Good causes that aren't suppored by governmental or other authorities aren't always rejected out of hand; sometimes they are allowed to quietly "die." Though there are several reasons for this, it generally boils down to a perception that those interested in the cause aren't in the majority. That to support the cause won't help an elected official (or the official's party) get re-elected.

Advocacy is an action not often associated with engineers, especially as individuals; where we feel our profession has legislative needs, we often count on the professional societies to handle it for us.

While professional societies may lobby elected officials, many other special interests do likewise, and some of them do it with more money. Lobbying is to some big business, but it's not the same as advocacy. The lobbyist says "it's in my best interest for this legislation to be passed," but the advocate says instead "this legislation may benefit me, but it's sure to benefit others I've never met."

Private individuals may not act as advocates for any or all of the following reasons:

1. Advocacy requires one to take a stand on the issue, and some people don't like to take a stand.
2. Benefits to others one has never met aren't always an incentive.
3. Partisan politics can lead to a perception that advocacy won't change anything.

Nevertheless, advocacy is the only hope some causes (those not associated with powerful lobbies) have of seeing the light of day. Here are some associated effects of voices going unheard:

1. Extreme views are given the chance to "drive the train."
2. Good causes may be misrepresented to the public by reporters who don't understand them or politicians who oversimplify them. (Example: is every hunger outreach equivalent to an unpopular "government giveaway program?")
3. The gap widens between those who have the attention of elected officials and those who don't.

You don't need to be a leader to do the right thing, but we have a tendency to wait for leadership, or at least not to be first. We don't want

• to be noticed/marked/"in the spotlight"
• to be left alone/"twisting in the wind"
• to become an example/set policy
• to make the wrong choice/become a scapegoat
• to be uncomfortable/"out in the cold"
• to trust in our own rightness
• to risk loss
• to deviate from our own plans

Spectators can "see without being seen," so we tend toward that state. Maybe the Second Law of Thermodynamics makes this inevitable. We lack energy for commitment or decision-making because we minimize our energy state. We recognize that if action can't be taken without risk, the risk outweighs the responsibility we have for taking action. But turning away from need leaves us disconnected from the rest of society. If this is better, we'll never know. If it's worse, we won't find out until we already are spectators.

Any private individual can act as an advocate for a good cause. You can reach elected officials by phone, e-mail, snail mail, or personal visit. These methods have varying degrees of effect depending on the official and the issue. Tips include

• Written letters have more impact (everything else being equal) than e-mail or phone.
• A personal letter has more impact than a form letter even though the form letter may be easier to send in large quantities. There's a perception that the time and effort spent on an original composition shows depth of commitment to the issue. Because of that perception, one personal letter is thought to represent the feelings of a hundred voters.
• A personal visit to drop off the letter can have even more impact, especially if you get a chance to talk to an aide.
• Testimony at hearings may be needed if representatives see you as having specialized knowledge relevant to legislation.