We love and hate it- politics. The backbone to basically every country in the world. And to be ignorant in this day in age is not cool. Ignorance is no longer bliss. To be privileged in a country that oppresses your fellow citizens and for you to not use that privilege to acknowledge and help- well you ought to do some research and use your privilege for the better.
1. Gun control
In the United States, it's obvious there is a gun problem. Parents should not have to be afraid to send their children to school, kids should not have to be afraid to go to school, for people to go to bars, music festivals, or anywhere. But yet, here we are 11 months later after the Parkland Shooting with more citizens died because of a shooter.
You can send all the prayers you want, but prayers ARE NOT going to stop shootings or bring loved ones back from the dead. Every time a parent loses their kid and lays them to rest they are demanding gun control so no one else has to experience what they have.
Susan Orfanos who's son survived the Las Vegas Massacre lost her son to the Thousands Oaks shooting. Her video, "I don't want prayers, I don't want thoughts, I want gun control" has become a leading video advocating for gun control."
2. Women's rights
Women's bodies are THEIR bodies. No man has the jurisdiction to decide what we can or cannot do with our bodies. Yes, I'm looking at you male politicians and any other person who thinks they have the jurisdiction to decide what women can and can not do with their body.
If you don't like what someone does and they choices they make, move on because more than likely their choice will never affect you.
3. LGBTQ+ community
People with different sexual preferences and gender orientation are just like everyone else- and trying to harm or hurt them in anyway by trying to strip away their rights and protection is not fair. In this day in age, most of us know someone or are friends with someone who is apart of the LGBTQ+ community.
And as their friend, be an ally, support them and love them for they who are.
4. Immigrants
Image: Protestors March During Wisconsin's Day Without Latins, Immigrants, and RefugeesOne of the main things Donald Trump ran on throughout his campaign was is hostility towards immigrants and minorities. This should not be tolerated in this day in age, yet here we are. Besides Native Americans, almost every single person in the United States is descendent from an immigrant.
They come here from a better life, more opportunities for their family and children. They are your neighbor, your food delivery person or favorite store owner, protecting our country- they are what makes America a better place to live.
No kid or family should have to be separated and put in awful living conditions because they are an "illegal alien". First off, they are human and no human is illegal.
5. Power of the people
We as the people have the power- government officials and office holders work for us. We have the freedom to vote them in or out, the freedom to call or email or mail demanding action on something. They serve us- it's as easy as looking on the internet to find your representatives calling and email information to talk to them.
Use your voice to be heard. Change happens with the people.
It's our responsibility to be an informed citizen and to hold office holders accountable, we can make change happen little by little.
Go out and use your voice. Vote in every election, become part of an interest group or whatever your heart desires but be an active citizen because politics is impossible to escape so embrace it.
