It is tremendously disappointing to be doubted and hated for upholding the law. Nevertheless, there are actions which we should never regret if we have clear conscience and that we eventually will benefit many people in the end.
If rules are not abided, what is the point of setting a set of rules? Of course, no one set of rules is perfect and they would be revised over and over again, but there are many rules which are unchangeable.
We grow up to face more responsibilities; whether in relationship, family or work, or even to the society. No man is perfect, but each of us should at least try our best to make sure things that have to be done are done. Being committed in a relationship, bringing income home every month, accomplishing the tasks given by boss and passing on correct values to the younger generations are a few of the most basic and essential duties we have to do.
There are times which we would face contradictions, for example, being stuck in between the decision to be filial or loyal, which the Chinese call “忠孝两难全”. In other tight situations, it can be relationship versus family or friendship versus relationship; in any case, you are bound to lose favor of one of the parties.
Immature people may eventually try to shrink responsibility or sadly, fail to recognise the correct path.
In a dramatic situation which your best friend creates arson in his fury, and that you are the only witness, will you report on him? Maybe during this incident, nobody is being hurt and you trust he will not repeat the mistake, and as his best friend, you decide to let him off. Have you thought of by “saving” one person, you are actually creating chances of more innocent people being hurt or killed in the future?
In cases which some of your schoolmates are breaking the rules in the public, showing all the passers-by that your school has no discipline, thus tarnishing the impression of the public towards your school, how would you feel? If one day when you go for a job interview or meet a new friend, and when the other party gets to know your school and starts thinking “Hey I know students from this school are ah bengs and ah lians, this person definitely cannot be any better”, how would you feel?
We cannot change or deny the fact of human beings having prejudgement. When you see a student in school uniform smoking besides a bus-stop near the school, what would you think? If you are thinking “this is normal and not a crime”, you belong to a very tiny part of the society; most people would certainly think that the smokers’ school is a very lousy school. In any case, it is absolutely unfair to the rest of the students and staffs of the school.
Smoking is not a crime if the smoker is not underage, not in school uniform and not at any smoking prohibited place. If a smoker is being caught red-handed in the school and has the cheek to lie that he is a non-smoker in front of the discipline committee, yet dares to post picture of himself smoking online, this brainless coward is definitely trying to challenge the system. By doing these, he is both directly and indirectly broadcasting to the entire world about his proudness and promoting illegal acts.
A policeman has to do his duty by catching criminals, be it minor or major crimes committed. If trying to uphold the laws causes the criminals or their friends, or even their friends’ friends to be displeased, it is inevitable. A teacher has to not only guide his students in their studies, as well as to lead them to the correct path, through compliments or punishments. If offenders are being covered up, it simply means that the authorized person is not doing his duty, and he becomes an offender himself.
There is this saying “if you don’t contribute, at least don’t destroy”, which many people obviously refuse to abide to. We should not allow such people to damage whatever we have built so far, such as reputation. As a member or part of an organisation, school or the society, it is our responsibility to safeguard our achievements.
In tough situations where you have to consider the feeling of your friend and yet not allowing offenders to go scot-free to pose further threats, do think of the bigger and act before it is too late.