The social change that transformed the United States of America into the economic and military superpower came because of ordinary people, like a college dropout named Rosa Parks, who worked as an assistant tailor and not a senator or president.
On January 16, 2017, the United States of America celebrated a federal holiday in honor of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a Black American who helped lead the non-violent movement that ended officially sanctioned racism in America. King helped transform America from the haven of bigotry to the world’s only economic, political and cultural superpower.
In February 2017, during Black History Month, Liberians in Ganta, Buchanan, and Monrovia will learn from one of King’s contemporaries and civil rights icon, Massachusetts State Representative Benjamin Swan, on how to create and maintain systemic change in our country and our lifetime.
America’s change didn’t happen because of a clever politician, senator, or president. It was a diverse group of ordinary citizens with a unified vision of a great nation who organized for change and demanded change that made America great. Their faith and sacrifices helped turn their dreams into reality in their lifetime.
On the other hand, in Liberia, the political elites have promoted a myth that the people, because of their ethnicity, religion, and illiteracy, are too incompetent to be involved in any meaningful way in transforming Liberia.
But after nearly two centuries of elitism, the Liberian economy and system of governance are broken beyond redemption. Election of the most qualified politicians who are paid some of the highest salaries and benefits in the world have done nothing to move Liberia forward.
Liberia doesn’t need a new president in a corrupt system of governance. We need a new system led by the people, not the failed political elites. And the Liberian people – the common people – irrespective of their ethnicity, religion, or education, are the masters of the republic and the only ones who can bring systemic change to the country.
Many Liberians agree there is a need for systemic social change in Africa’s oldest republic. However, when it comes to how to turn the dreams of change in the minds and lips of citizens across Liberia into reality, people disagree.
Perhaps we need to learn from the examples of successful countries instead of relying on 170 years of failures.
For example, after nearly 12 years in power with a highly educated administration and excessive salaries and benefits provided to lawmakers and other officials, burning issues such as what President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf calls ‘systemic corruption’ remain alive and well in Liberia.
The president’s academic credentials and her international accolades, including the Nobel Peace Prize, have not resulted in systemic change. Perhaps ordinary Liberians, not elected officials, hold the key to building a great democratic country. The people must define their values and stand up for those values if change must happen.
In 2017, Liberians are complaining about the recent crippling telecommunications tax, rising unemployment, falling export prices, high prices of goods and services, massive failures of Liberian students in the WAEC exams, the appointment of all mayors by the Liberian president, the arbitrary imposition of fees to deprive people of their basic rights, and the excessive salaries and benefits of Liberian lawmakers and top government officials.
The late Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and living legend like Representative Swan are teaching us that what we face today is far less dangerous than what they faced and conquered. We too can change our country if we define our values, hold true to our values, and stand up for justice, democracy, and equal opportunities.
Neither Swan nor King were elected government officials when they challenged the oppressive system of racism. We are the people whose votes empower the presidents and lawmakers, and our future is in our own hands.
As voter registration begins in Liberia, it’s time to work for change by changing the way we work. Instead of voter registration without a purpose, every citizen must only register for CHANGE. Instead of citizens waiting to scrutinize politicians’ platform, citizens who registered for CHANGE must create the Peoples’ Platform for Change.
The People’s Platform for Change ensures that the people, irrespective of their education, ethnicity, and religion are the masters of the Republic of Liberia. As masters, the people must define their own values, within the confines of international law, set reasonable salaries for their public servants, and reserve the right to make laws through ballot questions without the permission or approval of the president or the lawmakers.
For 170 years, ordinary Liberian citizens whose votes empowered presidents have been denigrated as useless individuals by the political elites. With the country going down the drain, it’s the people’s turn, to empower themselves as masters, just like citizens of Switzerland, United States of America and the European Union, where citizens’ initiatives have raised the standards of living and the sky is the limit of what these countries can achieve.
Featured photo courtesy of the Library of Congress
