"You Say You Want a Revolution..."

Whatever happened to the days when Universities were the hotbeds of political and social change? I'm not going to rant about the institution, but it needs to be said- somewhere along the road, we went astray.

Don't misunderstand- Houghton does regularly hold forums on the subject of social justice- just take Global Conflict Week for example, or the recent ROTC discussion on the subject of "Just War". However, that's all there is- talk. As we have seen, there is plenty of debate and discussion, but we have yet to witness any action. Aside from a casual mentioning in the opening Chapel prayer, Houghton sticks its hands in its pockets and hums the Beatles' mantra of "Don't you know, its going to be all right, all right, all right...".

It isn't.

Prayer is all good and well, but it isn't the answer. Seeing a mugging and simply praying for the man getting mugged makes a travesty of all that prayer is meant to be. Reminds me of a famous story.
The boat of man out at sea suddenly sinks, leaving the man treading water hundreds of miles off the coast. He prays for deliverance and when he sees a small motorboat pull up beside him. The pilot looks over the edge and tells him to climb aboard, upon which the man shakes his head and responds "I've prayed- God'll save me". Next comes a yacht, and the scenario repeats itself, the man in the water adamantly stating that God will save him. It happens once more, this time with an ocean liner, however the man still refuses to climb aboard. At last he drowns and at the gates of heaven he meets God and demands "God, I prayed three times- why didn't you save me?" God sadly shakes his head and replies "You idiot, I sent you three boats!".

Essentially, what this story's stating is that God isn't a cosmic babysitter. We can't expect that we can sit back and let God take care of it. Taking a quote of Galileo out of context, "I do not feel obliged to believe that the same God who has endowed us with senses, reason, and intellect has intended us to forgo their use." God has given us the ability to change the world- to spread equality and peace and justice. So again the question is raised, what's with Houghton? Why is a college that by all rights should be spearheading activism so inactive?

I myself have searched for the answers, and I've yet to be satisfied with one of them. Is it because there aren't as many disasters and injustices now as there once were? If anything the world has become worse. Is it because the Houghtians simply aren't exposed to the hell that the rest of the world has to live in? We're isolated but we're not blind- Houghton is exposed the suffering that millions have to go through. Again, I am at a loss to explain, left only with the resounding "Why?".

So even if I am unable to find a cause, perhaps I'll be able to find a cure. I have to be the change that I want to see in Houghton. From now on, I intend to dedicate a portion of my week to open protest and activism.

Join the Revolution.