Maybe it's something in the air, or maybe it's something in the water, or maybe it's simply more good, old-fashioned awareness, but campus activism is surely on the rise.
The DePauw campus tends to embrace controversy. From the bottled-water ban, to racially offensive content on a Facebook page, to a rumored visit from the infamously homophobic Westboro Baptist Church and the campus-wide Love Rally in response, students here aren't afraid to rally. No pun intended.
Last week, however, was a particularly good reminder of how students take political activism to a new level. Students took time out of their days to travel to Indianapolis to protest on the capitol steps. Whether they were protesting the funding cuts to higher education or Senate Bill 590, the message was clear: they cared. Like many of us, these students had classes and meetings to attend, assignments to work on and midterms to study for. But for a few hours, they left it all behind to take action and stand behind something with implications "Beyond the Bubble."
Also at this time, many others on campus are preparing to forgo a week of relaxation and frivolity to give their time to worthy causes in alternative spring breaks. But even inside the Bubble, people are taking action to weave social justice and daily activism into the fabric of campus life. Student government adopted a resolution suggested by a student to promote the purchase of conflict-free minerals in an effort to wash the blood of many war-torn areas in Sub-Saharan Africa from our campus' hands.
While we recognize that this is a largely symbolic action, even grand gestures can be powerful ones with long-lasting implications. Our development on this campus need not be limited to personal, academic and professional development — we can also seek out and take opportunities to grow into more conscientious consumers. This resolution is a great example of the lesser-known facet of activism that takes place in our everyday lives. It might not be easy to spot, but it's no less important. There's not much to say aside from what we're seeing — whether it's as tangible as driving to the Statehouse on Thursday or as symbolic as an endorsement of conflict-free minerals, it's obvious we give a damn.
Write to the editorial board at: edboard@thedepauw.com
— Macy Ayers did not participate in this editorial because she is vice president of academic life for the student body.