How to Fight Social Injustice

When thinking about the social injustices that exist in this world, a lot of different things come to mind. There are the simple injustices brought by men and placed upon men which would include theft, prejudice and racism, scamming, and blatant dishonesty. Then there are the major injustices such as worldwide poverty and neglect, terrorism, war, slavery, sex trade, drugs, political arrests, tyranny and a host of others. When thinking about these injustices, which seem to be so far apart from each of us, do we ever think about how to fight them?

Do we have to be a caped crusader like Batman? Do we need to be powerful and politically connected like the Kennedy family? Do we need to have the money of another Bill Gates to start a foundation such as the one he and his wife have initiated? Do we need to be a rock music star to bring in the multitudes so that they might help fund efforts toward one cause or another? The answer is "No".

The question is, "How do we as individuals fight any or all of these social injustices?" There are several very simple things we can do in our every day life that can help our overall situation. These simple acts can go a long way if everyone would do them.

First, and probably the most important is to simply keep your eyes and ears open to what is occurring in the world around you. Do not get caught up in the problems of everyday life to the point of shutting out local news and events. Watch a newscast every day and read a newspaper to stay informed. Talk to your family, friends and neighbors to get their opinions and form some sort of consensus. Do not believe everything you hear. Sadly, the media is slanted in its views of events.

Second, learn to speak your mind. Do not just rant and rave. Rather, offer constructive criticism, debate, concern, and possibly new insight into problems at hand. Never, never, never force your opinions or desires upon others. That is truly one of the greatest of injustices. Teach your children how to be constructive with their activities, thoughts and creative outlets. Do not try to brainwash them, but instead, guide them in their personal paths to the truth of life. One of the most underutilized classes in the American educational system is the Speech and Debate class. Those who take advantage of these classes are more likely to be more outgoing in their life and more willing to be involved.

Third, learn to step forward and take some action, any action. This action may seem trite and obscure in the large picture, but it might just make you feel better as a person. Good feelings and high esteem have a way of affecting others who are nearby. How hard is it to recycle or simply pick up a piece of litter from the ground? If sounds of a wife beating are heard through the walls of an apartment, how hard is it to inform the police anonymously? When seeing a car without proper tags parking in a handicapped zone, is it too hard just to point toward the handicapped sign for the driver to see? No confrontation is needed.

There are so many things to do. Try visiting a city council meeting. Try hosting a petition or raising money for charity. Help a friend, a neighbor, or better yet, help a stranger. So many people talk about the laws of attraction. They link these laws to building businesses and thus subvert their very essence. Think about this this simple idea that may help fight the social injustices around us. If every man, woman and child in this world were to wear a smile for a day, would the world be a happier place? If half of the world population were to laugh all day long, would part of the other half begin to laugh as well? If we were to all become involved in some small way would we not have an affect on our world? How will you begin? What will you strive to do?