Social Justice is...
You heard some rocking music, some sweet grooves, and now…a boring speaker! Woo! Haha My name is Cameron Morgan, and unlike a far more talented speaker and man than myself- Barack Obama, I was not born in Hawaii or raised in Indonesia, but born and bred in the heartland itself-Kaysville, Utah. I am going to tell you a little about who I am and why you should support this wonderful cause.
My life was more or less a blur until I discovered the joy of service toward the end of high school and-that joy culminated in my founding of Weber State STAND, a student anti-genocide organization that raised thousands for victims of genocide and gave voice to the struggles of the Sudanese and Congolese. It was an absolute pleasure to hear that I had received the Adrian Maxon Scholarship for Social Justice 2 long years ago-ah to be young again! I am now very old-and perhaps wiser-and an alumnus of this fine University. I will soon be starting a position as a job developer for the refugee population of Utah at a local non-profit organization. I digress, it was an honor to receive this scholarship because I felt like I was some small part of the great human struggle of social justice.
What is Social Justice? Social Justice is the Dream of Martin Luther King Jr. Social Justice is the march on Selma’s bridge. The little old lady who refused to move to the back of the bus. The courageous African Americans and whites who risked-and-gave their lives to make America whole-proclaiming loudly that separate is not equal. The LGBT and their allies that refuse to deny anyone their equal rights because of who that person wants to take to the prom. Social Justice is the election of the first black President of the United States-Barack Hussein Obama-YES WE CAN.
Social Justice is a woman having the right to vote-is fighting against the evils of racism, bigotry, and intolerance in any form-in embracing Catholics, Muslims, Jews, and all believers and non-believers alike. Social Justice is expressed in the fact that children can go to school instead of the factory , is heard in the mass that won’t stay quiet in the midst of immoral wars or in the face of bold and ugly- hatred. Social Justice is the love of true Democracy, of tolerance, of critical thinking, of consistent-founding-father-approved civil disobedience. Social Justice is embraced by every major religion and creed-love thy neighbor as thy self, “Do not forget to do good to one another” (Quran), ahimsa (Buddhism); social justice is a trait expressed by a dedicated, but fierce minority of all colors, stripes, and beliefs. Social Justice is the very epitome of Patriotism.
Working on behalf of social justice through STAND and Amnesty international has been the highlight of my life. This is why I was thankful and humbled to receive this scholarship and this is why I urge you to generously support the Scholarship fund and social justice as a whole. Thank you so much for being here and please stop by the STAND and Amnesty International tables outside. Thanks!
-Cameron
