Changing Ambiguity

It is amazing to listen to individuals discuss their beliefs and positions on various topics. Discussions on ethics, values, and beliefs have become a deeply personal subject and are often avoided at all costs. Many times this subject matter is only brought up when an issue demands a response. In fact, research indicates that people do not address subjects unless they affect them personally and negatively. More over, we often postpone any discussion or position on a difficult issue and take the "ignorance is bliss" approach to many topics.

The challenge of this approach to life is that specific individuals and entities that become vocal on any difficult issue are put into the driver's seat because they spoke first. I believe we can do something really important for our society to pay attention to the landscape and remove the ambiguity of many subjects in our life. There is something significant about making a decision on an issue that you can feel confident that you have done your homework on. In fact, we can enter the discussion on important issues of society by taking just a few important steps:

• Question - Remove the ambiguity on an issue by asking yourself this: From whom and where did I get my feelings, beliefs, and opinions on this subject? How do I really feel about it?
  

• Think - Become aware about a subject by researching, reading, and listening to sound information on the subject.
  

• Determine - Take the information and apply it to your your personal conviction and what you know is right and come to an agreement on what position you hold.
  

• Act - Live out and talk about what you believe and hold to on a specific subject.

I have discovered that what has been labeled "a deeply personal and private discussion" is often based on a lack of knowledge or action on a specific subject. Let's determine to not let a few loud voices be the assumed right voices, especially since those voices tend to be extremes that few of us hold to. We can think and act for ourselves, and if we do, I believe this will be a better society to live in.

-Monty L. Hipp, President