by Joshua Mccracken

Created on: May 30, 2009

Though college students are involved in numerous political causes, they are particularly interested in the civil rights movement, environmental issues, and the global economic crisis. The civil rights movement in particular is arguably one of the most appealing as they fight for gay, minority, and women's rights, marijuana law reform, and an end to the atrocities in Darfur. The ACLU is represented by chapters on numerous college and university campuses nationwide. The National Organization to Reform Marijuana Laws is likewise represented in chapters at colleges where they have even been known to clash with school administrators. In a recent case at the University of Georgia, UGA administrators came under fire for resorting to disciplinary action and veiled legal threats citing trademark infringement because the recognized political organization sold t-shirts that appeared to depict a dog that looked like the school mascot, though many political organizations that represent less liberal causes have been allowed to adopt the mascot without the express permission of the school and without being threatened or disciplined.

The crisis in Darfur has come to the attention of college students as egregious human rights violations are brought to light. Human rights activist protests center around college campuses as tens of thousands of students join in to protest the genocide in darfur with organized events such as the Darfur Now Tour, which stemmed from the release of a critically acclaimed documentary entitled 'Darfur Now'. Political organizations such as STAND and the Genocide Intervention Network have established chapters on college campuses across the globe in an effort to educate the public about the goings-on in Darfur, which have been largely ignored by the mainstream media. They participate in fundraising events for relief and protection efforts. One of their stated goals is to establish an anti-genocide constituency holding elected officials responsible for stopping genocide wherever it may occur.

College campuses house environmental groups that engage in fund raising and educational campaigns to help people become more environmentally friendly by recycling, reducing consumption, and educating the general public and fellow students as to how to dispose of waste while minimizing damage to the environment. Their efforts are furthered by the release of documentaries such as Al Gore's 'An Inconvenient Truth' which serve to further inspire the masses to take

• 1
• 2
• Next Page >>