6.11 Global Citizenship: Action and Activism
6.11 Global Citizenship: Action and Activism
Archbishop Desmond Tutu
First they came...
by Pastor Martin Niemöller
When the Nazis came for the communists,
I remained silent;
I was not a communist.
When they locked up the social democrats,
I remained silent;
I was not a social democrat.
When they came for the trade unionists,
I did not speak out;
I was not a trade unionist.
When they came for the Jews,
I remained silent;
I was not a Jew.
When they came for me,
there was no one left to speak out.
For example, thousands of people around the world marched to protest the American invasion of Iraq. By doing so, they were telling their own governments that they did not approve of this war. Anti-globalization protesters use activism to bring attention to some of the negative effects of globalization by staging large demonstrations, especially during the World Trade Organization or other trade talks. Sometimes activists participate in illegal or dangerous activities to make their point. Sometimes peaceful protests can become violent.
Activists feel very strongly about issues. They are prepared to do many things to get their points across. In our globalizing world, sometimes activism is a powerful way to draw attention to injustice. Sometimes it is the only way to show the world how people feel about certain subjects.
Most people who live in a democracy believe in obeying the law at all times and making changes to the system through democratic means. But what if injustice is occurring and those suffering have no way to be heard? For example, if you were a member of an oppressed group whose traditions, culture, and freedoms were being trampled on by those in power, how far would you be willing to go in protest? If you had no elected representative, or if you were a member of a minority with no real voice in government, how else could you get your point across? Illegal action to bring about change is called civil disobedience.
Some people believe that activism of any kind is never appropriate. We have democratic rights and the ability to elect representatives to act on our behalf. But when issues are global, there may not be one specific agency responsible. How can change come? For those who are oppressed, activism is sometimes their only means of making their voices heard. People in other lands may feel that they must protest on behalf of these voiceless people. From their perspective, no other way may be available.
In any nonviolent campaign, there are four basic steps:
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Collection of the facts to determine whether injustices are alive
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Negotiation
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Self-purification
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Direct action
Martin Luther King Jr., Letter from Birmingham City Jail
A very interesting and easy-to-read book that exposes some of the problems associated with globalization is Confessions of an Economic Hitman by John Perkins. Perkins tells his story as an economist for an American corporation in the developing world.