Recently the hearts of the American people have been hit with tragedy after tragedy. Every headline of every news report or article has to do with hate, murder, bad cops, racism, racial tensions or fear. Our society is in a state of crisis. We are at war with ourselves, people are scared and angry and we are blaming each other. Unfortunately, these problems we are currently facing aren't new. They have existed for years, as a result of institutionalized injustice and will take a lot of time and effort to undo. This is why everyone needs to stand up, speak out and help save our dying society. These are some ways to get started.
Get yourself informed.
Nothing is more harmful than a bunch of misinformed people loudly exerting bold blanket statements. Do not give your two cents about an issue unless you know the realities of what is actually going on. It is reasonable for you to be angry and to want to express your anger just like the rest of the nation, but you are not helping anyone by spreading incorrect information. You are doing more harm than good. Also, try to understand the different perspectives on an issue. Please don’t watch a snippet of Tomi Lahren on Facebook and decide that her opinions are sound. Read different articles. Watch different news stations. Actually understand what the phrases #blacklivesmatter and #alllivesmatter mean. Discuss the matters with those around you who are similar to you and different. Just remember that everyone's heart is aching right now...try to listen and relate to each other.
Talk about it.
I know that right now Facebook is a jumbled mess of political and social opinions. I know everyone hates it, but I will not apologize. Get the hell over it. You do not deserve the comfort of going on social media to like pictures and read articles about the latest summer trends when people are dying, when your society is falling apart. Don’t just watch the chaos unfold, join it. Share the articles speaking out against injustice, write your own pieces and do oh so much more to spread the word! Make people uncomfortable, force people out of their comfortable, oblivious lives by making sure they know what is at stake for our society. People need to know that sitting back and doing nothing or ignoring the problem makes them guilty. If you do nothing you are part of the problem. Speak up.
Do something.
It's a wonderful coincidence that while I was writing this in a local coffee shop a man walked by with a sign that read, “stand against racial injustice.” That man is a brilliant example of what I mean by do something. Social change doesn't start with a law written by people at the very top of the pyramid, it starts with all of us. We are the base of our society and change is inevitable without our actions. I’m not saying you need to go on the streets and protest (however, if this is your level of dedication to the cause then by all means) but make the conscious effort to implement change. It can be little things like stopping people from saying derogatory or discriminatory statements or catching yourself before you say derogatory or discriminatory statements. You could join a club on your campus or a community organization that actively speaks out against injustice. Regardless of what you do or how much you do make sure all of your actions serve to help mend our society and not further damage it.
These problems have plagued our society for decades and unfortunately we have turned our faces away in ignorance, dismissing the problems and individuals who have been marginalized. But is has to stop. The murder has to stop. The racism has to stop. The ignorance has to stop. Our society is crumbling before us and we will not survive if we keep standing by and watching it happen. So, get yourself informed, talk about it and do something. Change starts from the bottom up. Change starts with us.
