Alright folks, I’m about to get up on my soap box.
Well, actually, its more like a coffee box. But whatever.
I complain a lot. We’ve been over this. But I complain about things that I actually do something about (well, unless I”m complaining about the sorry drivers that live in my town).
I’m ok with complaining that’s accompanied with action.
What I don’t like is the complaining I see/hear on a daily basis by people who have no intention to do anything. People complaining about government, or the ideas of a certain religious group, or about poverty. They safely complain from the comforts of their facebook statuses and twitter. Open for the world to see. Things like, “the political parties of this country are useless” or “so and so is a racist and ignorant”. I mean, its absurd.
I think one of the great things about democracy (real democracy) is that it allows us to have a voice. But yelling into the dark, cluttered world of the internet with that voice isn’t enough. Part of having that voice is having the resources to do something, ANYTHING about it. If you are going to complain, use that energy to work towards change.
Every time I tell someone about my trip to Africa I immediately get made fun of or an eyebrow lifts. People ask me , “don’t you know there’s poverty here? don’t you want to help here?”
It makes me want to cry or bang my head against the wall…or both.
Yes, there is poverty everywhere. And yes, this concerns me. However, there are resources available to those people here. Many places in Africa do not enjoy those resources. Furthermore, I want to help those people. I consider myself a global citizen. I have been given a voice simply because I was fortunate enough to be born where I was. Why should that stop me from wanting to help someone who wasn’t?
Next time someone complains or raises their eyebrows at me for going to Africa I am simply going to look at them and ask what they are doing to help those here who are in poverty.
I bet the answer doesn’t come as quickly as the complaining.
End scene.
