priya tuli's randombloggz

Nobody ever changed anything by just sitting there and fretting about it. Activists know this better than anyone else; that's why they're called activists. They're actually out there shaking up the status quo, by whatever means attract the most attention, getting people to sit up and take notice of whatever the cause of the day might be. As opposed to most of us, who are merely lumps of amorphous glop sitting around and being inactive, and often not even having much of an opinion on anything. Inert and disengaged.

Activists don't sit around thinking, "Oh, but I'm just one person, how can I change the status quo." They just go out there and soon a tribe gathers, and they start to make a noise, and the media hears about it and arrives to cover it, so more people hear about it, and it gets bigger and bigger and then finally, things start to change. Slowly and imperceptibly maybe, but change they will. Because the intent has been seeded in the ethers by all those people who want change and believe in it.

People don't usually go around wanting to change things that are fine as they are; they want change because something is wrong with whatever it is they're protesting. All it needs is enough people to think that way, and you have the makings of a small revolution. More people, bigger revolution. And lately, it seems, people are finally beginning to realize that every voice does count. Even theirs.

Nowhere is this more apparent than online. The internet has changed the way we do revolutions. If you're not quite into joining a march or rally in your city, or are located a couple of continents away from where the big action is happening, no problem. You can sign online petitions, send emails and text messages, send your signature to added to petitions that are miles long, send your mug-shot to be added to a wall of human faces... the possibilities are endless. If you feel strongly enough about it, you CAN do something about it. Right from where you're sitting.

The social media have made this even easier. Okay I'm talking only Facebook here, because I don't use twitter or Google+, but still. There are organizations like Avaaz.org, Greenpeace, PETA, One, 350.org, Petition Site... among many, many others, that tackle everything from human rights abuse in China to the famine in Somalia and dog pound atrocities in India to abuse of circus elephants in the USA, to whale and dolphin slaughter in Japan, to child abuse and human trafficking globally. The sort of depressing, ugly stuff people don't want to have to deal with. But somebody has to, so they're doing it. Unsung heroes. They get my vote every time.

Activism has changed a lot since my day; I remember going on peace marches and protest rallies through University days, but I have no recollection now what they were about. Just that they were nothing like the student demos that have toppled heads of state, disrupted international WTO conferences and brought on the teargas and pressure hoses one sees these days.

Well the good news is, as an 'armchair activist' you won't actually be out there courting arrest, with the possibility of being teargassed, bludgeoned and being stuck without toilet facilities for who knows how long. You'll be in your comfort zone sipping your coffee/tea, signing online petitions and making a difference to whatever you feel strongly about, from wherever you are.

Some call this 'slactivism', because to hardcore activists, armchair activism involves no hardship or danger to life and limb. To which I say, I get my adrenaline rush in other ways, none of which I could possibly mention here. So I'm happy to be labeled a slactivist, no problem.

Do these online petitions really work? Yes, I believe they do, in two ways. One: they create exponential awareness for the cause; if people don't know about something, they're hardly going to want to do anything about it. And two: they deliver bunches of signatures, which add up and count when they are presented by on-ground activists as support. I sign loads of petitions, because I believe they do make a difference. Nobody can afford to ignore the signatures and the numbers any more, not even corporates or governments. Online activism may not quite be mainstream in many countries yet, but it is gathering strength. And getting bigger, better and easier to do.

So go on, throw off the inertia. If you care about something, do something about it. Sign an online petition. The worst thing to do is to say "I've been signing for years but nothing happens." Well, how much longer than that has the child trafficking/seal cull/flesh trading been going on? Decades? Double-decades? Of course it won't stop overnight because you signed a petition for 3 years straight! But if we stop trying, it will NEVER change! Be sure you add your voice because if you don't, that's one signature less on the petition. And guess what, if we all felt "What's the point?"... well, there would be no signatures at all. And then, really, nothing would change. Not even things you feel strongly about. And what's the point of that?

This IS our world. We're all here right now. And it doesn't matter where in the world change is needed, we can help make it happen. You are a citizen of your country, but also of the world. Petitions can be local, or global. You have the option to make a difference... or not. To be a slactivist... or a lump of amorphous glop. SO, which is it going to be for you?

You could check out these sites for a start:
http://www.avaaz.org
http://www.greenpeace.org
http://www.thepetitionsite.com
http://www.one.org
http://www.peta.org
http://www.350.org/

Or you could start your own petition, if there's something you feel strongly about and think is really worthy of change. Here's where you can do that: http://www.thepetitionsite.com