Protest! Anyone?

Sometimes I think I must be a prize sucker for the underdog or maybe I'm just plain crazy. It seems that I'm always attempting to lead a protest for an injustice where the people against whom the injustice has been committed fail to follow.

The first one I remember clearly was my senior year in high school. I was captain of the volleyball team and loved the game; until the coach went stark raving mad about winning and started not allowing the players who weren't as good any time to play at all. Sorry, but for me that is not what it is about at all. When the game ceases to be fun, I cease to play. I tried to start a protest but no one was willing so I threatened to quit the team. Because no one else seemed to care, I wound up finishing the season but then did not play basketball or softball as I had all my high school years before that. (I'm not really tall enough for either volleyball or basketball but was a good enough setter, defensive player, and server to make me useful in volleyball and went to a small enough school that I got to enjoy the other sports.)

There have been numerous other attempts, too many to even try to recount in vet school but always, everyone is scared to rock the boat and maybe get into trouble. At my first job I rocked the boat quite a bit with no back-up and I enjoyed it, too. That boat needed to be rocked. In New York, I definitely rocked the boat but, again, found no one else willing to help. In Oklahoma, I attempted to lead an uprising and at least accomplished the establishment of rounds discussions specifically for the interns rather than being expected to hear student rounds over and over. Nothing else that I tried to improve worked but I did pave a way if anyone was brave enough to follow. Incidentally, that is probably a big reason that I didn't match for a residency...hmmmmm...maybe crazy is the right word.

Right now, I'm not rocking the boat too much just because I'm so exhausted but it won't be long before I'm overcome with the need to perpetuate change again. The fire was fanned slightly the other day but, once again, I found the people who inspired me failed to want to follow. One of the kids that works in the kennel was saying that the instructor for the basic computer course she is taking at a local community college told her that if she couldn't afford the latest program she may as well drop the class. Excuse me?!?!? It is a BASIC computer course that is required for all students, not a highly specialized course for computer majors. Not everyone is wealthy. This is America, people, land of opportunity where the lower classes have a chance to rise above lack of finances and achieve. I went off and offered to help draw up a petition to take first to the instructor then to the administrative officials. My offer was declined.

Will I ever learn to stop trying to fight injustice when no one wants to fight?