Dear American Protesters,
I get it.
You’re astonished, mortified, afraid, disgusted - pissed off.
And in this land of free speech and open spaces, you want to shout your feelings, fill the air with your angst, coat the outer walls of ivory towers and high-rise apartments with your rage and denial - because maybe, if you’re loud enough and if there are enough of you, the recent inconceivable election results can be reversed and order (as you see it) can be restored.
And as a proponent of freedom, free speech specifically, I say have at it. Shout. March. Protest.
But as a fellow citizen and an idolizer of productivity, I say you’re doing it wrong.
Also, I’ve heard a lot of people telling you to stop it. Or to yell louder. I want to tell you something else. Please, bear with me.
I’m not millennial-bashing. That helps no one.
I’m not minimizing the terror or hate or destruction that seems to have gripped our fair land in a way that threatens to suffocate all things good: progress, hope, refuge, truth, dignity, love.
I am, however, suggesting that protests against our president elect won’t help. They won’t make ways for immigrants and refugees to be welcomed and fed. They won’t give underprivileged children more access to quality education. They won’t decrease your carbon footprint or create new jobs.
Protests, in this case, are therapeutic while simultaneously being destructive, though the participants do not intend either of those results. They allow the helpless to feel a sense of power. But they also incite criticism and division. I honestly believe they are doing no good.
So, what can we - the baffled, the confused, the determined - do to make a difference?
First, realize that the issues/prejudices/beliefs that led to the current political dilemma did not originate at the national level. They existed in state and local arenas long before this campaign season began.
Secondly, understand that you have power and responsibility at the most basic, local levels of politics.
Thirdly, accept that no one can do all the things.
What are you passionate about? Which issue most strongly compelled you to support a certain candidate in this election? Focus on one or two areas of interest in which you can commit your time and resources. Then do so.
I offer the following suggestions on how you can be the change you want to see in this country.
1. Have issues. But only one or two at a time.
-Concerned about women’s reproductive rights? I guarantee our local women’s center or crisis pregnancy clinic is looking for volunteers. Call them. Ask how you can help.
-Concerned about the environment? Here are the top issues facing our environment these days: http://www.conserve-energy-future.com/15-current-environmental-problems.php How can you help? I can assure you that your city has ways for you to get involved. Habitat for Humanity is just one organization that addresses some of these issues. Here’s a list of others, because sometimes the only way you can help is to give money, and that’s okay! http://billmoyers.com/2014/02/07/five-groups-leading-the-charge-to-halt-...
Or just follow this guide on reducing your personal carbon footprint: http://cotap.org/reduce-carbon-footprint/
-Determined to impact the lives of the marginalized, the needy, the poor? Every city has food pantries that help feed families in crisis. (If yours does not, start one!) You can regularly donate canned goods or, even better, your time. Homeless shelters and rescue shelters can often use the items you would normally send to the thrift store. Here are some organizations that you can connect with to help the poor: http://mswonlineprograms.org/poverty-hunger/
-You can also volunteer with the International Rescue Committee if you have a heart for refugees: https://www.rescue.org/volunteer#how-can-i-volunteer
-Or work to end human trafficking: http://www.state.gov/j/tip/id/help/
-Care about public education? Much like elected politicians, superintendents and school board members are public servants. You can call or email them to discuss common core or other education issues. HOWEVER, make sure you are correctly informed before you ask for their time. Read: articles, blogs by reliable sources, textbooks, anything that relates to the issue at hand. Also, go to public forums and school board meetings. Those are open to the public. Find out which businesses are represented on your local Chamber of Commerce. Talk to managers, CEOs - they are people, just like you!
-Focusing on more global issues like the economy? Then you are in for the long game. But that’s okay.
SAVE. YOUR. MONEY. Invest it. Limit your spending. We love apps, right? There are a dozen apps that will help with this. Every time you think you need new shoes or another leather jacket, remember how you felt when you woke up Wednesday morning, November 9th. Then ask yourself if you REALLY need them.
-Or if you aren’t really pulled toward one cause, make humanity itself your cause. Train to counsel or receive phone calls for the Suicide Prevention Lifeline (or any organization that provides safe places for people to talk and be heard): http://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/participate/
Again, public libraries and college campuses are great places to hold meetings where people can come together just for the sake of sharing the human experience.
2. Contact your representatives. Anyone can schedule a meeting with a congressman. That’s right - they work FOR you, technically. If congress is in session and you don’t live near DC, you might have to wait a while. If you can’t manage a personal meeting for some reason, then there are other ways to let a representative know how he or she can better serve you, the voter, the constituent. Here’s a website to help you look up the who and how: https://www.nationalpriorities.org/take-action/contact-your-representative/
3. Engage! Host political discussions in the form of coffee shop chats or in-home dinners. Ask your public library if you can have a meeting there about current issues up for debate in your area. Invite local or state officials to your place of business, your place of worship. Set up a casual roundtable discussion at a farmer’s market or downtown park.
And listen! Listen to those who disagree with you. Find out why. Offer alternatives, solutions, or just your hand in friendship.
4. Google! I barely grazed the surface of all the ways you can make a personal, direct, real, lasting impact on this country and the world. Ask the Internet about ways to get involved in your community.
Of course, the most direct and immediate thing you can do is to love your neighbor. Smile at people. Greet them warmly. Do not look down when you pass someone on the street. Say hello. Make eye contact. Have a brief, casual conversation with a stranger as you wait in line to buy groceries. We are being pulled away from each other bit by bit. We must intentionally knit ourselves back together.
Hugs,
Christa
