Rise Up.
You, the person sitting on your phone. The social media influence doesn’t count. You are shocked and sad. You voice extreme fear and concern. You say there is no hope. You grieve for the America you dreamed.
But you still sit…
on your comfy couches where you have sat for 8 years.
in your luxury cars as you drive by the disenfranchised, poverty stricken, abused, homeless, enslaved.
in your offices where your weeks pay is more than a years wage for many families both here and abroad.
behind your screens where you profess to care about the rights of others.
And you sit.
And you sit.
Rise Up!
Instead of bathing in your hopelessness, in your fear, in your despair.
RISE UP!
You say you care about women’s rights, are you working in public schools to promote science and technology in schools? Engineering? Politics?
You say you care about immigration, are you volunteering your time to teach English? Teach civics classes. Have you embraced an immigrant family to help them walk through the system? Do you even know an immigrant family?
You say you care about girls, are you watching porn? Do you know the local impact of sexual slavery in America and the world today?
RISE UP!
You say you want gun laws changed. Have you joined a local committee? Are you serving in your inner city councils and boards?
You say you want disability rights. Are you helping families with children with disabilities? Have you signed up to serve in a local programs? schools? workshops?
You say you want better medical care. Do you volunteer in free clinics? Donate supplies? Funds?
RISE UP!
You say you are are pro-choice/pro-life. Are you fostering? Adopting? Is your home open to a single Mom? If you have an extra bed, you have the ability to change the life of a child.
You say you are concerned about poverty. Are you packing a bag or groceries on a weekly basis and giving them to the local food bank? Do you serve the food banks? Do you buy meals for the elderly?
You say that you care about equality. Are you treating everyone equal? Even those who’s beliefs are different than yours?
You say a lot of things
but still this morning you sit.
and no change is being made.
We can no longer sit.
Simply thinking that a financial donation will change the world or a Facebook share will make a difference.
has failed us.
We must RISE UP!
We must cross party lines.
We must work together.
Rise up and create the hope you dreamed.