A Case For Activism

Considering our current political climate, we all have to do better to speak up about injustices. One where our own president has sexual assault allegations and is still free, and where money can easily buy people and political positions. I started to consider just how important activism is while doing research for one of my classes. As I was researching, I realized how easy it is to get a politician to ignore the people they represent when money is involved. My research was not the only thing that made me see how important activism was; hearing so much about ICE and the way they inhumanely take people and make them disappear, while also listening to the injustices happening on college campuses. How can we expect to foster change when we continue to stay silent? 

As a journalism major, I look into a lot of stories about current issues and problems that people face, but now it seems it’s all I can see even when I’m not looking for it. These issues are so important because they continue occurring year after year. 

These past few days all I can think about is the “Cornell 7” and how these fraternity members got away with such a heinous crime and continued on living, knowing what they did. The seven members are not the only ones at fault; every single one of the members in the group chat that stayed silent, knowing what was happening, played a role as well. Silence is also complicity. 

The life of Jane Doe completely changed after that night and the justice system allowed it. Now people who are demanding justice and speaking up about the issue have reopened the case after the lawsuit became public knowledge. 

However, the issue is, why did there even need to be a lawsuit when the victim reported it years ago. Why is it so hard for people to believe women? It seems as if the only way for the world to listen is when we shout in demand of justice. 

Now that the case has gained public attention, many women are getting the courage to speak out about their own experiences, and it’s heartbreaking seeing the number of women who have gone through similar experiences. 

Speaking up not only about rape culture but the system is the only way we can see true change. Women fought for the right to vote in 1920; now we fight for the right to consent. It seems as if every day there’s something new we have to fight for. Until we truly start seeing justice, we can’t stay silent, for all those women who deal with the trauma of the past. 

• activism
• current events
• justice