, I have noted how many young men do not hold the door open for their female peers and teachers, or even give up their own seats when there are no seats left. The ideology that “I am just as important as you” has been abused, and now we are left with a society that has twisted traditional morals and values.

As an officer for Best Buddies on my school campus, I have noted how many of my peers baby other students with disabilities and special needs. By baby, I mean they speak to them in high pitched voices and don’t let them make their own decisions. We must see the needs of different individuals, but at the end of the day, the students at my school with specials needs are still teenagers like me. They want to be treated with respect, kindness, and ultimately want to make new friends just like I do. This does not mean we assume they want us to pick out what they want for lunch or speak to them like they are our children. We are peers, we are teens, and we are students, not mothers or fathers. I would also teach my students the importance of equality within race. Growing up as a mixed African American in a predominantly white community, I have seen it all. It is rude to assume that all African Americans watch basketball, have weaves, or listen to Dr. Dre. It is also rude to use race shaming words like the n word for all people of all racial backgrounds. I have been called this word in an advanced placement class by a student that believed it was okay for him to say it because he was Italian, not white.

I would preach about how imperative it is for us to respect our elders. I see old women standing at the bus stop instead of sitting because other young women got there before her. Gender is not vital when it comes to showing our elderly respect. I’m not saying the youth must bow down to the feet of their grandparents, but hey, I’m sure your Grandpa would like it if he could have a good view of the Super Bowl game. Just because one did something amazing for someone else, it does not mean they have to post about it on every social media site. Integrity is the greatest trait to have as an individual. If you post about it on twitter for retweets and likes, than it is no longer a good deed. I would also edify students on staring and pointing. Everyone feels judged if they are pointed at, or stared at over and over. No matter if you simply think someone is beautiful or they have cupcake frosting around their mouth, it is much better to speak up than stare or point. Since we are in such an opinionated day and age, I would stress to students that you are entitled to your own opinion. It does not matter if your favorite color is pink and you are proud to be a Democrat. It does not matter if you are Donald Trump’s biggest fan. It does not matter if you are homophobic. Everyone should just respect everyone else’s opinion.

We must see the beauty and ugliness in everything before we try to argue or attempt to persuade others in changing their viewpoint. We must remain open minded and see all the colors of the rainbow instead of black and white. Our world cannot continue going on like this, we must have change, and change starts by being a decent person at the least. Although he didn’t have the proper solution for civil rights, we cannot say Malcom X was a bad guy, because he was passionate about helping children and adults of color. We can’t say the Black Panthers were just a violent group, because they still did peaceful things such as feeding children free breakfast. We can’t say Richard Nixon wasn’t at least a decent person, because he still signed Title IX, which changed women’s rights in America drastically. I can’t say I’m the perfect person, but I can still say I’m at least a decent one. So as a Professor, I’d transform students as I would whip them into shape with etiquette like my own mother did to me.