Is Activism Extinct at U.Va.?!

Has activism died or just been underground at U.Va.? Nobody is quite sure where activism has been over the last few years because it slowly slid away without any questioning. Except for a few instances this university has been quiet, yet is everything perfect? If your answer is "No," why are you not doing something about it? We must speak up about what we deem wrong. So far we haven't. Our generation has been one of the most recalcitrant in decades. Inequalities still exist, and abound at that. Times are not so much improved that there is nothing to fight for anymore. When born into the world, we take things for granted, comprehending the world as immovable and unchangeable. The thought is that earth has always been like it presently is and will surely continue to remain in the same state. For example, as most of us allow earth to crumble, our children will take for granted the world we leave to them, without knowing what has been lost during the previous generation. The vicious cycle will continue unless reversed. We can't let this vicious cycle happen.

On Tuesday April 22, 1997 Earth Day will be here. Earth Day and the entire week surrounding Earth Day will consist of progressive-minded events throughout the States and here at U.Va. for the university community to participate. On Earth Day the university will be participating in International Bicycle Unity '97. This event is a mass bike ride around grounds in support of bicycle safety and unity. All are welcome and encouraged to participate, so bring your bike to the Rotunda at 4 p.m. to gather for a thirty minute ride. As you probably know, a university student was killed while riding his bike nearly two months ago. This has happened about once a year at U.Va. for as long as I can remember and will surely continue until something is done. As students, we have power and can push for change, especially at OUR university. University roads should be safe for us to walk, jog, bike, and rollerblade without the fear of being run over by a vehicle. The idea for International Bicycle Unity '97 was born in my mind as an ideal. A letter to announce the event was created and with Internet research, hundreds of thousands of people around the world were contacted and asked to participate. As of April 10, there were 16 participating cities worldwide, including our very own Charlottesville, Virginia. The old adage that one person (or one group) cannot make a difference, is again proven false. Activism at U.Va. seems to be wiping the sand from its eyes after a long, deep sleep. Jefferson, a radical himself, would be proud of the increase in activism that this university is seeing. The birth of the Student Labor Action Committee, on-line e-zine Critical Mass, and the Green Party have brought new energy into U.Va. and added to its growing list of progressive groups such as Student Environmental Action, National Organization of Women, and Students for Animal Rights. I encourage everyone to find out more about these proactive groups and join. The next step is to form an umbrella organization of progressive groups in order to combine and collect our energies. There are many things that we should learn during our college years and for our generation, the area of activism needs to be explored.

Paul DeMaio