Imagine you’ve been working for months organizing a program to recognize those who have no voice, those who are oppressed, and those who are persecuted by others for their beliefs, looks, or their abilities.

You’ve worked hard alongside dozens of other people researching, organizing and publicizing for your event.

Imagine if you were able to gain support from almost 1,000 people on campus.

Now imagine, days after your event, which, at 1,000 people tops most other philanthropic events on campus, an editorial comes out saying that all your efforts were useless, silly, and an annoyance to the general population.

This is how it is for the members of the Social Justice Task Force and the other contributing organizations that bring us Silent Solidarity.

Not every event can be as successful as Dance Marathon; of course no other organization or event is supported so widely by the University. Anyone who has attended the University for at least a year knows that this is a primarily Dance Marathon campus.

Not that I don’t support their efforts, they do a tremendous job and they deserve every ounce of support that they receive.

What I disagree with is the hundreds of other campus organizations that try, in vain, every year to organize awareness and philanthropic events and receive only criticism. Even constructive criticism would have been more helpful, but I resent the call for Silent Solidarity to be terminated.

Yes, there are some individuals who are only involved to receive a free t-shirt, but there are also a large number of students and faculty who take this event seriously.

But why judge an event by the involvement of the dedicated, when clearly all that matters is the numbers.

What makes a successful event IS NOT the number of people that attend, or the amount of money raised, but rather the impact it has on those participants who really care about the cause.

There were a great many students involved in Silent Solidarity because they consider themselves to be one of the many silenced minorities represented in this year’s day of silence.

What are we telling them if we cancel this event? Are we saying, “Oh, I’m sorry, the campus doesn’t care about your rights, all they care about is a free t-shirt and where campus funding goes.”

On that note, I would like to say that the University funds more than 300 student organizations with the money students pay to attend the University. How many of those organizations can boast an event that draws 1,000 participants, caring or not?

And yes, organizations spend a lot of money on free t-shirts and all that “free food” we see advertised for events all over campus. It all comes from University funding.

Lastly, Silent Solidarity condones talking if it is necessary for school or work. What we fail to take into consideration is that the sign up for this event is given in plenty of time for students to re-schedule class speeches, meetings, and work shifts.

And while this may be the butt of more than a few jokes on campus, it hits home with many and is appreciated by those in the community.

I had the necessity of having to run errands in town the day I sported my yellow shirt and name tag stating “Today I am being silent to support those who are Muslim.”

At every store and bank that I went to, my shirt was read and some cashiers even told me that they really supported the program.

So I challenge the campus to offer some constructive criticism instead of insulting an event they do not participate in.

I also challenge those who participate to try again next year, read the letters you receive in your packet and look at the information sheet about the group you will be representing, and spend the day prior to Silent Solidarity telling others about the program and why it is important to you.

Please help support Silent Solidarity.

Put yourself in their shoes and try to care about others for at least a day or two.