He who, in questions of right, virtue, or duty, sets himself above all ridicule, is truly great, and shall laugh in the end with truer mirth than ever he was laughed at.

Mockery is the cheapest way of stopping someone, and it works on nearly everybody. Being willing to look ridiculous for something you know to be right is therefore rarer than physical courage, and it costs more day to day. The people who can do it usually end up vindicated, though not always, and the willingness has to be worth something to you even when it is not.

Find the position you hold quietly because saying it aloud would invite a smirk. Say it once this week, plainly and without heat, to someone whose opinion of you matters.