Editorial: "Change the Wind"

Anyone who has traveled to a third-world country brings back stories of the poverty they encountered; of the extremes levels of hopelessness and despair that exist in those areas.

In light of Poverty Awareness Week, however, we need to remember that poverty is not just found in places that are "far away." Poverty exists right here in our own country, right here in our own communities. It is so easy to forget that fact yet it is important to keep in mind when looking at poverty and the changes that need to be made in this world to decrease its overbearing presence. To make a difference, we must start by changing what is closest to us, and the effect will spread outward from there.

Having said that, the next thing to realize is that change must come from within. Just as a broken bone will not be healed with a band-aid, a problem like poverty will only be solved temporarily through donations. A more permanent change requires people to affect change in the systems that perpetuate poverty. In his lecture Tuesday night, Jim Wallis spoke about the idea of "changing the wind." There are many politicians in our country, he said, who determine their stance on issues by licking their finger and holding it in the air—this way they can figure out which way the wind is blowing and go with it. In short, to change our nation we have to change the very winds that drive our government.

Though it sounds simple enough, we all know that the wind is not easy to redirect. So how do we redirect it? First we raise awareness, and then we take actions to catch the attention of those in positions of power. We've already begun right here on campus; Poverty Awareness Week was an excellent start with the numerous events and dialogues that took place, as well as Wallis's lecture. Wallis pointed out that prayer and activism must go together. Dialoguing and praying for solutions to a problem, while they are steps in the right direction, are important but they will not always remedy the situation by themselves.

Using mailing lists, like the ones students who have taken cross culturals to Latin America can subscribe to, is a manner in which methods of affecting change can occur internationally. People on the lists receive information regarding human rights violations and cruelties that tend to be against either the impoverished people of a nation or those who are working for the betterment of their situations. Along with the information in these e-mails come calls for action on behalf of those affected. The sponsors of the e-mail lists ask recipients to call or e-mail government officials as a method of response.

The Student Lecture Series sponsored an eight-hour calling campaign on Tuesday to raise minimum wage. That was just one daylong event. It is not our only chance to call our senators and we should not view it as such. Calling and e-mailing a senator or representative could annoy them enough to take the time to listen. Wind starts out as a breeze, and this is where the breeze begins.