What Can We Do?

Becoming Part of the Solution

Allan G. Johnson

Johnson argues that the problem of privilege and oppression is not part of the past but that is happening now, in the present. In this article, Johnson offers a variety of actions every individual can perform in order to become part of the solution which would led to a big change not only in our society but in the whole world.

* "The problem of privilege and oppression is deep and wide, and to work with it we have to be able to see it clearly so that we can talk about it in useful ways." (p. 138)

In order for us to make any change about this big problem, first we need to recognize the problem exist and that each of us have something to do with it, directly or indirectly. We can't get deffensive because it can not take us anywhere. Then we have to talk about the problem, "use the words" as Johnson always says, so we can find solutions. Then we must ACT and finally, change would come...
PROBLEM-> see-> talk-> analyze-> solution-> ACT->->->->->CHANGE!!!!!!!!

* Myth 1: "It's always been this way , and it always will." (p. 142)

This is what most of us think. Don't want to sound rude, but after reading this part of Johnson article, i realized that most of us are really ignorant. I have to say i used to think that way, but reality is that when God first created the world nothing was the way it is today. Things have changed with the pass of the years and because majority of us are affraid to avocate for ourselves and work together so the world change and become what it was at the beginning.......not full of oppression but tolerance......

* Myth 2: "Gandhi's Paradox and the Myth of No Effect" (p.145)

Long-term + Short-term Work 2 soften = CHANGE!!!!!

Many of us think that one person's effort or action can't make any difference in such a big and complicated world. But i remember a saying dominican people always use, "drop by drop fills a glass". This is what Johnson argues in this part of his article, that the effort of anly one person can't do so much but what if another person take action and then another one, and so on... Is there any possibility of change? what Johnson is asking us is to work first by ourself and then collectively.

This world is crying for a change. We need to take action and stop complaining or getting deffensive. We need to recognize there is a big problem out there which is affecting every single individual. It doesn't matter if you are a privileged person or are part of the oppressed group, all of us need to work together. We need to have faith that the change would happen and be patient because, as Johnson mantions in his article, this is a long-term work...