S2- Unit 3: What is solidarity? What is its relationship to justice?-edit

Solidarity is not simply a statement that says you stand with a person or group. It is not even you going to a protest for a thing you say you stand for. Instead, it is putting your freedom, or even your life, on the line in order to back up the things you say you believe in or to help defend those you say you stand with. Solidarity is a necessity for those who want to help groups that are being oppressed in unjust ways. Unless one is willing to risk everything they have in order to aid those they claim to support, then the support they are claiming to give is meaningless because they give nothing up to actually back up their cause and support it. When people give these things up, especially when they are from a group that may be viewed as safe, such as white people, it draws attention to the cause more. These groups are viewed as protected from the things that oppressed groups go through, so when people see them lose freedom or life, more support is put behind the cause than was there before. Solidarity is also something one must have with oneself and one’s identity. If those who are being oppressed are not even willing to risk their safety in order to make a change for themselves, it makes it much less likely that other groups will stand with them in their fight against oppression.