Students at St. Paul Academy and Summit School are afraid to share their opinions and self segregate based on their viewpoints to avoid conflict. If the last month shows anything, it is the power of not doing this. The power of standing up and making a statement, because by not saying anything, by not standing up, you are making a statement (look at Colin Kaepernick),

Throughout the Olympics and the start of the fall professional sports season, athletes are using their platform in an attempt to initiate change. Whether that be within their sport or in the larger world.

Colin Kaepernick, backup quarterback of the San Francisco 49ers, has refused to stand for the National Anthem since the team’s third preseason game against the Green Bay Packers. He sat on the bench before that game and has taken a knee in the three subsequent games.

He has been joined by countless players across the league and US Women’s National Team player, Meghan Rapinoe. Additionally,highschoolers and pee-wee athletes have protested the National Anthem (one of which is Minneapolis South High School’s Volleyball Team).

These athletes have all faced negative consequences for their actions. Denver Broncos’ linebacker Brandon Marshall has gotten an endorsement revoked. USA Soccer publicly called out Meghan Rapinoe for kneeling, and most deplorably a group of 12U football players received death threats for not standing during the National Anthem.

At the Olympics, American swimmer Lily King made waves by calling out her own sport federation, FINA.

“We can compete clean,” Lilly King said emphatically after taking the Olympic Gold Medal over Yulia Efimova in the women’s 100m breastroke, “And that’s how it should be.”

Efimova spent the months before the Olympics trying to get her ban for the Rio games overturned after she was suspended for using meldonium (the same drug fellow Russian athlete Maria Sharapova was suspended for in March). This was Efimova’s second suspension in three years, after being suspended for 16 months in 2013 for using DHEA (a synthetic hormone). King also challenged the International Olympic Committee for reinstating Efimova the Saturday before the games.

“It was the IOC’s decision and I’m going to respect that decision even though it’s not something that I agree with,” King said.

On the final day of the Olympic games, in one of the marquee events: the marathon, silver medalist, Ethiopian Feyisa Lilesa crossed the finish line with his arms above his head in the shape of an “X.” He was protesting his government’s persecution of the Oromo people, an ethnic group of which he is a member.

“If I go back to Ethiopia, maybe they will kill me,” he said after he finished the race in 2 hours, 9 minutes and 54 seconds. “If not kill me, they will put me in prison. I have not decided yet, but maybe I will move to another country,” he said.

King, Kaepernick, and Lelisa risked a lot to say the things that they said and do the things they are doing. Critics, the IOC, and the governing bodies of their sports scrutinized, ridiculed and disciplined their actions.

But it was worth it. It is worth it.

When there is injustice, those who are affected and have a voice must speak out.

Students need to do the same thing. Every student has a voice and every student that attends SPA should have an opinion. Share that opinion and make sure that the opinion is embodied. If the SPA community is one where change occurs and minds and hearts are shaped, there needs to be some conflict of opinion that changes those opinions.

Sitting only amongst only those with the same view points is the easiest thing to do, but it does not achieve anything. Simply patting each other on the back does not shape anything in a person. An echo chamber does not do anything to make someone smarter. Self segregation based on ideology does not challenge anyone’s opinions with new information.

When someone challenges an opinion with facts, it is not disrespectful, it is not challenging the person. Additionally, “Safe Space” is not meant to say that students cannot participate in respectful discourse based on facts, it is about treating each other with respect. So, when a person challenges an opinion or has a different opinion, respect it or at least respect their ability to voice their opinion.

Additionally, opinions are not replacement for fact, they are supported by fact. Belief does not equal fact and facts cannot be created (*cough* Donald Trump *cough*). Thus, if someone makes something up and portrays it as fact, call them out. If that cannot happen at a school like SPA, then that cannot happen in the larger world. Step up, do it here.

These athletes had so much at stake, their careers, their endorsements, their view in the public eye or their lives. In the SPA community, the stakes are so much lower but there is still so much opportunity for growth and there are so many platforms that students can use.

On Twitter, if something reflects a viewpoint, throw that an RT, do not just hide it in your likes, let people know what you think and do not be afraid to have that idea challenged.

If there is something in the school, an opinion that is being silenced, put something on the opinion board and do not be afraid to have an opinion challenged and be prepared to defend it with facts.

Bottom line: own opinions, let others know those opinions and embody those opinions.