The Apathy Pandemic

Have you ever experienced the white-hot fury of watching people refuse to help themselves?

While my post regarding the Anti-SOPA email campaign got some great responses, my idealistic little bubble got popped by many of the other responses and emails that I received.

“I can’t write my Rep – I’m on the ignore list.”
“That’s just a waste of time….it’s only the aides that ever read those letters anyway.”
“Nothing we do will make a difference.”
“Daisy, you just don’t understand how the government works.”
“I’ve already written to tell them I will not vote for them again.”
“You’ll never change the way things are.”

There is a real pandemic that has spread across America and that pandemic is APATHY.

An alarming number of people are willing to simply watch the destruction of freedom and shake their heads sadly, saying, “Yep, I knew this would happen.”

We are watching our freedoms being taken away and doing absolutely nothing to stop it.  How much time out of your life does it really take to send an email?  To cast a vote? To write a letter to the editor?  To forward an interesting link to a friend?  To speak out against what you see? 

And if one of the things you do solves nothing, what have you lost?  At least you still have your self-respect.  At least you didn’t accept what was handed to you by the Elite.

We do not lose until we stop fighting.  By doing nothing, you cede victory.

Most people, it appears, are too lazy to even wave a white flag of surrender.  They sit there, remote in one hand, bag of Doritos in the other hand, and smirk at the small percentage who are trying to make a change in the world.  If the people fighting for change fail, the apathetic ones are smugly justified in their apathy.

The paralysis of America will be her downfall.

Do one small thing every day.  Millions of drops of water are required to erode a rock.  One drop of water alone does nothing. 

Persist and persevere.

I’m more enraged by the people that will do nothing to fight for their freedoms than I am by the people who are trying to take those freedoms away.

If you are a reader who refuses to vote, refuses to speak out, refuses to make your voice heard, perhaps it’s time to unsubscribe from this blog and check out something else, because I have no time for people like you.  I’ll still fight for you in all the ways that I am able, but I won’t waste my time trying to convince you to get your ass off the sofa.  Fighting your apathy takes up my valuable energy that can be directed towards productive things. 

Do one thing today to make your voice heard.  And if no one listens, that’s okay, because you can do something tomorrow too.

WRITE A LETTER.

DIAL THE PHONE.

SEND AN EMAIL.

VOTE.

CAMPAIGN.

SPREAD THE WORD.

Or continue to do nothing until the cell door slams shut.

Anti-SOPA Email Campaign

Please feel free to use the following letter in part or in full to contact your local Senators and Representatives to make your feelings known regarding the SOPA bill that is currently on the table in Congress. A link to the email contact information for every member of congress follows.

Let’s make some noise about this!  Let’s use the power of alternative media before they take it away from us!

The Honorable (full name)
United States (Senate or House of Representatives)
Washington DC

Dear (proper name, i.e., Senator Smith)

My name is XXXXXX and I am a member of your constituency.  I am a registered voter and am active at every election.  It is my understanding that your purpose in Washington is to represent the wishes of those who elect you.

First, I’d like to tell you how disappointed I am in the passing of the NDAA.  I have a thorough understanding of the legislation and I feel as though this is a black mark against the Constitution.  The reason I am writing you today is to tell you my thoughts on Bill H.R. 3261, the Stop Online Piracy Act.  After contemplation of this document, I feel that it is misnamed as a way to manipulate the people into believing that it is for our own good.  This bill is clearly an attack on the First Amendment and intended to police the internet.  This bill is designed specifically to legalize government censorship.

I urge you to vote AGAINST the passing of the SOPA bill.  Please be assured that I will be checking the roll call on this vote and plan to be very vocal in my support of those who vote against it, or, alternatively, in my criticism of those who vote for it.

I sincerely thank you for taking the time to read this letter.  I hope that I can count on you to protect my rights under the Constitution, and that I can continue to support you as a voter from your electorate.

Respectfully,

XXX XXX

Suggestions:

~   Use your first and last name
~  Don’t use profanity or be threatening
~  Be polite

To find the email addresses of your members, check this directory.

Please take a few minutes to send your emails today, and share this post with friends and family.  Let’s light up the internet and demand our rights today!

Our voices count!  Let’s keep the rights that make America great!