The phrase from a song keeps echoing in my mind as I witness recent horrifying acts of hate-fueled violence and hear unsettling responses that fail to condemn disturbing rhetoric. It’s hard not to feel like something significant is unfolding, a sentiment perfectly captured by the question, “Hey what’s going on?”. It’s becoming increasingly clear that we are at a critical point in our socio-political landscape.
The mission of TWAICB centers around highlighting the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and its ongoing relevance. As previously emphasized, the UDHR emerged from a global endeavor to foster peace, justice, equality, and dignity for everyone, directly responding to the atrocities of World War II. Just seven decades into striving to solidify these principles, this effort feels more crucial than ever.
Another concept born from the horrors of the Holocaust and World War II is the Universe of Obligation. This concept emphasizes our responsibility to care for individuals within our immediate and broader communities, urging us to speak out and take action when necessary. This idea resonates deeply with the feeling of “hey what’s going on?” – prompting us to look around and consider our role in addressing the issues we observe.
Both the U.S. Constitution and the UDHR enshrine our rights to freedom of speech, assembly, and the right to vote. A functioning democracy depends on each person actively “looking at what’s going on” and voicing their concerns. This active observation and engagement are vital components of a healthy society, ensuring that the question “hey what’s going on?” is not just a passive observation but a call to participatory action.
It is our shared responsibility to speak out to our friends, family, and community members about what we perceive and to encourage the registration of our voices through voting and communicating with our elected officials. Resources for contacting your representatives are available here, and you can find your voting location for Tuesday, November 6th here. Let’s move beyond just asking “hey what’s going on?” and actively shape the answer.
In the spirit of the Grateful Dead’s Uncle John’s Band, “Ain’t no time to hate, barely time to wait!” The urgency to act, to respond to the question “hey what’s going on?”, is now.
With appreciation and best regards,
Sandy Sohcot, Director
