I often do, but it depends on the context.
When I was teaching a course that involved a lot of TAs last quarter, I got a reputation as a pain in the ass because I often insisted we do things that were a lot more work on our part, but only marginally more fair/helpful to the students. But I thought it was important that we do everything we can to teach the students well and fairly, even if it was more work.
But other times I keep my mouth shut. There’s one instance in particular that I’m thinking of, and I’m still not sure I did the right thing. I was sitting in a coffee shop working, and a group of astrologers were having a meeting/discussion. One man stated (for the entire coffee shop to hear) that people who were abused were getting retribution for something they had done in a past life.
I was deeply offended by the implication that every victim deserves what happens to them. But I wasn’t part of the group, and the guy was a total stranger, so I kept my mouth shut. On the one hand, I was impressed that I was able to restrain myself—something it has taken 25 years to learn how to do—but on the other, I wish I woulda let him have it.
PS: Hi Gail!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I love exclamation marks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!