Stargirl=Role Model #3

First and foremost, I think that the Day of Silence is a fantastic idea! I myself will not be participating, but I support it whole-heartedly. As Martin Luther King Jr. said, "Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere."

The character (fictional) I am using to illustrate this concept is Stargirl, from Stargirl. In being so pure and true to herself, and in marching through the hateful vibrations of lesser minds and weaker spirits, she took a stand for every other oddling. Everyone is persecuted for the same reason: because they are different, and one pioneer for differences being accepted blasts away a little bit more at the mountain that is fear of difference and abnormality. I particularly like the book Stargirl because of the other students' reactions to Stargirl. In the beginning, her utter originality and uniqueness is perceived as wierd and shocking, then fascinating and appealling, and her style and mannerisms are mimicked. However, the tide turns, and the student body starts to detest and resent her, and even her boyfriend wishes she would come across as more regular. In the end, though, she allows her true personality to shine through, and everyone realizes that they were silly for hating her and they admire and respect and follow her figurative shining beacon of innocent, pure originality. And her ex-boyfriend realizes he was a jerk. Later on, she sends him a tie with a skunk (I think it was a skunk) on it as a symbol that she forgave him. Stargirl was a heroine and incredibly brave and strong. I admire her very much.

And I thought the character had to be fictional, but it turns out it doesn't. I also admire Mathatma Gandhi (role model #1) and Martin Luther (role model #2).