Apathy only harms civic responsibility

JMU alumnus Russ Reeder, CEO of iCitizen, returned to campus to encourage students to redefine what civic engagement means in America. We all face a challenge to try and work toward a less apathetic community when it comes to civic responsibility.

Reeder urged students to find a blank platform in their community, and create a unique plan to help fill citizens with a passion for civics again. Reeder stressed the importance of each citizen being able to make a difference in their community by saying, "You have the right to stand up for what you believe in ... but if you don't, people will stop fighting for you." It is important to remember that apathy affects all generations, and the sense of having a voice on a platform has almost vanished because of this.

There are many opportunities to show commitment to civic responsibility, and as Reeder says, "Each of us sincerely counts, our voices deserve to be heard ... each of you sitting here today can make a difference." Reeder hopes to take the stigma away from civic engagement and to accelerate the inspiration that can come from helping others discover their voice.

iCitizen is an online platform for civic-minded individuals who want a source of transparent, aggregated information and a tool to communicate with their representatives at the local, state and federal levels.

Reeder's Oct. 22 JMU presentation is part of the Madison Vision Series: Contemporary Issues in an Engaged Society.

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By Sam Roth ('17)
Oct. 30, 2015