There has undoubtedly been a social change taking place and it’s being led on college campuses across the world.
Governmental litigation is beginning to echo the needs of our generation rather than dictate them. As a society, we often place too much personal responsibility on politicians and lose faith in our personal ability to change the world.
We are the biggest benefactors of the choices made by the politicians we elect. Therefore, our acceptance or disagreement of their decisions should be heard and made evident by our social actions. From student-led protests across Chile to the University of California-Davis students wearing gas masks in protests of police tactics, college students are expressing their frustrations and need for social change.
Though some view the recent protests as non-orderly and radical movements, the same could be said regarding the civil rights movement, women’s liberation movement and environmental movement.
With the current national debt of the United States, increasing college tuition and parliamentary elections in Egypt, our generation is partaking in a global change — a change placing influence in the hands of everyday people.
Televisions are tuned-in and the world is watching our generation take a stance. When society was calling us apathetic, we demonstrated on the streets of New York. When politicians were saying we didn’t vote, 22-24 million people between the ages of 18-24 voted in the Obama/McCain election.
We continue to show that contrary to belief, the perspective of our generation extends further than music, movies and videogame systems.
Let the rest of us not just be media spectators to the impactful changes influencing our lives. Let’s find the cause to fight, hidden within the societal questions we ponder and bring about change in the lives of others and ourselves. A democracy is only effective if the people its laws equally protect are willing to express themselves in regards to the decisions that affect their lives.