Politically my generation must be a "like" generation because I am convinced that 75% of us believe that "like"ing something on Facebook actually does something.
"Like this photo of the firemen if you appreciate what they did"
"Share this video to stop animal torture"
"Repost this if you are sending your thoughts out to the victims"
Sorry guys but that really does little to nothing. The firemen probably don't know their picture is going around, dog beaters aren't going to stop because you posted a video and saying your condolences on a facebook page is a pretty lame way of saying you didn't want to get off the couch to actually do something for them.
I read this article last night from mindpetals.com about overreacting and David makes some really good points.
- "How often are people labeled as over-reactors when they are simply trying to understand why something is the way it is or isn’t? Is it an overreaction to question? To dig a little into a situation? To question the prevailing authority over this society?"
- "No body wants to take the lead, but be lead by the least amongst us. No body wants to pick up the rock of the situation and see what lies beneath it. We’re too lazy for such investigation. Docile cats strolling the streets for a stranger to throw some food."
- "But I’d rather starve than go to bed with the Devil. I’d rather question what’s not right, with cuts, bruises, insults, and all, than remain silent to unrighteousness with the comfort of security, food, and protection. We’ve become weak and ineffective. The dog has lost his bite and the bark has long been muzzled with obedience, fear, and “let’s not make a big deal of this.”"
- "Though the prevailing winds of the society may steer you down their right passage, fast and safely, don’t hesitate to tack and go against the wind—it may take you longer to get home, but at least your spirit will remain intact and your Self Respect and dignity wouldn’t have been sold to the highest bidder in exchange for your obedience to a system so corrupt, so well disguised, that you think of it as the only Right for fear of life."
I don't know how many people my age are really political about the things they care about, if they have something they care about. I would be interested to know how few of my friends have actually written a senator since elementary school.
I wrote three letters.
I wrote to my representatives about Joesph Kony. People were stunned that I took the time. People called me brave. It's not brave. It is what the system is set up for: communication between leaders and their constituents. Why are so many afraid to write a letter to someone who holds their vote in congress?
The Kony 2012 video on Youtube has gotten 1,385,052 likes since March 5th. How many people wrote congress?
The Cover the Night video got 200,000 hits yet when me and my friends showed up there were 6 of us in a college town full of Invisible Children "supporters".
When the U.N. gathers this fall there is going to be a meeting about LRA violence and Joesph Kony, Invisible Children is asking that we call our leaders today and have them sign the letter urging Obama to attend this meeting.
When I sent out a mass text this morning and posted on facebook about doing this I can bet that half of the people will exhausted that I am still beating this drum.
I want this to end.
I am passionate about this cause.
I am actually going to do something.
I am not going to sit on a computer and hit "like" on a post about something political, sorry it doesn't do anything. I actually called my representative this morning. It wasn't very scary, the intern sounded more flustered than me. But you know what? Bob Bishop knows that someone in his area still cares about it.
We can't just let fads sweep facebook and not actually get involved.
Like what David said: I’d rather question what’s not right, with cuts, bruises, insults, and all, than remain silent to unrighteousness with the comfort of security, food, and protection.
I don't want to be complacent.
Do you?
Carly
here here
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