Who is the silent fighter and why stand in awe?

Claudia Corrigan | Opinions Editor

I root for the silent fighter, not for his cause, but for his ability to keep his beliefs covert. Who is the silent fighter, you might ask? It would be impossible to properly describe him without explaining who the silent fighter is not. The silent fighter is not a “feminist,” nor is he an outspoken activist of gay rights. He does not have a “Keep Tahoe Blue” or “Give a Hoot, Don’t Pollute” sticker slapped on the back of his bumper. He does not spam your Sunday night television commercials with slideshows of 3-legged dogs and “Arms of an Angel” as musical accompaniment in the background. The silent fighter does not wear a “Prevent Truth Decay, Stop Voting Republican” t-shirt to further emphasize his political stance. The silent fighter does not scream at you, nor does he get red in the face and tell you how unethical your actions are.

Contrary to how I might be illustrating the silent fighter, he is far from an airhead or zombie. The silent fighter is a well-informed individual, who holds his own stance on issues of the modern day. Unlike other activists, he chooses to keep said beliefs corralled within the boundaries of his mouth. He demonstrates his beliefs through personal action. Although he may not participate in the Dallas Strike for EBOLA, he believes in the cause of health and longevity for the population. (Instead, he buys a turkey sandwich and orange juice for the undernourished, homeless man sitting outside the Subway.)

The silent fighter is neither a leader, nor a follower. He does not wish to manhandle his beliefs down your throat or have those beliefs of another manhandled down his. He believes that strong stances can often be undermined by overly strained vocals; what he does in his day-to-day life proves more substantial than what he could ever say. I root for the silent fighter because he is the man who supports the confidence of young girls by purchasing Girl Scout cookies. He is the man who adopts a three-legged dog and names her Candice. He is the man who picks up a stray Ziploc bag on his walk home. He is the man you never hear on television or blogging online in attempts to convert you to his side. He is the man who stays true to his moral and finds hope in his actions.