On Volunteers/ Pick up your sharpies.

So, one of the most interesting discussions I had at CFICon was on the topic of being volunteers. Jen Beahan had noted the fact that as unpaid students we are all volunteers. 

This comment got a bit of dissent from a few people, and lead to several discussions later in the conference. Now, I certainly understand the idea of thinking of oneself as a member, or as an officer, or as a president (as I usually do). That being said, it is a matter of fact that we are volunteers. The two roles are not aren't mutually exclusive. We do not get paid for our work, and that adds some complexity to our situation. 

I generally feel that my work in student organizations and activism is some of the most important work I do. My job, however, is more vital. Without an income, I wouldn't have money to go to conferences, much less pay for school, or rent, or food. And without rent and food, I wouldn't be much help at all. That is why work has to be my #1 priority, because it is necessary to be able to continue my more important work. And unless you have fiscal support for some other entity, you are in the same position as me. 

And that can suck. It sucks a lot. For instance, I had to miss the Freethought Festival in Madison, Wisconsin because a coworker of mine had a family emergency, and I was assigned that shift. And I was VERY upset, because I was really looking forward to that conference. And going was the highlight of that month. And instead I got to pick up an extra shift. But I had to, because my continued employment is more vital to my continued existence. And all the good that I can do for this movement requires my continued existence. 

So, yes, we are volunteers. And to deny that is simply wrong, because it makes an active difference in how we must operate as groups and as a movement. That is why groups meet at times where students won't have to be in class, or when adults won't be at work. Its also why we can only do so much. Just as we are volunteers, we are only humans. We have a finite amount of time and energy. We can only put up with so much stress or disappointment. 

As Stef McGraw noted in her article Put away your dollar bills, there are secular groups and volunteers doing absolutely amazing things, such as 

in Nigeria, a secular humanist group is helping children who are being disowned by their families because they are being accused of witchcraft.

This work is absolutely amazing, and may be THE most important work that the secular community is doing right now. Another example would be the work being done to free Alexander Aan, the: 

30 year old atheist in Indonesia who has been sentenced to two and a half years in prison for posting “God doesn’t exist” and links to blasphemous Muhammad cartoons on his Facebook profile. 

This is absolutely important and amazing work. And Stef aptly points out the mainstream media not covering this type of issue is cause for much of our culture's ignorance. That being said, something about this article bothers me. She makes the point that 

what kind of humanist values does it demonstrate to ignore serious injustice just because we’re not forced to confront it every day?

And while I understand where she is coming from, I feel her position isn't pragmatic.

I hate to admit that I am human, and that I can only take so much, but it is true. The same is true for everyone of you reading this. A person can only go through so much stress, disappointment, and abuse before they burnout. At that point, they will no longer be driven in the same way they once were. At that point, that person is not able to give the same amount of effort and quality of work as they once were. And at that point, they will most likely not contribute to the movement anymore.

Burnout is common in high stress positions, especially in careers that usually see death and disappointment. Doctors, especially Oncologists, are incredibly prone to burnout due to the constant disappointment and death that they deal with.

Now, I am in no way saying that we shouldn't be addressing these issues, because we definitely should. What I am saying is that we need to recognize that we are volunteers, and we are dedicating our free-time to this movement. Instead of playing video games, or reading, or running, or whatever it is that you do to relax and decompress, we are working to make the world a better place. And as a result of that, we cannot dedicate all of our energy onto difficult, depressing, and frightening things. We need to have some victories. In order to prevent this burnout, we need to win some. Otherwise we won't be able to keep going.

So, I this year I am going to make a point of raising money for CHILD'S RIGHT AND REHABILITATION NETWORK (CRARN) or a similar organization to help the "witch children" in Africa. But I will also be holding interfaith panels, and having a party on 1/12 to celebrate the Ahlquist v. Cranston victory. Not because it is of global importance, because it really isn't. Ill be doing these because I am a firm believer that the students in my organization will keep being passionate, and having both challenges and victories will keep them going.

In the upcoming year, I know that at least a few people will come up to us when we are tabling, and explain that they are full time students, and had a full time job, or a family, and can't put in much time or money, but they still want to want to do something to help. And I'll explain about how I would donate my time/energy/money if I was in their position. And I might just explain to someone how In God We Trust came to be on our money. And then I will explain to them what they can do to help. Not because it is of much importance, but because they only have a few moments to spare, and they still want to do something. And some times in the world we live in, we just have to claw onto any victory we can, and pick up a sharpie, and do anything.