OPINION

DANA D. KELLEY: More activists needed

There's a strong surplus of activists for a cause, a group, or a gripe. What's in short supply is people pursuing activism for strong citizenship.

No self-government can or will survive once a critical mass of citizens becomes derelict in their duties and responsibilities. Irresponsible citizenship and a perpetuating republic are incongruous. Depending on where and when you look around, it feels like we're approaching a crisis point.

But the most powerful way to bring about massive national change for the better has little to do with Congress, the president or politics. It's the result of hometown citizen activists whose conscious, constructive behavior and individual actions get multiplied across our towns and cities and states.

If you want to be a truly effective activist, here are some of the best things you can do for your country:

Get and keep a job.

Working is good for you, for your community and for your nation. There's a lot to be said for being somewhere on time, taking pride in doing the work assigned to you, seeing something through, and going home with a sense of accomplishment.

Big political causes sensationalize big issues to garner big news coverage. But the biggest social, economic and domestic contribution you can personally make is to do your part at your job, whatever it is, and do it to the best of your ability.

Stay married.

Not everyone needs to marry. But for those who do, and that percentage still constitutes the majority, a marriage offers tremendous potential for social, individual, community and national progress and prosperity.

Stable family structure affects so many aspects of life. Staying married requires commitment, perseverance, forgiveness, faithfulness and a host of other virtues that collectively advance our national interest.

Like most endeavors, what you get in a marriage is directly related to what you put in to it. So invest heavily with your time, interest, passion, money and effort.

Raise your kids.

This doesn't come naturally, which means you can't coast through parenting. You have to work at it, learn about it, Google it if necessary. But neglected kids result in all kinds of social maladies. It's not the kids' fault. They didn't choose to be conceived and born. Take being a mom or dad seriously. It's arguably the most important role you will ever play.

Instead of marching in protest of this or that, march side by side with your kids to their sports games, museums, parks or the local library.

Save money.

Consumerism in America is out of control. Everybody knows it. Spending money is fun. Being in debt is not fun. But spending is so much fun that most of us borrow (and incur the associated non-fun) so we can do it.

Good saving habits pay a lot more dividends than just a little nest egg for a rainy day. They help develop virtues like patience, appreciation for the value of labor, and delayed gratification.

Political organizations are constantly seeking donations. But the best contribution you can make to your nation's betterment is to your own savings account. Write that check this next election cycle.

Volunteer at local schools and church.

The most significant donation you can make in a charitable sense is to give personally of your own time. Your physical touch or presence matters more in terms of generosity perceived by the recipient than clinical, unfeeling currency.

Schools and churches in your neighborhood are always in need, and they are the front line when it comes to teaching and aiding in your own community.

Political campaigns press hard to recruit volunteers. Get yourself a couple of "STAFF" T-shirts for a nearby church or school and keep 100 percent of your volunteering energy at work right there in your own backyard.

Get to know your neighbors.

The fabric of a close-knit community isn't the streets or sidewalks or houses or yards or fences or parks. There's a personal noun in the word "neighborhood" for a reason.

Communities where neighbors know and look out for each other are stronger in every way than those where people living next to each other keep to themselves. From swapping foodstuffs to keeping an eye out during vacations to helping out when bad things happen, great neighbors can make a lot of difference for good, day in and day out.

As with friendship, if you want a good neighbor, be one.

Eat right.

To be such a prosperous nation, with incredibly productive agricultural and nutritional and health-care industries, our collective wellness is a train wreck.

Especially in the southern climes, we're in a losing battle with obesity and all the chronic conditions that frequently accompany it. And in homage to the old adage about being what we eat, it's little wonder.

Our bodies are regularly stuffed full of preservatives, sugar and grease when we need more natural protein and fresh fruit and veggies.

Convert your obsession with hyperpolitical discussions to fanaticism about reading the ingredients of the foods you consume and the things your body needs. The ensuing education and its practical application may not change the whole world, but it will change yours.

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Dana D. Kelley is a freelance writer from Jonesboro.

Editorial on 08/23/2019

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