There's a lot of wrong in this world. Economies around the globe are in the toilet, Australia's on fire and a single mom on welfare just gave birth to eight babies.
On the home front, America's engaged in two wars, jobs are being cut and peanut butter has been compromised.
Personally, I juggle two jobs, work 60-hour weeks and have no savings to show for it. By the way, my rent is due tomorrow.
So, I can spend the next few hundred words lamenting about how life sucks and how nothing is going to change, or I can pick myself up by my bootstraps and belt out "The Sun Will Come Out Tomorrow" at the top of my lungs.
Or, like many of my fellow peers, I can do nothing. Just sit here, log onto Facebook and have a good laugh while joining a group called "I want a Snuggie Blanket made with ShamWows."
Or, I can try my luck with what's behind door No. 3, which entails getting up off my butt. Like Gandhi said, "be the change we wish to see in the world."
And I know of one local organization that has done exactly that: The Raging Grannies.
Grannies as in grandmothers. As in your mom's mom. As in really, really old ladies.
And they're mad. In fact, they're raging.
They're raging about the state of politics and aren't afraid to don their big, flowery hats, feather boas and hit the streets in protest of war and voice their support for social justice.
This international grassroots organization (it was founded in Canada) has more than 60 gaggles worldwide. Their mission: To create a better world for future generations.
The Bay Area chapter of this organization has pulled stunts like hand-delivering Congressman Mike Honda a plastic spine, singing anti-nuke, anti-war songs and standing outside of Speaker Nancy Pelosi's house with pink signs that read "Bunnies, Not Bombs."
These grannies use humor, theatrics and songs to promote world peace, justice, equality and raise awareness of their cause.
And they've caught the attention of someone.
According to a 2006 Rolling Stone article, in operation "Information Synchronization, Knowledge Management and Intelligence Fusion," the California National Guard spied on members of the Raging Grannies as they organized a peaceful protest against the Iraq War.
Why did the National Guard do this?
According to the article, Lt. Col. Stan Zezotarski thought that terrorists could infiltrate this group of singing, peace-loving grandmothers.
Right.
Isn't there something wrong with this picture?
Shouldn't it be my generation, us young bucks, that take to the streets and risk our necks to protest the government's actions? Not our elders, who, in reality, don't have a lot of personal gain by standing up against "the Man."
When was the last time you rose and took a stand?
The last time I remember my generation getting riled up about something was during the five days after Sept. 11. Everyone had an opinion, and everyone wasn't afraid to share it. There were candle light vigils, peace rallies and prayer services in memory of those who lost their lives.
Then on the sixth day, when television went back to normal programming, everyone got sucked backed into their hermit lifestyles, watching television and surfing the Web.
The Raging Grannies sing, march and protest so that my generation won't have to pay the consequences of an irresponsible government. Well, if that isn't selflessness, I don't what is.
But I think it's about time that this generation unglued itself from computers, got up off the couch and stood up for something it believes in.
Stand up for something. Anything.
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