#whatdoyoutrulystandfor
If I see another blogger hashtag #Istandformercy accompanied by a post about how much sleep they lost on Tuesday night and how heavy their heart is, I think I am going to explode.
Post after post in my facebook newsfeed, status after status, meme after meme:
#Istandformercy.
So the fuck what??
What did you do about it besides whinge about it on facebook? Oh, you wrote a blog post about it too? Well done you! That should save them from death row as I am sure President Widodo and his advisors read those. You got your child involved? Wow, that will teach them to stand up for something. Pop a picture of them with the hashtag up on facebook! I’m also sure Widodo and his gang are also on twitter saying that when the #Istandformercy tweet count reaches X amount we will call off the firing squad.
THEN the next day I see the same bloggers “Oh, look a cushion sale, ooh look, here is a post about Mothers Day, oooh look a post about bells” blah blah. I go to their webpages, after having read the tearjerking posts the day before and NOTHING is there about what they stand for. Nothing. Its like yesterdays post never happened. The outrage and the grief had dissipated to the next days frivolities. I scrolled down the sidebars thinking they might have a link to the Amnesty page or something to positively direct their readers emotions but no. Nothing.
“I stand“: to place some value or importance on; to represent, symbolise, advocate for.
If you are going to “stand” for something then for fucks sake do something about it! Bitching and moaning on facebook is not standing for something!
#bringbackourgirls;
After Boko Haram militants kidnapped hundreds of girls from a Nigerian boarding school on April 15, an international campaign was raised to pressure the Nigerian government to “Bring Back Our Girls.” In early May, nearly 500,000 tweets had been sent out with the tag. The hashtag itself was so well-known and so inspiring that even Michelle Obama participated in the campaign. Did you know that out of the 276 girls who were kidnapped in Nigeria that 219 are still missing? #doyoustillcare? Did you do anything about it other than pop up a trendy facebook hashtag?
#stopviolenceagainstwomen
34 women have now died in Australia from acts of violence in 2015. Trend hashtagging isn’t going to stop it. Getting off twitter and facebook and actually ADVOCATING for it might be a start though.
As bloggers, you have tens of thousands of readers most of them like minded in this instance, who also hopped on your moaning bandwagon for the ride to nowhere. Why don’t you use your influence/popularity to give them some direction??
SHOW them how they can help petition the death penalty in Indonesia.
TELL them how they can help stop violence against women.
DIRECT readers to places where their keyboard angst can be used constructively instead of on a platform of outrageous indignity.
Hashtags and social outrage are fine, as long as they are used in conjunction with a positive outlet for your passion.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Amnesty International is a global movement of over 7 million people committed to defending those who are denied justice or freedom.
Australia should initiate a regional coalition against capital punishment – Write to Julie Bishop and ask about this.
If you truly stand for violence against women then the Luke Batty Foundation details are here.
Frustrated by the imbalanced and completely shitful “justice system” in Australia as I am? Start a petition and spread it around; lobby your local member for parliament; do you even know who it is? I’m pretty sure it’s still a thing 😉 Have you considered running for Politics? How tall DO you stand?
Turn your passion and anger into something proactive instead of reactive. DO something. Otherwise all you stand for is a good laugh and a bargain at IKEA.
#whatdoyoutrulystandfor?
If you have any links to pages to help stand up for what you believe in, please please pop them in the comments.
Go Lisa!
I agree!
Well done for saying what you think! I agree that domestic violence in our country and other important issues should be receiving much more attention and outrage! X
I agree. While raising awareness and creating a conversation is important, it’s also vital it is backed up by getting the message through to the people who need to hear it. I contact my local members (local, state and federal) all the time. I don’t always write about it. My kids have started as well. I see this as a way to show them they can make a difference. My son, aged 10, wrote to the PM about gay marriage and got a letter back yesterday. He was disappointed he wasn’t able to change the PM’s mind, but we got to talk about other ways he can keep his views being heard. Next thing my 8 year old daughter is insisting to contact the PM on the same issue. Naturally we let her. On the issue of these two men executed in Indonesia, I wrote the Indonesian government – and I’ve emailed several others, including the USA, who use the death penalty. Last night I was burning the midnight oil sending off my messages to people who I think need to hear my opinion. There is so much more to do than hashtagging on social media – BUT, the conversations are important too. As is the message you have. Don’t stop letting the people who make decisions know how you feel! The squeaky wheel gets the oil.
Well done, I couldn’t care less about the Bali 9, but think Nepal and lost girls more newsworthy. I wanted to know what happened to the ones that were found and where they came from.
#youarefuckingawesome
You just summed up all the things my brain has been thinking.
themisscinders recently posted…take it easy they said | famous last words
well put. I stand for not displaying faux emotion and wringing of hands about something I did NOTHING to actively change.
Empathy is not a badge you have to wear by bleating on social media, it was like a who can cry the most top trumps party out there.
Great post. And very brave.
As an online activist, I’m all too aware of slacktivism and the disdain for it. I’m also aware of my influence and try to use my blog and social media to consistently raise awareness around appearance diversity and Ichthyosis. I think it is really easy to favourite a tweet or use a hashtag, and it takes work to do something meaningful online. (This month I’m sharing 30+ stories of people affected by Ichthyosis and I’ve also organised a meet for 75 people at the zoo. It’s been a huge amount of work on top of my day job but I am committed to the cause.)
Bloggers need to realise their influence – not for just selling things, but also for social, good. That doesn’t bring in the revenue, though.
Carly Findlay recently posted…MEDIA RELEASE: Australia’s first national Ichthyosis meet. (Peer support meet comes to life at Melbourne Zoo in May)
Yes!! x
Pip recently posted…How To Beat Information Overwhelm And Still Care About The World
I heart you.
Hi Lisa,
First of all hun – I totally agree with you. I think that there are so many incredibly important causes in the world that need to be written about, that need our focus, and support and empathy and money. If Australians get this upset about the Bali 9 and make this much noise, imagine what we could do if we put the same volume behind some of the lesser known atrocities that are taking place… However… as much as you know I think you are awesome, I dont see how writing a post with the intent of shaming fellow bloggers who have written about their thoughts on the executions, really helps either. I am one of those who wrote about my thoughts on the executions and how I felt about them. I also used the hastag #IstandforMercy. Not for political reasons or to get involved in debate – but because I had an opinion on the matter and a right to express it. I have a personal blog where sometimes amongst posts about food, and cushions and pretty things, I like to brain fart too and talk about my wins, fuck ups, failings and feelings. I don’t normally buy into anything political on my blog because God knows I am a self professed ignormaus when it comes to politics, but I do write occasionally about how events in the world impact my belief system and my confidence about raising children in this current world we live in… just in case others feels the same way too and know that what they are feeling is perfectly normal. Should I put more thought and direction into what someone could do if they read my blog post to perhaps better serve the cause and make use of the strong emotion they are feeling… YEP point taken I totally should. I wrote to politicians, I encouraged my kids to do the same too. We made a donation to Amnesty International the morning after the executions because I felt sick at the thought they people were spending money on flowers for memorials when that money could be put to better use. I did however ‘whinge’ on Facebook and I did write about it on my blog too knowing full well that Widodo or anyone would really give a shit what I have to say. What I do struggle to understand however is how feeling shamed by a fellow blogger for doing so, serves any purpose. I think you have a really important message for the blogosphere that you are trying to get across in this post and the way you have encouraged people to take action is frigging awesome. I just think in this case it could possibly have been more constructive if it wasn’t written by starting with quite so much finger stabbing and shaming of your fellow bloggers. I’m sorry chick, I guess I am just a bit surprised by how antagonistic your opening came across and cant help but feel that all the awesomness of the messaging in this post will possibly be overshadowed by the intentional shaming part. x
Hi gorgeous girl,
I am glad you can see where I was coming from here. I am also REALLY glad that you and your kids are writing to the pollies and you are teaching them ways to get the causes that they hold dear to them accomplished. I very much wish that your blog readers were aware of that also and could be directed by people they respect, like you, into doing something positive.
I am sorry that you felt personally persecuted; it was not my intention to single out individual bloggers and the examples I chose were random things that popped up in my news feed. I also did not intend to shame individual bloggers. But I certainly meant what I said about bloggers as a whole, myself included. I have ranted a few times where I could indeed have included a link for other pro-active and like-minded readers, such as my one on prank calls or cyber bullying and I will endeavour to do so in future posts also.
I think I have only just realised that whilst we use our audience readership to make money in advertising and reviews etc , we also have the potential for so much good in certain posts and we should be using our audience for greater purposes as well, especially when the causes are so dear to our hearts. Lets put our passion and our readership to good use.
I know my tone was a little confronting and I apologise if the by-product of it offended/shamed fellow bloggers. Shaming was definitely not my original intent; I just wanted to draw very definite attention to what was being achieved and what could be achieved in causes such as this. I was angry and frustrated and thats the writing/tone I produce in those cases. Its just me and my way; my voice if you will. The post would not have worked in my mind if I had toned it down I don’t believe.
Thank you for your restrained and constructive reply. Please know that I really do value you, your ideals and your opinions dearly – I was pained when I read this and saw I had hurt you with this post. You are an amazing woman and I have learnt so much from you and your blog. Onwards and Upwards eh?
Much love. xxx
No hard feelings my friend. You raised some very valid points and caused me to look in a mirror and self reflect. I have no doubt that your heart is in the right place and upon reading your post again I believe you were speaking with passion and not malice. I think I along with so many of us this week are just trying to process it all at a time when emotions are at a peak. I truly hope we of all differing opinions in the blogosphere can find a way to join our voices together and really make a difference. Exactly how? I’m not sure … but one step at the time and for me that means starting at home, doing the best I can to teach my own kids to abide by the law, have empathy for others and not wasting that empathy as a helpless emotion but use it to action change. Onwards and upwards chick. Love to you too xx
Sonia Life Love Hiccups recently posted…I STILL Stand For Mercy
See, now this makes me just love you all the more. Your compassionate soul is worth bottling. xxx
Great Post – spot on!
APPLAUSE. Spot on sister.
Well put and exactly why I joined the Greens and got active with my local branch. Putting my time and energy where my mouth is.
Marita recently posted…Christmas Cookies and Biscuits
I have a bit of a different take on this. I work at a domestic violence shelter and I really appreciate those who volunteer, give money or otherwise help in tangible ways. I also like to get on my blog or social media accounts and mouth off about DV or any number of other causes I feel strongly about. I believe that both are valid ways of combating social issues. We can pour all kinds of money into shelters (and god knows we need it) and that will help save lives. BUT it won’t change social beliefs about women and violence. And it is those beliefs that are the cause of DV. I think that social media is a phenomenal tool for spreading awareness. When the Ray Rice video hit the media and there was such an outcry all over social media, victims of DV were sitting at home reading those hashtags and messages and realizing, perhaps for the first time, that what was happening to them was not okay. Maybe they picked up the phone and made the first call for help because of it. After the video hit the news the calls to our hotline spiked. I think they almost doubled. The same was true of the national DV hotline. They couldn’t even handle the call volume. This did not happen because people volunteered for or donated to a shelter. It happened because people mouthed off both on various media sites.
I’m using DV as an example because it’s one I’m familiar with, but I think the same is true for any social cause, including the death penalty. All that #IStandForMercy hashtagging…you know who was seeing that? Politicians. Voting citizens who live in Bali (or *ahem* the U.S.). Teenagers all over the world who will grow up to shape the next generation.
Social change happens slowly, but it happens because the social temperature changes. More and more people speak up about what they will and will not tolerate. I, for one, am always thrilled when I see these social media responses to current issues. I think everyone helps in their own way and there’s a place for all forms of support, whether it’s simply a few written words or a career of hands-on service.
All the best,
Kristin
Wanderlust recently posted…Should you think twice before telling your story?
Hi Kristin – an honour to have your comment; I have followed you blog for a number of years now 🙂
I fully appreciate your view that everything helps and being made AWARE of a matter through social media is often the first step to action. I just think that we can do more with our audience besides sell them stuff.
Lovely to have you here – feeling very fangirly. x
Slow clap for you. Great post.
I’m a pretty lazy blogger but I’ve seen what you’ve described in this post and yes, it is frustrating. Many of us jump on different bandwagons while they’re hot topics, then we get over it. It doesn’t say much for character really.
Being lazy has some positives. It means I’ve narrowed my reading down to the blogs that matter most to me.
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Well said! xoE