i’m going to talk about how i don’t understand things like this:
So many people have this mindset that life here is so hard, so boring, so terrible, etc. etc.
i sit in class and i hear things like: “we don’t have time. we live in Berea.”
newsflash: it’s not Berea, it’s any “small” town. it’s not Berea, it’s college.
i’m not saying that Berea isn’t unique in any way or there aren’t any legitimate complaints, but for the most part i think people just complain cause the grass is greener on the other side of the hill.
i’m going to enjoy the time i have here and take all the opportunities that are offered to me (there are a LOT). i don’t want to waste my time wishing i was someplace else.
(that being said, feel free to call me out if i ever complain, haha)
i hear so many people talk about “spreading the word” or “raising awareness” about the existence of modern day slavery.
when we say things like this we are hurting the cause we’ve intended to further.
the word that we should be spreading isn’t that there is a problem, but…
there isn’t one simple, specific solution (at least that i know of). i think this is why people focus on the problem: it’s simple, it’s concrete. it’s easy to acknowledge there is a problem, it’s much harder to work towards a solution.
in my opinion, the only way slavery is ever going to end is if the majority of people on the planet start caring and start getting involved.
what does it mean to get involved?
it obviously starts with awareness. but it cannot end there. we can’t just say “OMG 27 MILLION SLAVES. SPREAD THE WORD.” that approach just creates a world where everyone is aware of the problem, but most of us are looking the other way.
the ways i would encourage people to get involved are:
1. educate yourself and never stop being educated. there is never a time when a person can say he/she knows enough about a problem that affects millions of people.
2. donate to organizations (either with money or volunteering).
3. find what you love to do and use that to fight for justice. don’t assume that being an abolitionist just means being a lawyer or a social worker.
4. use your purchasing power to push companies to commit to selling products made without the use of slaves and buy from companies who actually rescue victims and give them stable jobs. (example: http://freesetglobal.com)
5. pray. i know from reading several of your posts that you’re not a huge fan of prayer and i understand that. humans have this terrible tendency to rely on God for all these issues that don’t affect them personally and then rely on their own strength for their daily problems. i think that’s wrong. a Christian abolitionist should be one who is constantly relying on the strength of God to guide them and help them fight. Faith without works is dead. it is meaningless and worthless. if someone is praying for those who are enslaved but will not do anything about it, i seriously question their sincerity and fear that they are just praying to save their conscience.
these are all things i think people should be doing in addition to raising awareness. what sort of solution would you propose?
you also mentioned that any talk about slavery is going to “pull people down.” i think some clarification on my part is in order. when i say that our method of spreading the word shouldn’t pull people down i mean that it shouldn’t have the effect of making people feel helpless. because that would be a lie. we are not doomed to stand by and watch our sisters and brothers be used as objects for another person’s pleasure. we are not unable to help. when we look at the big picture, we realize that there are hundreds of organizations who are involved in furthering justice who hope and pray everyday for more manpower, more funding, etc.
slavery is depressing. the perpetrators of injustice are powerful. but we should not act as if we are the ones enslaved. we cannot let the power of the opposition overwhelm us into inaction. we cannot afford to feel helpless.
instead, we have to realize the power that we hold as free individuals and use that to empower others.
(Source: black-guy2)
(Source: overdoz)
i hear so many people talk about “spreading the word” or “raising awareness” about the existence of modern day slavery.
when we say things like this we are hurting the cause we’ve intended to further.
the word that we should be spreading isn’t that there is a problem, but that there is a solution.
we don’t want people to be aware of injustice. we don’t want people to be filled with numbers and stories and frustration, we want people to be aware of the change that could be. to be aware that everyone can be part of the solution.
awareness that pulls people down is evil. but the word that lifts people up to action is beautiful.
let us commit to spreading that word.
Amen.
