Silence is Violence?

   Over the past few weeks, I have see the following statement show up across social media:  Silence is Violence.  I had to step back and really think about it because my initial reaction was one of irritation and dismissal.  Whenever that happens it becomes necessary to reflect on why I would have such a reaction to something. To assist in my reflections I decided to think historically and find out how silence has become violence in the past or if it is just another platitude on a sign.

    My first thought was one of the Holocaust and how many stood by and watched as people were transported on trains to "work" camps. Due to the horror of accepting that people were really being sent to their deaths, some chose to ignore this reality and not step up to stop it. In such a case, I truly do believe that silence and inaction contributed to this devastation as it led to the deaths of millions of people. Some do not do anything because it is happening to some outsider or "other" and by the time they realize that they are next, it is too late. On the flip side, many people did stand up, suit up and fight to defeat Hitler's fascist regime and prevent the deaths of many others across the globe.

     To me, it was action that made the difference in this fight rather than just words, yelling, and carrying signs with slogans in the streets. This is not to say that we don't need to have discussions on various issues but yelling and protesting does very little to make a constructive change in our society, or in the world at large. In my opinion one reason it does very little is because it takes very little commitment to walk and yell with a sign whereas it takes a great deal of commitment to work in an area that needs change. For example, I can yell about poor educational opportunities in our poorest communities and then go home and feel good about myself in a very superficial way or I can get trained and teach in a poor community and have a real reason to feel good about my work. Which one of those options takes the most time, commitment, energy and dedication (and also has the best chance of making a difference)? You decide.

   So it closing, I don't think that it is silence that is violence, I think that it is a lack of constructive action that is violence. Being quiet or yelling from the rooftops does nothing but give you a sore throat, but putting in time and constructive action can make a real difference on a daily basis.