You Can Make a Difference
Updated November 24, 2007
Be aware of what's going on.
Watch the news. Read newspapers and magazines (print or online) news, and pay attention to issues that are important to you.
Go to town hall meetings, board meetings, city counsel meetings, neighborhood watch meetings, and so forth. Visit the bad parts of town. Know what's going on in your own backyard.
Learn about local and national government.
Find out how a law gets put into place. Find out who is in power. Watch the national news in the evening. Watch political debates. Politicians are leading our society. It's up to us to ensure they are going in the right direction.
Contact people with power.
Representatives, senators, the President, and other officials all accept letters, emails, faxes, and phone calls. You can even get personal visits with some of them. Do they read them? Some do and some don't, but at least you can give it a try. Even if assistants open your letters and send you generic replies, if enough people send in letters about a particular topic, the assistants will let the big guys know what people are talking about.
You can also contact your local community leaders. Find out how your local government works. Do you have a mayor, a city counsel, a board of directors, supervisors of various departments, a chief of police, superintendents, or any other individuals in positions of authority? Find out how to contact them. Tell them what bothers you, your rundown neighborhood parks, the speed limits, the lack of crosswalks, crime, the lack of a community center or senior center, and so forth. Write letters. Make phone calls. Make personal visits. Don't forget to also contact them to let them know when they're doing a good job.
Express your opinion.
Advertise using signs in your front yard, bumper stickers, buttons, and even address labels to let people know what's important to you. You may inspire them to learn more about your topic or candidate and you can even persuade them to fight for your cause.
You can write the editor of your newspaper or your local news channel and tell them what you think. You may inspire them to do a story about your topic, and they may even publish or televise your letter.
Join organizations to support the cause
Perhaps it's the PTA, your church, your union, a local division of your political party, a charity group, or even a hobby club. When we join together, we make an impact. Whether you are fighting for the legal right to ride your bike on a municipal hiking trail or are trying to end war, joining makes a difference.
You don't always have to volunteer. Just becoming a member adds power to the organization and their campaigns.
Volunteer
Somebody has to do the work. Some people do get paid to do the jobs that help other people, but don't wait around for someone to offer you money to make a difference. Be willing to do something to help the world without expecting a paycheck in return.
For ideas, visit Where to Volunteer.
Vote!
Even if it's just a "silly local election," even if you think that your vote doesn't really count, learn about the issues and candidates and vote. Vote. Vote!
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