Judge and jury

In a society where politicians are too busy unzipping their flies to strive for the public good and Bill Gates is a role model, we've grown cynical enough to believe that there is no longer a right thing to do-indeed, such a phrase is barely even recognizable without its embracing quotes. Unless we're encouraging others to be politically correct in a thoughtless manner, we're not supposed to impose our values on other people. Morality has been replaced with moral relativism. Ideology with cost-benefit analysis. And judgment? In today's world, if someone calls you judgmental, you'd better be insulted.

Throughout my life, I've been criticized for just that-too judgmental. I've been told it's God's job to judge; individuals have no right to play judge and jury for anyone but themselves. And perhaps it's true. I resent the Christian Coalition or any extremist group that tells people how to lead their lives. And yet, the great thing about America is that I have the power to judge such organizations right back. Freedom of speech was supposed to liberate us to express our opinion and to allow us to stand up for what we believe. Instead, most of us use it as an excuse to keep silent.

Being judgmental doesn't mean you lock people in prison camps for their beliefs or tell everyone that they'll burn in hell unless you see the truth. It simply implies that you are unafraid to take a moral stand-that whether it's Hitler slaughtering people beyond your doorstep or your drunk friend wanting to drive home, you make your opinion known and, if need be, fight to uphold your ideals, even if it's a losing battle.

I'll admit it's a fine line between being judgmental and acting arrogant or self-righteous. And history has proven that once people start to judge others, individuals may fail to see the humanity in those not like themselves and use any means to further their personal agendas. Yet, I'd rather risk a sanctimonious attitude than be an accomplice to behavior I consider immoral. I'd rather be criticized for being judgmental than be one of the many German citizens who allowed eight million people to die, to let my friend kill himself because he drove home drunk or to simply be the kind of person I consider spineless and could never respect.

And while judgment isn't a synonym for action, it's at least a start. Maybe if people were more judgmental of each other, 500 extra ballots wouldn't have been stuffed in the Duke Student Government election box, causing anxiety and embarrassment for all candidates, the bathrooms in my dorm wouldn't have been inexplicably trashed and students might not make bombs, injure each other in irrelevant brawls and destroy any place they have a party. Because guess what? These things aren't cool; they're wrong. And in a society of judges, we would act as a system of checks and balances for each other and anyone who ever acted so stupidly would be quickly put in his or her place.

Everyone makes judgments. Silence is acceptance. Passivity is approval. And all those who insist that people shouldn't judge one another are making a judgment themselves. The only difference is how purposeful we are willing to be. Even beyond crisis situations, how many of us, on a day to day basis, can find the courage to stand up in public and fight for what we believe?

I think the University would be a much better place if we got rid of fraternities, sororities and a lot of the cultural organizations on campus because people might start celebrating diversity with those who are different than themselves and building relationships based on inner connections rather than relatively meaningless external distinctions. I believe most students are apathetic and need to give more to those around them. I think the guy on Food Lion commercials should be tied to a chair and forced to watch his idiocy for 24 hours straight.

I believe the students at this university who think they're cooler than everyone else need to grow up. I believe the artists and more "alternative" students (including myself) need to stop whining and create a place for themselves on this campus. These are my judgments. And I'm trying to lead my life in accordance with my values. Maybe you don't like this column. Perhaps you disagree strongly with my beliefs-that's your right. But it's more than that. When your morals are challenged, I believe it's also your obligation to make judgments and then to make sure you feelings are heard.