NOW IMAGINE ADDING A GREEN DOT IN THE MIDDLE OF ALL THOSE RED DOTS ON OUR MAP. Imagine that a green dot is any behavior, choice, word, or attitude that promotes safety for all of us and communicates utter intolerance for any form of violence. A green dot is pulling a friend out of a high risk situation - a green dot is putting a green dot statement on our Facebook page - a green dot is doing a paper about violence prevention - a green dot is hanging an awareness poster in your hall or classroom - a green dot is wearing your green dot gear - a green dot is encouraging discussion in class about violence prevention - a green dot is striking up a conversation with a friend about how much this issue matters to you - a green dot is organizing a fundraiser for campus prevention efforts - a green dot is getting your organization to go to green dot bystander training. A green dot is simply your individual choice at any given moment to make our campus safer.
HOW MANY GREEN DOTS WILL IT TAKE TO BEGIN REDUCING POWER-BASED PERSONAL VIOLENCE? How many of us need to add 2 or 3 or 7 or 50 dots to this map to begin to make a difference and begin to outshine and displace those red dots? We cannot know the exact number, but we do know this: if most of use choose inaction - if most of us choose to close our eyes to this issue - if most of us choose apathy and indifference - then the red dots stand! If we do not begin replacing moments of violence and inaction with moments of support and safety, then we will surely continue to have our partners, friends, and co-workers become victims of violence. That is not OK. That must not be OK with any of us.
The power of Green Dot is this simple shared vision and common goal; this map of our world and a clear image of our role in it. "I can either be a red dot or a green dot."
