Where are the activists?

I spent a a good portion of the day today thinking about what I wanted to write about for today's post. (The rest of the time, I was stressing about holiday cards for fund appeals and running my writer's workshop.) I have a few drafts waiting to be finished, revised and posted, so I thought about them for a little while, but wasn't feeling up to doing research. Then I got an e-mail from a friend back in the States, and I started to think about activism in U.S. society. I have always thought that activism is one of the greatest things that one can do, and that service to try to create a strong, healthy, vibrant community was the noblest of callings. When I think of the great leaders, they all embodied a desire to give to their communities, rather than to stroke their own egos. The people I love and admire the most find a way to incorporate service into their lives, whether by profession or by passion (or both).

So why aren't there more people doing this hard but necessary work?

Why is activism a 4 letter word, and many people cringe at - or outright revile - the idea of being called an activist? Why is it okay to be an activist for some things but not for others? Why is it that people can spend hours in front of the TV every night, but not give 2 hours to community service or going to an organizing meeting? Everyone has complaints about how things are, but most act as though they are powerless to change it. Where does that sense of powerlessness come from?

I don't have the answers. Do you?