You Are Not Powerless

As Americans, it’s easy to feel powerless in a world where no crime against humanity can remain hidden for long.  Each day, we’re inundated with articles, images, videos highlighting the full range of man’s ability to inflict devastation on others.

So we ask ourselves:  How could I possibly impact the world today for the better?  What difference could I possibly make for the persecuted in the Middle East and Africa?  How could I possibly change the outcome of world events?

The answer lays at the core of all Americans…the power of the petition.

Finding its inspiration from Article 61 of the Magna Carta, the First Amendment prevents Congress from creating law that would abridge “the right of the people…to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.”  Our Founding Fathers sought to empower the people with means to prevent government from carrying out its brand of tyranny without restriction, as did the kings of old.

But really, how much impact could a petition have in altering the course of world events?  A lot.

We now live in the Age of Social Media (SM) where the petition takes on a power similar to that of a tsunami—slowly building into a swell that, once it hits solid ground, can alter the landscape in its path for miles inland.

In fact, social media has become so powerful that it now dictates how industry runs and the media reports—even at times dictating how governments function.  Social media not only impacts industry and media but also human rights, as well.

Daily at the ACLJ, we harness the power of social media.  Not only do we raise awareness about the plight of Christians around the globe, we change the outcome.

After reaching millions with our Tweet for Youcef campaign, we succeeded in gaining the freedom of Pastor Youcef Nadarkhani, an Iranian minister sentenced to death for his Christian faith.  After taking to SM to raise awareness about the wrongful imprisonment of Meriam Ibrahim—a Christian mother of two sentenced to death for her faith in Sudan—we succeeded in securing her release.

Now we’re fighting for the freedom of American Pastor Saeed Abedini, wrongfully imprisoned in Iran simply because he refuses to deny Christ.  We’ve made a lot of progress in the fight to #SaveSaeed, but there’s still a lot of work to be done.

So, feel empowered.  You can change the outcome.  Take to your Newsfeeds and Share and/or Tweet for the persecuted.  Your voice could mean an innocent man is returned to the loving arms of his wife and two young children in the United Sates.