Participate.

"Do you always think this much, Charlie?"

"Is that bad?" I just wanted someone to tell me the truth.

"Not necessarily. It's just that sometimes people use thought to not participate in life."

"Is that bad?"

"Yes."

- The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Stephen Chbosky 

I recently reread one of my favourite books, The Perks of Being a Wallflower. At this time of year it seems to resonate with me, probably because its the start of a new term and everyone is moving back to university, everything is changing. 

But this time, this notion of participating in life sat oddly with me. I've never not wanted to fight, as a teenager I was like when I'm older I'll go to protests and fight for what I believe in. And then I suddenly realised, I am older now. I'm a long way off of being a "grown up", but in my last teenage year I realised I needed to start participating more, stop letting others do all the work while I rant to my friends on Facebook.  

Last year I'd been to a Love Comes First event, created in celebration of my home community of Rotherham, despite the Sex Abuse Scandal, the far right protests, the division trying to be created. But I'd never actually been to a protest. My lecturers talked of their time at university as students protesting for what they believed in, having the passion and fight to make a change. 

On the 5th September I went to Unite Against Fascism's demonstration in Rotherham Town Centre directly opposing yet another march from Britain First. Normally I'd avoid town on those days, it didn't feel safe despite the huge police presence. But I'd had enough. I didn't want people to feel unsafe in their home, I didn't want people to come in and tear apart our community.  I didn't want Britain First to shout in our streets that Muslims are paedophiles, that they need to be deported. I didn't want to read any more posts on Facebook full of hatred and racism. 

So I stood with my community, in my home town, and listened to their impassioned speeches, watched them pray in front of a line of police officers, stood silently in memory of Mushin Ahmed, 81. 

Even though I didn't make a speech, no ones opinion changed because of me, it felt good to do something. To be there, to show I will fight with my community, that I care, that I love our town and I want it to become the happy place I grew up in again. 

I spoke to some of my friends afterwards, we wanted to do more. Our Facebook walls are full of posts shared by people who believe Britain Firsts lies, their fascist propaganda. I could write as many posts about how it wasn't true as I wanted, people just think you're stupid. Or people don't care. I've lots count of how many times people I know have asked me to stop sharing things, that seeing what's really happening out in the world is 'boring', they're 'fed up' of seeing it. 

Well guess what. I'm fed up of it happening. 

I'm not sorry if it's boring that I think its disgraceful that people don't want to help refugees. I'm not sorry if you're fed up of hearing about whats happening a few miles from your house. I am sorry that you don't care. 

Me and two other friends decided to do something. A Facebook page, an Instagram and twitter account, a blog hopefully soon (we're busy designing it!). We were inspired by a sign in Rotherham and we want to say to everyone Peace Off with hate. We're slowly getting more likes, we have a few followers, our blog is going to be up and running soon. And it might not be much, but for the minute we're doing what little we can on these global issues. Awareness is a start. 

What I want to tell people -what I guess the point in me writing this is- is to help. If you care about refugees, tell people, give money, send supplies, argue with people who think the economy is more important than human lives. If you think it's repulsive that a 14 year old Muslim boy was arrested for presenting his teachers with a homemade digital clock, mistaken to be a bomb, then don't just sit at home and let it pass you by. If you think women should be equal to men, call yourself a feminist. If you want to end homophobia try to stop it. If you care about humans then show it. 

Participate in life, don't be silent- it really does make you feel better about humankind! 

"I feel infinate".

- The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Stephen Chbosky