While much of the U.S. is embattled in a many hundred year struggle for equality, groups within the larger population can be credited with preventing the most vulnerable U.S. populations from resembling those of a third world country.
Those groups are the activists working day in and day out to ensure the most basic human needs of every citizen are met. Activists have been a safety net, of sorts —champions for the life for every human being, not just those who have been judged by society as “worthy” of existence.
This is not to say conditions for many citizens in the U.S. aren’t horrific, but without the continued efforts of various activist individuals and groups, things could be much worse.
Many view activists as simply unfairly giving money, goods or even basic human needs such as health care, food, shelter and clothing to those who make little effort to help themselves. Contrary to popular belief, activists are simply acting as a temporary band-aid for those who are the underdogs of equality; victims of a broken social system.
Crowds of protesters have taken to the streets in Ferguson, Missouri, to once again engage in practices — both peaceful and violent — which have historically preceded all major social change in the U.S., from the Civil War to Birmingham and now Ferguson.
Activists are in the background quietly planning how to support those individuals and businesses adversely affected by the process of democracy. While riots resulted in businesses burning, activists have been busy cleaning, donating and most importantly, engaging in a political discourse which is required to complete the process which the protests and riots have started.
While many criticize the destruction of business and property in the already struggling community of Ferguson, activists and their supporters have already raised more than $300,000 through small, individual donations to help rebuild that community, and that number is only expected to rise.
As the definition of whiteness in American has been carefully constructed over the past several hundred years, the lives of those deemed less desirable have been unapologetically devalued creating a societal apathy towards the lack of basic human needs that exists in the lower classes of US society.
In response to this mass indifference towards human life that exists in the upper classes of America, activists push for the continuation and expansion of broad social programs which support those negatively affected by the institutionalized discrimination that has plagued citizens of color for hundreds of years.
Social safety nets such as welfare programs are promoted by activists as a band-aid to help meet the basic needs of oppressed populations until Americans can address their larger problems of access, opportunity and equality for all citizens.
A neighbor once summarized liberal activists by stating, “They want everyone to be totally equal and have all the same things, for nobody to have to work for what they want.” While activists absolutely advocate for equal access to basic human needs such as food, shelter, safety and healthcare, their efforts go much deeper.
Activists not only want the basic human needs of every American citizen to be met, but they want equal access to opportunity. What those individuals do with that opportunity once obtained — whether it is a quality education or the ability to apply for a job without fear of profiling or discrimination based on the color of their skin — is their decision, but the opportunity needs to first exist.
Until Americans can collectively correct the wrongs of society, activists will continue to support the needs of the most vulnerable citizens as the process of democracy unfolds.
Reach the columnist at dprobst1@asu.edu or follow her on Twitter @DonnellProbst
Editor’s note: The opinions presented in this column are the author’s and do not imply any endorsement from The State Press or its editors.
Want to join the conversation? Send an email to opiniondesk.statepress@gmail.com. Keep letters under 300 words and be sure to include your university affiliation. Anonymity will not be granted.
Like The State Press on Facebook and follow @statepress on Twitter.
