Putting Band-aids on Social Change
I paid some money to support a group dedicated to social change. I understood this group’s mission was to educate how we treat people different from ourselves.
I patted myself on the back and thought, “okay now, you are a good person by supporting this organization.” And I believed that this would make a difference. So I gave with no skin in the game and hoped people would understand that humans are equals and get over themselves about the “who is most valuable and intelligent” crap.
Later though, I believed that my giving action was like putting a band-aid on a massive head injury. Only not a colorful Superwoman band-aid, instead I applied a money band-aid to a society malfunction. Impossible to fix with so little foresight on my part.
But now I get it.
This non-profit organization was founded by people, joined by people, and run by people to educate the public in accepting others, everyone, all one, everybody, period. Okay, that sounds true and good.
But here is the catch. For real progress to be made out there, in public, leaders, volunteers, donation givers, and telemarketers of the organization must trust and understand one another. I did not know the interactions and relationships of the organization. Is there a trusting soul to the group?
I might be a little preachy but here goes; I believe that to create the society we dream about; equal, respectful, first, we must look in the mirror and talk to ourselves. Maybe the conversation would go something like this.
Where am I missing the point? She said it, but that makes me feel unsettled. It is new information. I want to be open but not look silly and don’t know anything.
How can I accept this new viewpoint? Talking more will open the door to a sliver to trust. I want that.
I now believe that I was putting a money band-aid on a societal problem that takes personal attention on my part. Nevertheless, I think social change is critical for our country to be healthy. For change to happen, it begins with each of us Americans looking in the mirror, asking hard questions about who we are, and building our relationships on trusting one another. Change starts with the person in the mirror first; count on it.
Do we trust ourselves to make changes?
Do we want to?
