A Rally Cry to the Youth
Soon, it will be our time to shape the future of the planet. It’s not to say that all of the older generation are regressive, but it is to say that is our time to avenge the mistakes made my past generations, it is our time to build a new building of progress!
We can be the difference between going back down the same old beaten, unjust track, or pave the way for people who come after us, our struggle doesn’t have to be futile it can be us taking our present off the bigots who hold us back, and providing a tomorrow for our descendents.
Recently I re-watched an Oprah Winfrey interview from November 2013 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-24934979)
She explained that although oppressed people, in this case black people, didn’t face “the same kind of terrorism” that was much more commonplace 50+ years ago, didn’t mean that these issues weren’t contemporary issues. Moreover, she explained that for any significant change to be seen and for more progress to be felt, we have to wait for many of those older generations of bigoted people to “die” out.
You only have to open your eyes to the media, to the world around to see that there are many people still being targeted, still facing injustice, and still fighting a battle they shouldn’t have to fight.
There are still, sadly, many people who live on a privileged side of the fence, yet fail to recognise their own privilege, and the negative impacts of their privilege and ignorance.
Although I could not understand what racism must feel like and communities like the disabled may not have faced the same kinds of fears, her words really resonated strongly with me.
We have to wait for them generations that helped propagated such hyperbolic and ignorant rhetoric to dwindle away in order to make the fight and the path to equality a bit clearer
The disabled have faced a history of eugenics, euthanasia, sterilisation and institutionalisation that still has failed to have been truly have recognised
With protection by law being secured for many vulnerable communities, it doesn’t change too much other than the right for people to vote and gain the same legal rights/freedoms that others have had for hundreds of years, historically.
However, do you think legislation is enough to stop racism, anti-disabled rhetoric, and homophobia and gender inequality?
The problem is for the people who don’t, fortunately, have to see any types of inequality/injustice (no matter to what extent) they feel legislation and policy are enough to change ideology and people who have been, to quote Oprah, “marinated” in such views
As much as I, and many others, wish that was the case, it just isn’t yet. Legislation means very little if an official using or bending that legislation has their own agenda, it just doesn’t.
It’s very difficult taking on systems, police forces, education bodies, etc, if within these systems there isn’t widespread acknowledgement that everyone should follow law and treat others with the kindness and respect that should be naturally given to every human.
However, what adds on to institutional bigotry to make that fight even more insurmountable is through people who refuse and potentially agree with inequality.
So now, we know the majority of people 18–30, and maybe be even older, are a lot more open-minded and are awake to the problems that many communities, we know many who aren’t affected are questioning governmental/political practices a lot louder and are trying a lot harder to understand injustice (although there is always a % that seems to still hold people back within the younger generations).
This is why I make a call to every young person who is awake, to every young person who is aware, to young people in general, we need to collectively (whether every issue affects you or not) raise our voices.
If we all raise our voices and grievances, then that becomes a shout, it becomes an irritating noise that never leaves the ears of politicians and bigots; it is our presence making a difference.
We can be the sharpest thorn in the systems side. Wherever officials are, they will never escape a collective voice shouting, “we will not take it”, “we will not put accept injustice and inequality” and “we sure as hell will not take your bullshit anymore”.
Although, I am currently struggling like most disabled people and most vulnerable community, in an economic sense and a social sense, I still have hope because it is all I truly have left, and I will never give up and I will grab a chance with both hands.
This chance is simple, it is a chance to make the lives of the next generations less hard, it is a chance for everyone on this beautifully diverse planet of ours to look out for another, and it is a chance for a new dawn.
We could build our Terra Novus (New Earth) which can be one that we all can feel safe in, we can all feel proud of, and we can all celebrate our diversity in an environment where we don’t have to be treated without the dignity and respect we all deserve as humans.
Despite the fact I am scared by current political activities (in particular the UK, USA and Australia) and current rhetoric that is constantly processed by the media, I still take hope from the younger generations.
If you have a look at the age of people following and strongly supporting progressive candidates around the world, you can’t help but dream of where this ‘revolution’ might take us.
The foundation is there and all people of varying communities repressed or not, are coming together in unison to question politics and society. If anybody thinks that those, in every nation, who who’ve fought against the bigoted echelons of society, don’t have a legacy, you are well and truly WRONG!
It has given people like me hope; it’s given communities who have been targeted hope, and it that progress can act as a carrot for all people.
We have the power, we can do it, and we are the future!
Do you want to take the boat and reach the island of progress, where hand in hand we can write our names in sand and stand where legends have stood!
Overthrow the mistakes of older generations, and let’s do this together.
C’mon youth, we can do this.
JD Weaver
Twitter: @jdweavermusic
Instagram: @jdweavermusic
E-mail: jdweavermusic@gmail.com
Soundcloud: soundcloud.com/weaver12345
