The purpose of connect and engage is to draw parallels between what you have learned or encountered so far in the module, and your every day life. This week, our article began with the definition of social justice, and then unpacked the key terms in more detail, and with examples. In the React and Reflect, you watched a video which featured a young spoken word artist sharing a stream of consciousness commentary on police brutality, and what he perceives to be the injustices in his world. Now, it is your turn to connect the material to the world around you.
For each step of the process, you will read a description, read an example, and then type your own response.
Step 1: Share your opinion. Choose an event or topic in the world around you, which relates to “social justice,” and which you have a strong opinion about. Share your opinion on this topic. What is the injustice? What is so wrong about it? What needs to be done? How does this impact you?
- Example: The Holocaust was wrong, and fueled by hate. The killing of European Jews was completely senseless, and horrible. The fact that so many people participated and allowed it to happen is an important lesson to humanity that we are capable of evil. People need to learn from history to make sure this never happens again.
Step 2: Describe. Start by describing the event or situation. Try to be as objective as possible. This means, do your best to briefly describe the topic without too many of your personal opinions or feelings. What are the facts? Provide the who, what, when, where, why.
- Example: The Holocaust was the genocide of European Jews during WWII. Between 1941 and 1945 a group of white supremacists, called Nazis, systematically murdered around six million Jewish people. The Nazi party was led by Adolf Hitler, and they carried out their murders via mass shooting, extermination camps, gas chambers, starvation, and labor induced exhaustion in concentration camps.
Step 3: Consider the factors. Often we give all of the responsibility for an event to one person. Sometimes, we hold ourselves responsible. Other times, we find one person, or one group, and put the weight of blame on them. Today, we want you to think of ALL the factors, or as many as you can, that contribute(d) to this event or outcome. Then, you will rate the level of which you think that factor contributed to the event.
- Example: The main person typically held responsible for the Holocaust was Adolf Hitler. However, Hitler did not murder 6 million Jews on his own… there are many other contributing factors. Because Hitler was a strong speaker, he was able to convince the members of the Nazi Party to follow him. The members of the Nazi Party and the actions of each of those individuals, were contributing factors. Fear was another factor. German people who noticed Jewish neighbors going missing often chose not to speak out because of fear of what the Nazis might to do them, too. The German economy was another factor. People were looking for someone to blame for their troubles. Because of this, Hitler was able to use propaganda to convince people that the Jewish people were to blame, and give them hope that after the Jews were gone, their problems would be solved. The fact that people were able to believe Hitler so readily means that their underlying feelings toward Jews, and their ability to form prejudices were also factors.
- In the order of importance: propaganda, prejudices, Adolf Hitler, looking for someone to blame, Nazi Party, Fear, German economy, hope, German people, underlying feelings toward Jews, individuals.
Step 4: Reflect. Take the time to consider your new understanding of the situation, and how this impacts your view of the topic as a whole. Reference your original opinion. State what you still believe to be true, but add in your new understanding of that belief.
- Example: I still think the Holocaust was wrong… but one new understanding I have is that it might not have been “evil” that caused people to go along with it… but fear or propaganda. I always knew prejudices are wrong, but now I know they are dangerous because they can be taken advantage of and used to put people against one another. I see now that we have to start with our prejudices before they spiral into something so massive. That’s how we can make sure it doesn’t happen again.
Social + Justice + You 