Quote:
Originally Posted by VandalSquirrel
I know you get where I'm coming from so the rest of my post is just general grumping. I think slacktivist, which my sister agzg and Drolefille used is a good description of how I see this and all of the other momentary important causes that pop up due to instant access and well, social media like facebook. I'm much more of a doer and being involved than just signing an online petition or getting outraged and emotional, especially when I know the issues of power, privilege, race, class, and gender that fuel and drive these situations with girls and children.
I just don't see any genuine or lasting effects or change with an online petition or facebook rantings that have me turning on a porch light. Why not do something with either time, money, or advocacy, with community building where kids are involved in activities and schools, and connected with people who would notice if something happened and may not be family members. Granted in Caylee's situation that may not have mattered but for many others having their membership/dues covered at the Boys & Girls Club, Campfire, Boy & Girl Scout, and so on will do a lot more than any porch light or online petition. There's also CASA, Big Brothers Big Sisters, churches, and local programming that need volunteers and/or fundraising.
Not that I'm really a fan of those rubber bracelets or colored bracelets for every cause, but at least in many of those situations money is going to something that may make a difference, even if it is a paper heart in a business someone writes I.P. Freely in the donated name spot is a lot less "slacktivist" than what people are doing via facebook status messages.
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See, I think people commit to a cause to a level that they feel comfortable. That threshold of "real activist" vs. "slacktivist" is different for different people and we need to accept that.
Where one person may be a real activist for one cause, they may slack a bit on another.
There are so many strong emotional causes out there, how do you pick which one should deserve the most attention? In the span of a 30 min news program, they showed stories on the Anthony trial, an Iraqi vet who is a quadruple amputee getting a new home, and terrible fighting between Northern and Southern Sudan in Africa.
You can only spread yourself so far.