The End of Oppression
For All Whose Lives Matter
One of humanity’s most admirable qualities is our capacity to come together to drive social change. History has no shortage of these movements, from the Emancipation of Women and the Civil Rights movements to the LGBT Rights and the Environmental Movement. We have seen the impact that large groups of people working towards a common goal can have. We have also seen, from the most recent #blacklivesmatter protests, that these battles are still ongoing and will continue. To ensure that we do not continue to go around in circles fighting the same battles, however, we must make eradicating all forms of bigotry and oppression the real goal. They have no place in 21st-century society.
We know enough today to know that all humans are equal — the Human Genome Project gave us definitive proof of that. The days of some races claiming superiority over others should be gone, but alas, this is not the case. We know from our DNA that every human on our planet is built on the same blueprint, though no two are the same. There are, unfortunately, those among us still holding on to their baseless, prehistoric views on issues such as race, gender, and sexuality — these people are holding us back.
It goes beyond that, though. One quick look around is enough for anyone to realize that there are more people without power than those with power. I find it laughable that those in positions of power, being among the minority, continue to oppress the ‘powerless’ majority. This state of affairs doesn’t surprise me, however, given how fragmented most movements are. When it comes to issues that have no direct impact on them, most people are apathetic — leaving only the sufferers to fight their battles while feigning ignorance.
I must admit that I have been positively surprised by the number of people that have come out in full support of the #blacklivesmatter movement. It has given me renewed hope that the future of mankind may not be so bleak. Benjamin Franklin said, “Justice will not be served until those who are unaffected are as outraged as those who are.”. Those words are just as true today as they were when he said them.
It’s time to purge ourselves of this idea that we should only care about those things that affect us directly. Human suffering is human suffering and it does affect us all — anyone with a conscience should feel a certain amount of pain just from the knowledge that there are innocent people out there suffering needlessly.
Now, I have seen many cynics on social media saying that a hashtag or a black square on Instagram won’t help anyone. Maybe they are right. Maybe it won’t help in the way that they want it to help, but it raises awareness. We rarely take note of all the suffering that goes on around the world until it stares us right in the face and demands that we pay attention. If what it takes for people to pay attention is to blackout their favorite social networks, then so be it. Seeing as that we live in the most connected era in human history, any argument from ignorance is now obsolete. If you don’t know about all the people suffering around the world, it’s because you’ve chosen not to know, and that does not absolve you of responsibility.
So, as we move forward, we cannot stop here — we must not. If the whole world can come together and stand up for one group in their time of need, then we can do that for every other group whose civil liberties are being trampled on. This is an opportunity for change — to right past wrongs and build a world that we can all be proud to be a part of. We have shown already that we can change things for the better. All it takes is for everyone to care — even just a little bit. Our dream of a better tomorrow cannot continue to be just that — a dream. A better world will not just manifest itself out of nothing — it has to be built by people who consciously want to see it become a reality. I believe, now, that we are ready for such an undertaking.
The age of collective action and global collaboration is upon us. There are so many groups around the world advocating for many different causes — they are all better off united than divided. We must not allow those among us who seek to sow seeds of strife and disunity to succeed. THEY WILL NOT DIVIDE US! Helping those around the world who are being oppressed will be good for everyone. After all, a rising tide lifts all boats, and a world with less needless suffering will benefit us all. Always remember that together, we are greater than the sum of our parts.
For those who wish to know more about global issues that we all need to be paying attention to, you can follow the links below.
#blacklivesmatter
Climate Change
The Kurds
Uighur Muslims
Femicides in Mexico
Xenophobia in South Africa
Zimbabwe
This list is far from being exhaustive, but if what we are fighting for is human rights, then it should be the rights of all humans.
