College Activists

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Headlines about students protesting about one cause or the other remind me of Jenny in Forrest Gump, a classic American movie about Vietnam. She was volatile as a child and got worse when she left her home town for college. Politics totally consumed her, and the war in Vietnam in particular.

Students in 2024 are protesting about other wars, but the intention is the same as Jenny’s, hoping to build a better world, a better future. What they don’t know is that they’ll get tired once reality kicks in. Which is? Graduation, looking for a job, workplace procedures and restrictions, getting married and kids. In fact, kids are the main reason why former Jenny’s shelve activism. ‘Not now, maybe I’ll go back to politics when my kids are grown up.’ They never do, because storms change. It was Vietnam for Jenny. It is has been Israel and Palestine for a month now, and there's no solution in sight.

Georgia Women’s Basketball Team

Atlanta Dream , is a WNBA team that flexed its muscle during the 2021 Senate Run Off election between Democrat Ralph Warnock and Republican Kelly Loeffler. Loeffler was co-owner of the team in 2021, but was against Black Lives Matter. Players supported it.

Black Lives Matter is the movement started after the murder of George Floyd by police officer Derek Chauvin, who pressed his boot on his neck. “I can’t breathe,” said Floyd before he died. The team, Atlanta Dream decided to go against Loeffler, it’s co-owner and support Ralph Warnock. He won and is now a U.S. Senator in Washington.

Parents and Student Politics

Parents are against campus activism. They want kids to get an education, and avoid politics. Most students believe what is happening in the world affect them as well. The rude awakening happens when it’s time to get a job and start a family.

Nonqaba waka Msimang

Executive Blogger

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