Until people who are not directly in the line of fire speak up and take a stand, nothing will change.

We've known that for a while. When it comes to equality for everyone regardless of color, race, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, religion, age, etc., we know that the majority has to speak up and say "that's not OK" before anything can change. The minority can't cause the change. The majority has to.

That means that if you are Caucasian and you read this story and think, "That's not right," you have to say something. It seems pretty obvious that the color of your skin shouldn't be a factor in your punishment, but the reality is that sometimes black kids are punished more harshly than white kids. The majority has to say "that's not OK" out loud. If we don't, nothing will change.

Similarly, we all know that women are paid less than men for doing the same work. Women alone can't change that. Glass ceilings are still a real thing, so we need the majority to stand up and say "that's not OK." Until the white men who are paid more join the chorus of dissatisfaction and do what they can to implement change, things will stay just the way they are. We need the majority to speak up.

While they aren't a protected class, the same holds true for victims of domestic violence. 24% of women report that they have experienced domestic violence. That means the 76% who have just plain lucked out and not experienced it have to speak up. They have to say "this is not OK." More so, the 89% of men who have not experienced domestic violence in a relationship have to join the chorus and scream, "this is not OK."

It is pure luck if you end up as part of the majority, by the way. Pure. Dumb. Luck.

Domestic violence doesn't discriminate based on age, socio-economic background, intelligence, etc. It can happen to anyone. Just ask Janay Palmer if she expected to be beaten until she was unconscious when she let Ray Rice put a very expensive ring on her finger.

Ray Rice's employer didn't think it was a big deal that he beat his then fiancée. After a slap on the wrist, he is keeping his job. Would you or I keep our jobs if we committed the same crime? I'm not sure. What I am sure about is that it's not OK that domestic violence continues to be largely acceptable. We all just look away and think "well, that's not my problem."

Until people who are not directly in the line of fire speak up and take a stand, nothing will change. Janay Palmer can't stop domestic violence. It's those of us who have never been affected that can. We have to speak up, stand tall, and be loud. We have to support the organizations that are the front lines in the fight against domestic violence.

We have to care.

We have to care even when we don't stand to directly gain anything. We have to care when it's someone else's nightmare. We have to care about the kids who are just along for the ride, even if we've never met them.

Those are the kids who need help so that they can break the cycle of violence.

Whether they like it or not, it's almost time for those kids who are bystanders in a violent situation to return to school. We can't fix all of their challenges, but we can work together to send them crayons, pencils, backpacks, and all of those basic needs so that they can go back to school prepared to learn.

Last year, we worked together to supply about 50 kids with the things they needed for school. Let's do that again, please?

Here's the Amazon Wishlist.

Here's the PayPal account.

No matter which way you choose to pitch in, everything will go to Center for Victims.

If you have any questions, drop me an email at burghbaby (at) gmail.com.

Thanks again for all of your help.