Awareness

My panties are in a slight twist.  Nothing to restrict movement, mind you, but something for me to write about.

Facebook has a new "awareness" thing going this week, through til tomorrow (Monday, Dec. 6).   The action? "Change your facebook profile picture to a cartoon character from your childhood and invite your friends to do the same. Until Monday, Dec 6th of 2010, there should be no human faces on facebook, but an invasion of memories! This is for a campaign to bring awareness to the violence against children."  I didn't have a problem with it and in fact, it DID bring up many memories of the happiness I had in my childhood as I paged through avatars I might use.  Again bringing my awareness to the children of today who were not so lucky.

In case you are wondering...I decided upon Underdog...because I can still hear the start of the show..."There's no need to fear, Underdog is here." Quite fitting I thought.

So, fun, a little silly, a little reminiscent. And underlying it all (for me) was that awareness of how I would love for no children to be the recipient of violence.  Yes, I really did think that.

But instead of seeing this for what it is, or should be, I think the word "awareness" seems to have escaped those who are critical.  Something so silly as changing a profile picture to a cartoon character seems to be haled as a mockery.

And yet, when facebook groups had women put their bra colors in their status last year to bring "awareness" to breast cancer (and let's face it, to get men wondering), I didn't see the same type of criticism  leveled at that.  Or when we put in our status where we kept our purses, again to bring "awareness" to breast cancer, it too was seen as humorous.  I happened to have mine "hanging on the closet door nob".  Again, no criticism I know of was levied against this action.

So, bringing awareness to realities of life, whether it be breast cancer or violence aimed at children, should never be be scoffed at.  Take it for what it is.  Bringing awareness.  And while it might not be enough for some, no one really knows if this might inspire a person/people to take that extra step.  To do the relay for life.  To volunteer at a homeless shelter.  Even if it is just one person, it's one person more than would be doing it if they hadn't been made aware.