On Monday, thousands of people joined in a mass protest against potential tightened immigration laws. The participants stayed home from school and work, and many took to the streets to make their opinion known. According to the New York Times, one Chicago high school had only 17 percent attendance.

This week, a group of Baker students were scheduled to hold a benefit party to raise money for genocide victims in Sudan.

These two events may not seem to have anything in common on the surface, but underneath they are very similar. Both events were inspired by a group of people who had an opinion about something going on in the world and wanted to express it. They did not just write a few blog entries or start a Facebook group, they started a movement.

At a small university like Baker it is easy to forget about the outside world. However, more students should consider following the example of those who organized the benefit party for Darfur. This is an issue that is extremely important, but it is not the only one confronting our generation. Just a few more include the Iraq War, education, budget deficits and homophobia. No matter what one’s stand is on these issues, it is important to think about them and the solutions to our problems as a nation and as a world.

Students may not think these issues impact them, but they are wrong. In a world that becomes more interconnected every day, we cannot assume we are insulated here in the Baker bubble from feeling the effects of problems in other parts of our country and the world.

Students do not have to agree with the immigration protests or the movement to aid Darfur. However, they should salute those who are using their time and energy to do good and improve the world, one party at a time.