Martin Luther made a list and spurred a whole new faction of Christianity. He was the catalyst of The Thirty Years War. A man by a similar name, generations later, had a dream, and rerouted society. Reagan asked for a wall to be torn down. JFK asked what you could do for your country. Jefferson wrote to preserve our life, liberty, and pursuit of happiness. Susan B. Anthony, Dr. Elizabeth Blackwell, Marie Curie, Mother Teresa, Anne Frank, Ellen Johnson-Sirleaf, Wangari Muta Maathai, Aung San Suu Kyi, Neil Armstrong, Alexander Hamilton, Maya Angelou, Rosa Parks, Malala Yousafzai, Eleanor Roosevelt, Winston Churchill, all altered the rest of human existence for deciding to simply believe that their ideas were worth not only saying out loud, but worth pursuing.
We live the first 18 years of our lives learning who these people are, what they did, and why it matters. We see these individuals as historical icons that we cannot obtain. Our generation has been so hounded for being inferior that it is hard for us to grasp that we can be those people. We are plenty capable. We also have the means for change more than anyone before us. The world is more connected now than it has ever been, and that gives us such an advantage.
Why does this matter? Two words: Inauguration Day. Since our two presidential nominees were confirmed last year following the primaries, our country spurred into two very distinct sides, each hating the other. In all honesty, I was one that couldn't really wholeheartedly pick either side. And while this election was a scary time for America, we cannot let ourselves be disheartened by this. If we are truly "We the People," then we the people can make a change. Whether or not you liked the outcome of the election, you have no excuse.
You can Tweet and post rants on Facebook, but if you are not actively participating and enacting change, you are just wasting everyone's time. Are you going to sit on the sidelines and complain about how everyone else is playing, or are you going to get up and play yourself? You can groan and complain about the state of society, but you are society. You are the roots for change. Nothing happens overnight and nothing happens suddenly. If you care, work.
Every human has the means to make change. Look at history. Do not think that you can't be the next Joan of Arc or George Washington. No one is born with the knowledge of what they will accomplish. They simply do. They see where something needs to be changed, and they do it. America's forefathers did not sit and complain about how tyrannous England was. They started a revolution. A bloody, world-altering revolution, because they believed in their ideas that much. People have died for their ideas, because they would rather meet God with sheer passion in their eyes than know they never tried.
Speak out but do not stop there. Do not let what makes your soul ache go unnoticed. Someone from our generation is going to stand up and completely create a new manifestation of society, for better or worse, like people have for generations. We all sit, complain, and wait for someone to sweep through and save us. Little do you know that everyone might be waiting on you. You can wonder "why aren't people trying to fix that?" Well, you're a person. Why aren't you fixing it?
Your ideas can change the world. No one cares about your opinion. They care what you are going to do about it. Armies don't follow words. Armies follow examples. Society is hurting. From the deeds of the evil, yes. But mostly from the silence of the good. To stay silent when confronted with any injustice is to choose the side of the oppressor.
If something makes your mind tick, do not ignore it, run with it with all that you are, torch in hand. Do not let yourself be satisfied by sharing something on Facebook or retweeting. Imagine last century if someone said "Women should be able to vote!" And people just said, "You're right." Half of our population wouldn't be able to vote, just because someone thought their opinion was valid, but not valid enough to do something about it.
Do not allow yourself to be this person.
Personally, I find great power in my voice. I write for The Odyssey. I'm in numerous organizations at my university. One of my best friends and I are working on a program for women who have experienced sexual assault and harassment, because that is something we are passionate about. That's what makes me tick. That's what makes my blood boil and my head spin. But I owe it to myself, and these women I care about, to actually do something. If something is broken, you don't tell it "sorry." You try and fix it.
Do you want to change the world? You can. Yes, you can change the world. But, you aren't going to pull it off by saying something bothers you. Our very first amendment guarantees you not only have the freedom of speech, but of press, and of assembly. Speak, make people listen, and make your army.
Go change the world.
