By Ed Gray, NDG Columnist
Southern Methodist University will be the site of a panel discussion regarding social media and how it influences social action. In this panelists will include attorneys Emmanuel Obi and Lee Merritt, media executive KC Fox, businessmen and activists Cory Hughes, and Mark Hughes. This panel discussion on April 26 will address the influence of social media on social activist at SMU at Dallas Hall in McCord Auditorium from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
The primary topic is examining social media’s ability to create activism. I am greatly impressed with the social media’s reach to mobilize the people. We need more people to be action-oriented. Through social media and its various hashtags, we learned of the tragic deaths of Trayvon Martin, Michael Brown, Sandra Bland. Without social media, these atrocities would not have received the attention they deserve.
The activism associated with this outrage is good; however, it must lead to a favorable outcome. As panelist and attorney Emmanuel Obi, the lawyer for the McKinney pool party participants once said, “We need outrage to outcome.” We need political action to go with the foot action. We must move beyond marching in the streets to holding elected officials accountable for creating laws designed to safeguard our rights.
A case in point, “The 1963 March on Washington” was more than just the March where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, recited his “I Have a Dream Speech.” After the conclusion of that speech, the March on Washington organizers lobbied the halls of Congress and the While House for the passage of the Civil Rights bill. Beyond the protest there was action. There was an “Outrage to Outcome.”
There was street activism in Selma, Alabama too. However, it was more than just marching to the Alabama state capitol singing “We Shall Overcome.” The purpose of the march was the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Beyond the protest there was action. There was an “Outrage to Outcome.”
The challenge is to move beyond our collective outrage of protest. We need to use that outrage to get favorable legislative outcomes. In the Dallas-Fort Worth area, we have had several marches and rallies protesting the abuse of power by the police. Let’s use our collective outrage to coordinate the creation of local Citizens Police Review Boards to address police shootings. This is a favorable outcome that can come out of our outrage.
Beyond the Outrage, there must be an Outcome.
Ed Gray, the host of The Commish Radio Show airing Saturdays 3 p.m. – 5 p.m. on FBRN.net, can be reached at eegray62@att.net.
