Beautiful and so very needed during this crazy time in the world where honourable stands need to be made against the shit that is currently going on in the world.
I have a very real life case that happened many years back. The sector I worked in was under investigation for some things (my manager had started a rangers squad that tackled poaching and environmental crime because the law enforcement were rather useless at that - well they thought that because the rangers wore camo and carried pepper ball guns that they were building an army for a coup - insert eye roll here - anyway) they found that all the peace officers cards that had been issued to the conservation staff had been issued illegally and by a staff member in the law enforcement sector that had actually been suspended making the appointment cards illegal.
We were instructed by the top brass (who I was not a fan of) to continue using the cards until the issue was resolved. I completely disagreed with this because it meant that any arrest would be illegal and that anyone that was arrested for environmental crime would then be able to institute civil claims of liability against the person that arrested them for unlawful arrest in their personal capacity. I was not willing to arrest anyone unlawfully and take personal liability for this and I penned a letter to this effect to this lady. I then cut up my Peace Office card and placed it in an envelope with the letter to surrender it as well as making it impossible for anyone to use my card illegally in a fraudulent manner.
I don't even think it occurred to this woman that her instruction to continue using an illegally issued peace officer card was exceptionally dangerous and very irresponsible. Let's just say that she was extremely unimpressed with me and that was how I started painting a target on my back - because I took a stand to protect myself and others who didn't think about the implications - and I also wasn't impressed that I was probably the only one who thought about this in accordance with the criminal procedures act which holds rather nasty penalties for illegal arrests.
Anyway, not much happened to her through this whole thing and she's still sitting on her throne of power, but I eventually had to leave, I loved the work but I wasn't going to be a part of the circus.
To this day, I don't regret my actions.
And I also have a few drinking tankards. Still working on the hall lol. Skol.
And there it is...The personal risk one takes when standing tall, taking a stand and following one's personal morals in a situation where it seems easier not to. It sets that person apart in my opinion, but also sets them apart from those keen to capitulate on their morals through lack of self-respect or courage.
There's always implications for taking a stand...Consider those in the French Revolution - The implication? Death. Consider those fought for independence [1775-1783], those who took a stand in Nazi Germany...History is full of them...Those who take a stand and accept the implications for doing so.
I'm a take a stand sort of chap, as are you...But you're not a chap. :)
Skol.