I’m always expressing my ideas. If it’s not through school, it’s through the Internet or social media. I’m blessed to live in a world where I can say my thoughts and beliefs out loud and by being a part of a movement, I can help give the people in the world their rights. Many readers may find themselves living in the same situation as I.
However, in other parts of the world, thousands of people are banned from expressing themselves. They must live and think how their leaders want them to and cannot voice their opposition towards their leader’s beliefs without facing negative consequences. A clear example of this is North Korea. In 1945, Kim II Sung proclaimed himself as emperor of North Korea after the World War II. Since then, there have been seventy-one years of dictatorship where the destination for free spirits is death.
This is only the start of our problems. In the world we live in today, the color of our skin and our nationality marks who we are as a person in the eyes of many. Refugees are continuing to be rejected in many countries and men, women, and children from Syria, Afghanistan, and Iraq continue to escape from terrible conditions only to not have a place to go. In Spain, people try to escape by jumping the grid that separates Africa with Melilla while immigrants have been trying for years to pass this grid to enter Spanish territory. During all of this, Europe provides shelter to thousands of immigrants and refugees, however continues to make the conditions required for those immigrants and refugees to live there more limiting.
On top of all of this, at any given time, in some part of the world, there is a war going on. People suffer all year round and lose their loved ones and are forced to constantly move around to be safe. In the past when stuff like this occurred, the media would show what was really happening and would try to raise awareness to help those in need. Why hasn’t this happened this year? Because we feel more humble? Or are we trying to convince ourselves the world is a better place than it is?
During a time with all this horror, many feel as if they lack a say in things. As a young person, I’m often told I’m too young to understand it all. I’m reminded that I’m just a girl with no vote to allow me to change these things. However, in this new year I’d like to remind you of this, that we as a generation have a say in how the world is right now, that we are empowered enough to change the future as long as we remain aware of what is going on the world around us instead of shutting it out because it is too “painful” or “sad”. We are the next generation, if we work hard and stay determined, we can change things.
