Keep up the Activism, Kenyon
Issue date: 2/4/10 Section: Opinion
What connects Gambier, Ohio, an insignificant dot on the global map, to Haiti, the poorest country in the Western hemisphere? Usually very little, save perhaps a book read for class. But in the face of the enormous humanitarian tragedy engendered by the powerful earthquake that rocked Haiti in mid-January, despite being nearly invisible to the world, Kenyon has stepped up, and we at the Collegian have felt especially proud to be a part of the community these past few weeks.
On Sunday, the community advisors combined a passion of college students everywhere - burritos - with the tragedy of the year by charging $10 for Chipotle and using the proceeds for Haiti relief. A few days ago, a DJ on WKCO played "Music for Haiti." Last night, the Horn Gallery hosted an open-mic night to raise money for Haiti. A group of students led by Ken Noguchi is selling T-shirts with a Haitian proverb in Peirce all this week for $15, all of which will go to Haiti relief. The list goes on.
We at the Collegian hope that this outpouring of empathy and action does not fade once the rubble clears and Haiti starts to more effectively treat its wounded and rebuild houses and government buildings. The tragedy in Haiti proved that we can shake out of our isolation here in grey, rural Ohio and act for others. At this apathetic campus, where politically charged dialogues are uncommon, even the least interested among us will cough up $10 for a delicious burrito and the pleasure of helping others. But with all the talented and smart students here, there has to be room for more sustained activism.
There are always campus groups dedicated to engaging with the global community and bringing about long-term changes, and even though those goals may tug less at the heartstrings, in the long run they are more effective than spike responses to disasters with little follow-through. We shouldn't need graphic images of injured children on television or explicit directions - "buy this burrito," "text this number" - to motivate us to do something about humanitarian crises, of which there is never a shortage.
Let's keep the momentum on Haiti going, without forgetting that there are always desperate causes requiring the energy and enthusiasm of college students mercifully far from natural disasters, war zones, and humanitarian crises and the structural deficiencies that exacerbate them.
On Sunday, the community advisors combined a passion of college students everywhere - burritos - with the tragedy of the year by charging $10 for Chipotle and using the proceeds for Haiti relief. A few days ago, a DJ on WKCO played "Music for Haiti." Last night, the Horn Gallery hosted an open-mic night to raise money for Haiti. A group of students led by Ken Noguchi is selling T-shirts with a Haitian proverb in Peirce all this week for $15, all of which will go to Haiti relief. The list goes on.
We at the Collegian hope that this outpouring of empathy and action does not fade once the rubble clears and Haiti starts to more effectively treat its wounded and rebuild houses and government buildings. The tragedy in Haiti proved that we can shake out of our isolation here in grey, rural Ohio and act for others. At this apathetic campus, where politically charged dialogues are uncommon, even the least interested among us will cough up $10 for a delicious burrito and the pleasure of helping others. But with all the talented and smart students here, there has to be room for more sustained activism.
There are always campus groups dedicated to engaging with the global community and bringing about long-term changes, and even though those goals may tug less at the heartstrings, in the long run they are more effective than spike responses to disasters with little follow-through. We shouldn't need graphic images of injured children on television or explicit directions - "buy this burrito," "text this number" - to motivate us to do something about humanitarian crises, of which there is never a shortage.
Let's keep the momentum on Haiti going, without forgetting that there are always desperate causes requiring the energy and enthusiasm of college students mercifully far from natural disasters, war zones, and humanitarian crises and the structural deficiencies that exacerbate them.
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