Writing for a cause: e-activism gives politics a fresh face

ON THE day Kevin Rudd delivered his apology to the stolen generations, Christine Satchell updated her Facebook status to “is sorry” like thousands of other Australians.

The small virtual gesture made her position on the sorry debate loud and clear to her online friends. “I think it helped affirm it in myself and also showed my friends I was sorry and encouraged them to think about it too,” she says.

“It was really nice to see my own identity reflected back at myself on such an important issue.”

Satchell also recruited friends to the Facebook groups “One Million Australians Feel Sorry” and “I’m Changing My Facebook Status to ‘is Sorry’ on February 13” (from the Melbourne Age)