The Wake

Democracy, in its most basic definition, means the rule of the people. However, American historians have neglected any information that would contradict democracy in America. Slavery undermined democracy in America until the Civil War. Jim Crow laws and “separate but equal” remained in America until the Civil Rights movement. The absence of workers’ rights until President Franklin Roosevelt’s New Deal isn’t taught in schools. The U.S. government did not allow women’s suffrage until the 19th amendment. The list goes on.

African-American’s rights, workers’ rights and women’s rights still have to be fought for—they are not a guarantee. In the past 50 years, many fights joined them: immigrants’ rights, students’ rights, religious rights, homosexuals’ rights, environmental rights and the rights of every non-white minority living in the United States. None of these groups have been or are being advocated for by any elected official. To be fair, President George W. Bush did mention America is underrepresented when he announced in February his plan to cut close to $36 billion over the next five years (and eventually $105 billion in the next ten years) from Medicare and other social programs, such as organizations that represent single mothers seeking child-support from deadbeat dads.

Bush is the first American president to not raise taxes during a war, so to make ends meet, the budget trims from social organizations. At the same time, Iraq war spending is constantly rising. According to the Institute for Policy Studies, “Congress has already approved four spending bills for Iraq with funds totaling $204.4 billion and is in the process of approving a ‘bridge fund’ for $45.3 billion to cover operations until another supplemental spending package can be passed …”

Without the help of the U.S. government, America’s minorities—everyone except affluent Christian heterosexual white males—are left to fight for themselves. Two groups have taken up their crusade: charity organizations and social justice organizations.

Charity organizations act has a necessary bandage to make up for the government’s shortcomings. Since charity is similar to a bandage though, it does not attempt to solve what caused the wound it covers. The American Red Cross and ABC’s Extreme Makeover Home Edition are examples of charity—the money they generate goes directly to people who need, but these organizations do not ask why the people need it. If America were to depend on charity organizations alone, only some people would receive help and problems would go unsolved.

Social justice organizations on the other hand, promote social change in institutions. They define what caused the injury that charity covers and attempt to prevent it from happening again. Social justice starts at the grassroots of an issue and works up. Examples of social justice groups are organizations that advocate on behalf of the underrepresented, organize communities to work together and work to spread education to those that have not had equal access to it due to language or economic barriers. One can volunteer at local schools and assist U.S. immigrants with learning how to read and comprehend English. One way, and arguably the most important way, to become a part of a social justice movement is to become active in your local community. Ideally, once communities change, then cities will change, then states will change and then finally

America will change. However, the social justice movement needs charity organizations to exist in order to ensure that America’s underrepresented can survive until institutional problems that cause the need for charity can be eradicated.

The fact that America has some citizens that are dedicated to helping their fellow man and woman will not make up for the lack of U.S. government involvement in assisting in America’s social issues. When Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice asked the Senate for $75 million to promote democracy in Iran, she should have asked the Senate instead for at least $75 million to promote democracy in America, since voter turnout in elections is so low. The U.S. is struggling and its people cannot wait on the government for relief. Americans should not only become involved in social justice and community campaigns, but they should also look to the recent demonstration for workers’ rights in France and the immigration rights’ protests around the United States for examples of how to truly have your voice heard by your government. Now Americans must fight for equality, ensuring true democracy.

For more information to become involved in social justice movements at the University of Minnesota, visit the U of M’s Community Involvement and Learning Center on the web at .

Tom McNamara is a Voices columnist and welcomes comments at .