In D.J. Johnson’s column yesterday titled, “Don’t expect your silence to be heard,” he raises a few relevant points about the actual comprehension of participants in Silent Solidarity and university spending.
This would make me one of the people outside Silent Solidarity that Johnson referred to – an objective viewer who sees the value in the activity.
Silent Solidarity serves to draw attention to the voiceless – the poor, the persecuted, etc. By using such a unique method, Silent Solidarity promotes curiousity.
The first time I encountered a participant, I was frustrated as to why this person couldn’t tell me why she couldn’t talk. I sought out answers and in addition to learning the purpose of Silent Solidarity, I learned another important factor – that it is effective.
According to its press release last Thursday, 1,300 students were expected to particpate.
The turnout, I believe, is not due to the free T-shirt, but because most people care about the issue – i.e. the well-being of others. The kicker is they don’t have to do much – in fact, they have to do less.
The beauty of Silent Solidarity is the ease with which people can participate.
Johnson wrote “very few people outside of Silent Solidarity genuinely care about it.”
Only about 10 percent of the eligible student voters cast ballots in the last USG election. The year before that less than 400 students voted.
But nobody thinks we should get rid of USG – which would save our school way more money than the removal of Silent Solidarity from the budget.
Also, I would like to point out to Johnson, who recounted a story of a professor threatening to kick out a student for not talking in class, the press release for Silent Solidarity reads: “They may talk for academic purposes during the day.”
Awareness of this provision is not the fault of the program, but the student – who may have simply been going the extra mile.
Johnson goes as far as to compare the event to communism. Not everything has to be tied to the “evil ideology” to solidify your point.
Lastly, I would like to invite Johnson, who thinks that “making people aware of the problems that certain segments of our society go through is an awesome idea,” to provide ways to improve the event, help start an award-winning social justice event or to silence himself.
‘#160;
RUSS ZIMMER
STUDENT
