What does it mean to take a stand?
To take a stand, one must take a firm position on an issue. Historically, people have taken a stand in support of an issue, such as the demonstrators in Tiananmen Square who protested for greater freedom in China. Sometimes taking a stand involves opposing the status quo—for example, Martin Luther’s act of nailing his Ninety-Five Theses to the door of the All Saints’ Church in Wittenberg, Germany. Taking a stand could even involve fighting against a powerful movement, such as Queen Liliuokalani’s fight against annexation to maintain Hawaiian independence. These examples show well-known individuals taking a stand. How did these people defend their position? When looking at different individuals and groups who took a stand, there are examples of those who used force, words, and economic power to make their voices heard. These people are remembered because they had an impact on history and inspired others to follow them. Remember that there is a difference between opposition and truly taking a stand. What do you think has to happen to move from opposition to taking a stand?
Topics should not be current events. In general, try to base topics on events that took place at least 20 years ago.