OUR VIEW: We urge students to stand and fight for principles they believe in.

With a student group in professor of management Niyati Kataria’s special topics class submitting a petition – in which they received more than 300 signatures – to Stephen Santellana, mayor of Wichita Falls, asking for his support on net neutrality April 10, we urge students to stand up for the issues they strongly believe in through social movements.

Social movements are a great way to get involved in the political process. In many cases, students have the ability to change the politics surrounding their environment. Look at the #NeverAgain, #MeToo and #BlackLivesMatter movements. They have brought their issues into a nationwide conversation that is leading to change.

By being involved in social movements, you are actively trying to make your society a better place. Forcing authorities to look critically at issues that you hold important is part of accountability. With the recent social movements regarding campus assault gaining so much attention, our administrators are discussing campus sexual assault – a highly important issue to the student populace.

Students may argue that our political system prohibits ordinary citizens from enacting tangible change; however, this sentiment is misguided and only leads to those being complicit toward the wrong-doings in our country. It is our civic duty to stand up for what we believe in and to hold our government authorities accountable for their decisions. This country is founded on the principle that the government derives its power from the people and that is us.

We encourage students to be proactive in politics. Fight for what you believe in. We applaud professors like Kataria for urging students to be politically involved. You can effectively change the world.