We fight against terror, we run for political campaigns and we march against violence in the U.S. When America has an issue we are moved by we work to do something about it, just like the March Against Violence in Hawaii.
On Wednesday, Oct. 24, men from all over Honolulu marched as part of the Men’s March Against Violence to hear an inspiring speech to support men that are against this generational flaw. President of the Kualoa Ranch John Morgan’s Pledge Against Violence, during the 18th annual event encouraging Chaminade University of Honolulu men, St. Louis High School men and the Honolulu chief of police and the fire department to fight against domestic violence.
“Marching for a greater cause gave the opportunity to look inside myself and truly find my passion,” said a third-year student at Chaminade Terrence Akins. “What I care about is safety and support for all people so marching for that cause meant a lot. Also the fact that I have been abused also made it more of relevance as I was walking to promote what I have gone through and now no more apart of, so for me it was an enlightenment moment from God to incorporate what I’ve been through and also to promote safety for others.”
Makerusa Portesano, a staff member at Chaminade University of Honolulu for two years, encouraged the Chaminade community to get involved in this urgent matter because last year he was the only person from the school to attend the march. It is great to see the students joining hands and supporting as well.
“Maching against violence and being visible to the public is a great feeling,” he said.
I went on the march because I wanted to support and promote something that I thought was important to all people. I also chose to go because at the time no one had signed up so I would support OSAL for this particular event.
Mr. Portesano said that he “always admired marches as being a rich history in people protest, although thinks marches are out of date and out of touch because of the media aging and technology.”
We have to find new ways to impact people to become a larger issue.
He said, “In ‘60s and ‘70s, marches made impacts, on the contrary, the March Against Violence has not provided much shock value in society of the U.S. A better approach would be to have the intent to make a stand that causes America to take domestic violence serious as it should be.”
Being a part of a march against violence gives me hope for our country and the belief that we stand for a cause inside our country. The march itself was average for being my first march besides the Martin Luther King Jr. parade. Going through a successful march makes me feel accomplished for doing something to help the world; I just hope that it continues to grow as the years go along.