BHS Student Writing Center
Write for Justice
The last week has been an intense and important one— a week of outrage, pain, sorrow, frustration, but also hope. There has been a lot to process.
The Writing Center would like to remind you of the power of
WRITING
to help you
PROCESS what you are feeling,
EXPRESS what you are thinking,
and
TAKE ACTION to EFFECT CHANGE and SUPPORT black members of our community.
Write to PROCESS:
We have chosen several quotations that we feel have relevance to the current moment. We hope one or more might inspire your own reflective writing. As you write, think, What feelings does the quotation evoke? What thoughts does it inspire? What connections can I make to the present?
Write to EXPRESS:
If you would like to share your writing with a wider audience, please consider emailing your responses to bhswritingcenter@bpsk12.org. We will compile and publish responses here on our Writing Center blog.
THE QUOTATIONS:
1. “I swore never to be silent whenever and wherever human beings endure suffering and humiliation. We must always take sides. Neutrality helps the oppressor, never the victim. Silence encourages the tormentor, never the tormented.” —Elie Wiesel, Acceptance Speech on the occasion of the award of the Nobel Peace Prize in Oslo, December 10, 1986
2. "Justice is conscience, not a personal conscience but the conscience of the whole of humanity." - Alexander Solzhenitsyn
3. “If you do not get active to take a stand now against all that is wrong while we still can, then maybe one of your children may elect to do so in the future, when it will be far riskier — and much, much harder.
Stand up for your conscience. Use light to reveal what is concealed in the darkness. Use truth to fight the lies, and the heart to fight the mind.” —Suzy Kaseem in “Rise Up and Salute the Sun”
4. “If you are neutral in situations of injustice, you have chosen the side of the oppressor. If an elephant has its foot on the tail of a mouse, and you say that you are neutral, the mouse will not appreciate your neutrality.” - Desmond Tutu
Write to EFFECT CHANGE:
Words have the power to change minds and change the world. You can direct your words toward those in positions of influence to create that change.
Write to demand action from your representatives, from policymakers, from leaders in your community. Share with them your ideas and concerns. Let them know about the changes you would like to see and the actions you would like them to take.
Here are a few email addresses:
Governor Charlie Baker:
Representative Seth Moulton: