And Then What?
We take the “ice bucket challenge” and drench ourselves with cold water to raise awareness of ALS.
And then what?
We wrap ourselves in the flags of France, Great Britain, Spain, Belgium, Germany and Turkey, and paint our faces with their country’s colors after every terrorist attack.
And then what?
We post our opinions on social media and write letters to the editor.
And then what?
We hashtag on Twitter.
And then what?
We hold rallies and march for our causes.
And then what?
We lament the mass shootings that take so many lives.
And then what?
It seems to me we are so emotionally worn out after we drench and wrap and post and march and mourn that we have no energy left to do something about these important issues.
But we must always remember that we live in a democracy where we have the power to vote on a local, state and national level. We can run for office ourselves. We can organize a political action committee and raise funds for candidates who share our beliefs. We can volunteer to serve on the board of a community or civic organization.
All these are ways we can answer the question: “And then what?”
As a publisher, I have an opportunity to raise this vital question with our readers. But I cannot give you the answer. In fact, I am still asking myself, “And then what?”
We must find our own way to take action in a way that helps our community, our state and our country move forward and not continue to assume that a single “feel good social act” will even start to fix the situation. I encourage you to do so!
Jacob Safdeye
Publisher