Like.. the weather

My dad used to say "Everyone complains about the weather but no one does anything about it"  I think he was quoting Mark Twain, but it's funny nonetheless.  We complain about a lot of things that we CAN change, but we don't seem to do anything about it.

Lately, I have noticed that I am complaining about things but not doing anything to change the situation.  My Union held an election and almost NO ONE voted.  I am trying to get a movement going within the organization to get out the vote, which will become crucial in the coming months when we vote on our contract.  That should be interesting and HOPEFULLY people will respond to the MOU votes better than they have for the last few elections.  Apathy reigns supreme here.  I wonder if it is the same in other Unions.  The City is getting ready for a Mayoral election.  I hope people will come out for that one.  I am going to be working the polls.  It is a long day, but it is worth the effort.

If I am unhappy with something, I think it is up to ME to change it for myself.  The culture seems to have changed.  I wonder if we raised a generation of spoon-fed children who believe they are entitled and someone else should be doing the work.  It DOES hearten me when I see flurries of activism in High School and College kids.  Mostly it is the LGBT community that is becoming visible. I beleive in equal rights for ALL, including the right of Gays to marry the person of their choice.  Someone I know says "They have the right to marry a person of the opposite  sex, just like I do.  If we let them marry a person of the same sex, they are getting MORE rights than I am"  ( Ok I will stop screaming in my head long enough to respond)  Not being able to marry the person you LOVE is so Draconian.  I wonder how my friend would feel if the opposite were true, if homosexuality were considered the norm and heterosexuals were condemned and forced to hide their true selves?  It's interesting, when you bring up this argument, many will brush it aside instead of really thinking about it.  Putting yourself in another's world is a way to develop compassion.

I think I am overstating the obvious when I say that to affect change takes courage.  It is easy to sit and complain, it takes heart to get up and do.