 |
  |
 |
 |
 |
 |
|
|
Inspiration for a New Generation __
__Throughout history and even today, people of all ethnic backgrounds, social status, race, orientation, and gender have faced injustices against theim. Whether through extreme violence or brutality such as slavery and lynching in Ida's time, or through refusal of guranteed civil rights, the world remains in a need for change and tolerance. It is brave individuals like Ida B. Wells, or groups such as the NAACP that pave the way for change in society to establish democratc institutions and the expanding of human rights. _What if Ida B. Wells didn't participate in society? What if she merely sat back as many blacks did during her time, in fear of injury or in doubt that any action she made could ever make a difference. What would the outcome be then if no one ever made an effort to fight injustice? There would be no hope, no dreams, no motivation for so many people. One may think of participation in terms of this: I am merely one person. What can I do? Even if I do things to fight injustice, what difference will it make, I'll never change the world. __But the real question is : What can't I do. We in America have so many liberties and opportunities to make change, yet many stay assured a secure in their comfort zone while others are being oppressed. This is where Ida B. Well's example comes into view. She did not expect to change the whole world when she began her crusades. Though her dreams were to liberate her entire race forever, she started the process of doing so in her own town, and expanded her struggle as she gained more insight on what she was fighting. Most importantly, her struggles began with surveillence, "eternal vigilance" and research of the facts so that she can reveal and battle the wrongs. In terms of making a difference, every family, lynch victim, opressed woman, and child she defended, she made a great impact in their life, an impact that would transform into hope and motivation to make more change. Also, Ida's brave crusades did make a great change. She brought the truth about the horrors of lynching to Europe and throughout the United States and aroused the feeling of government officials and regular people in society to form groups to make change. Throughout the years of her life, the number of lynchings began to diminish. She was also the model for change for future civil rights leader who saw that if the voice of one woman could arouse so much attention and transformation, what were the boundaries today. __We feel that Ida greatly paved the world we live in now because of her principles of taking action, and not letting the world take advantage of her or put her down. Now it is time for us as human beings to take up the challenge and slowly take steps from the zone of comfort we have, as Ida B. Wells did. Even if we do not risk our lives to the extent that she did, it is important that we "learn to question" the world around us then find ways to make intolerance and discrimination a thing of the past.
|
|
|
