This document discusses ways to fight oppression using the example of efforts to help the endangered Hawaiian Monk Seal population. It outlines four key ways oppression can be fought: 1) Acknowledging that oppression exists, as was done for the plight of KP2, a famous monk seal; 2) Paying attention and understanding one's role in oppression as bystander, oppressor, or oppressed; 3) Bringing awareness to advantages oppressed groups provide, as was done to change fishermen's views of seals; 4) Having everyone play a small part through actions like volunteering or policy work. Media involvement was also crucial to explaining the seals' plight and gaining support for their cause.

1. What Can we Do?
Cheryl Shane
March 13, 2014
In the article, ”What Can We Do?” by Allan G. Johnson, he discusses ways to fight
privilege and oppression. Although the article focuses on the oppression of groups of people,
it can also be applied to other groups. In this case, we apply the framework for fighting
oppression to the plight of the Hawaiian Monk Seal.
First and foremost, to understand and fight against oppression, one must acknowledge
that it exists. Acknowledgement that an issue existed came quickly for all involved in
KP2’s saga. Although the fun-loving seal gained instant fame from the videos posted on
social media sites of him, nearly everyone knew that this fame came with a price.
Fighting oppression and privilege requires one to pay attention. Understanding one’s
role in the process, be it a bystander, the oppressor or the oppressed, one must know the
role they play. Dr. Williams’s idea to create a Facebook page for KP2 to bring awareness
to his cause and communicate was a great way to bring about attention and help people
to understand the results of their actions on the Hawaiian Monk Seal.
Bringing about awareness of the advantages that seals bring to an ecosystem helped
the fishermen to discover that despite their long held beliefs, the seals were actually good
for their livelihood. Teaching others to listen and challenge their perceived norms is vital
to the fight of the Hawaiian Monk Seals as well as the fight against oppression.
Every person can play a small part in the fight against oppression. With KP2, this
is evidenced by each person’s role in working to help the seals. The Washington Bureau-
cracy, scientists, researchers, volunteers, Hawaiian locals and fishermen all played a part
in creating or destroying a future for the seals.
Each one of the focuses outlined would not have been accomplished were it not for the
use of media in explaining the plight of the seals. KP2 gained notoriety after a video of
him was published on Youtube, his story has been told countless times in news reports and
websites focused on helping the Hawaiian Monk Seal. Without the medias involvement in
KP2’s story, the story may never have been told.
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