By Natalia Salinas, Social Action Social Justice Council Chair
On May 1, 2014, the Social Action Social Justice Council participated in the International Workers Day march with an enthusiastic crowd hoping to influence change in the world. Attending this annual event was extra special this year because there was a noticeable change in what participants were chanting, singing and talking about.
Current social structures create social relations that disconnect us from one another. Competition, greed, individualism and selfishness flourish while millions suffer worldwide. According to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, nearly 1 billion people are malnourished and at least 8 million die every year of hunger-related illnesses. A child dies of hunger every 11 seconds! Yet, 40 percent of the food we produce is wasted. In addition, 3.5 million people in the U.S. are homeless, while 12 million homes remain unoccupied.
Capitalism’s competition and reckless production for profit is not only causing social problems, but also leading to catastrophic climate change. The growth of CO2 emissions and atmospheric concentrations has been relentless. Scientists are hypothesizing a fast approaching “tipping point” that will accelerate global warming beyond any human capacity to stop it.
There is a clear addiction to money by a few and it’s killing us all. We need to stop the enabling, the scapegoat, and the denial. As the 1 percent position themselves to defend or extend their profit-hungry global empires with ever-widening wars leading to WWIII, we, the 99 percent need to come together to create a different kind of system. The almost certain predictable future if we do not do this is total annihilation of humans on this plant. This may sound like and exaggeration by some, but we can’t afford to sugar coat what is occurring.
What I heard at the march this year was that many are determined to move a world revolution forward. I heard the possibility of creating a world of cooperation, collectivity, unity, selflessness and sharing. I hope you join us next year!
