Op-ed by Boro Park Shlucha Mrs. Shterna Ginsberg: “Protesting with words and banners is cheap. The only way to change the world is to change ourselves.”
By Mrs. Shterna Ginsberg for Anash.org
Over the past week, hundreds of thousands of people have protested a senseless, evil murder.
Protesting with words and banners is cheap.
The only way to change the world is to change ourselves.
If you care about a senseless killing, stop the hurt in your own life.
Stop abusing your power. The power of your words. The power of your attitudes. The power of your behavior.
Stop putting other people down.
Stop the cruelty, the callousness.
Stop the cynical comments, the ugly labeling, the negativity.
Stop being casual about other people’s desperate cries for help.
Open your heart and care.
Open your heart and do something for a person in need.
If you are fed up with the injustice of the world…
How will you protest?
Words are cheap.
We can and we must do so much more.
Imagine if every protester would do ONE random act of goodness and kindness to ONE person in need.
Imagine if every newspaper would be reporting on the outpouring of compassion, generosity, connection and contributions.
Imagine if every expression of outrage would be an action demonstrating that every life matters.
That every person deserves respect.
Let’s do it. Let’s flood the world with acts of goodness and kindness.
Before you speak to the grocer, to the cashier, the mailman, the crossing guard, the president, the student, the doctor or the bouncer, think: Am I being respectful? Am I showing that this person’s life matters?
Show respect. Show caring. Show empathy, concern, compassion.
Words are cheap.
Asking, insisting, demanding that other people change is cheap.
If you care that there is too much evil in the world, start being a force of goodness.
Start in your closest relationships. Start with your family and friends, your neighbors, your community.
And never stop.
Never stop. Let’s flood the world with goodness and kindness.