By César Omar Sánchez
Happy New Year everyone! It’s finally here, 2020!
Sorry guys, the party is over and it’s back to school
again. As most people are going back to
their daily routine life, I felt that are a few things that we all need to keep
in mind this new year.
As a student at NJCU, many of us are committed to continually improving our grades and hit those high GPA number figures. Obviously, we all want to graduate and get those jobs once we receive our college degree. However, I feel that this year should be a time of clarity and a new different approach to tackling many issues we are all facing today. From climate crisis to higher tuition to the forgotten wars we are no longer hear about on mainstream media, 2020 is the year of being social-conscious on what is occurring around us.
The ongoing danger of climate crisis is a global threat. We must be educated enough to understand that this is something we should all be alarmed about. Here are a few steps for us to take action.
One: Unite with bold climate, environmentalist activists to force our government and corporations to stop financing these fossil fuels and old agriculture methods of growing our food which is so unhealthy and dangerous.
Two: Use energy wisely such as switching to energy-efficient light bulbs, unplug computers and other electrical devices when not in use, wash clothes in cold or warm weather, and try to keep cool without using an air-conditioner. Yeah, yeah, I know the last one is a bit of a challenge, but if you can drink plenty of water and invest in a ceiling fan, it will work just as good.
Three: Eat more meat-free meals, don’t waste food, buy organic and if possible, grow your food.
THE COST OF HIGHER EDUCATION:
When it comes to higher education in the United States, the cost is significantly rising at a staggering rate which makes some students feel hopeless about how to repay this loan back. Let's face it, the current system we are in simply does not provide good and affordable education to us all. It is time for a new shift of paradigm and advocate for free college accessible to everyone, so we won't need to take out excessive loans. We have the resources and financial backing to make this happen, unfortunately, all the wealth is being allocated to other useless resources; such as investing in the military complex, bailing out bankers, and supporting puppet dictators in Latin America to serve US interest.
When it comes to higher education in the United States, the cost is significantly rising at a staggering rate which makes some students feel hopeless about how to repay this loan back. Let's face it, the current system we are in simply does not provide good and affordable education to us all. It is time for a new shift of paradigm and advocate for free college accessible to everyone, so we won't need to take out excessive loans. We have the resources and financial backing to make this happen, unfortunately, all the wealth is being allocated to other useless resources; such as investing in the military complex, bailing out bankers, and supporting puppet dictators in Latin America to serve US interest.
COST OF IMPERIAL WARS:
The United States of America is currently in ongoing wars such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria, Yemen, and now possibly with Iran. The mainstream media along with the U.S. government continues to hide the truth about the all the current wars we are engaged in. When you think about how many people have been massacred and forced to migrate to other countries due to our hegemonic global domination, it’s no wonder why many countries see the US as a threat. All the money that is being pumped into the military-industrial complex can easily be used to provide every US-Non-Citizen access to free public college and more! Let’s not forget our Brothers and Sisters who being misled on continuing to fight these unnecessary wars, it's time to bring them back home.
So yes, 2020 is the year that we must fully engage and revitalize some sort of student grassroot movement to bring change not only on campus by within our local community.
by César Omar Sánchez. Community organizer, New York/New Jersey Cuba Si Coalition, Advisory Board Member of ProLibertad: Free All Political Prisoners Campaign.
