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Parent Article: No Justice and No Peace: A Critique of Current Social Change Activism |
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Hidden with code "Duplicate post" |
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The Problem with Organizing in "The Hood" |
by Fed-Up Activist
(No verified email address) |
01 Nov 2005
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The problem - and this is speaking as an african-american activist... is that this just is not as easy as it sounds. What often happends is that someone "demands" support in the poor black/latino community from, say, anarchists in the more educated or "lumpen" sectors (students, punks, etc.) but they insist that thery mut be the ones calling all the shots. Many such self-proclaimed "community leaders" have pretty much patriarchical, homophobic ideas... many claim to be interested in anarchism or grass-roots democracy but basically have an authoritarian nationalist and maoist overtone to their idea of community organizing and "Revolution". They may want a "New Africa" or "Aztlan" - but when we look at the African and Latino countries controlled by nationalists today we can see how fucked up they are - who wants to fight for that?
You say that white activists should be able to be criticized even if they say they are anti-racist... but it is then a two way street: an actvist who is poor and black or latino and lives in the inner city should also can be called on if they are authoritarian, sexist, or homophobic. It is only fair, and just.
Usualy this is not tolerated: the would-be authoritarian "community leader" denounces the activists - looks like all he wanted was their money and their labor, but not really their honest and equal cooperation... in fact, he likes to say that white people are "the devil", yet here he is using guilt to get them to basicaly be his servants. He hates them and spits on them behind their backs. It is a sucky deal.
Not to mention the immensely negative impact of mentall illness and violence and anti-social behavior that is prevelent in the impoverished communities. As well as the fear and misconceptions of the poor communities created by the media (thank you Fox) You just can't blame people for not CHOOSING to deal with that if they have any choice. If you want help from "white activists", the poor people in the impoverished communities have to get their shit together and learn to be polite and respectful too, and meet people half way.
You do not change the world by not being brave or extrodinary in some way. Just as the educated activist people must find some inner strength to change, so too must the poor be willing to really change. You can't wait for another Malcolm X or Martin Luther King or Ceaser Chavez either... they ain't coming to save your ass.
You cannt hold the guilt of the past, or of the right-wing forces in the government and corporations, over the well-meaning educated or "white" activists head. If they want to help, in any way shape or form, then you shoud be happy with that... it doesn't matter what socal class they supposedly come from, or how pampered you think they are, or whatever. If they really want to help the cause, even in some small way, demanding more of them and yelling and using guilt trip stuff for things they are not personally the cause of just won't cut it... they will just say "fuck this" and run off with their boyfriend or girlfriend to California.
And this goes for queer rights and feminist activists too, who think that their being an "oppressed minority" means they can be the new boss or control the direction of all the meetings... this is another losing authoritarian strategy. Revolutionary activism with democracy and liberty intact mean you discuss things person to person and WORK THEM OUT as equals, without pulling any identity politics power games.
The people who are not part of your oppressed group at least deserve respect like they are human beings who matter too... the moment a revolutuion happens, everyone would then be on equal footing, and if some people call for an authoritarian dictatorship with thermselves at the top, then it doesn't matter what color or how poor they were, they will have all kinds of people rightfully doing their best to topple their little kingdom as quickly as possible - so I'd tell them: don't even try to sucker people into helping you oppress THEM. It will fail. Equality means just that... equality... not one over the other because they suffered more in the past, or people like them suffered in another part of the world.
Whether it is the black community, the latino community, or an indian reservation, there is always this big statement that they on this hallowed ground must make the rules... and yet here they are sitting on nothing.. utterly dominated, crushed, and impoverished by the modern capitalist state... and instead of clearing their own minds of their anger when someone wants to help, they are angry and full of rage and ungreatful. The mentall illness of poverty bubbles up. They can't control themselves or treat people with respect... they argue what is basically reverse-racism. People play the oppression card on each other. It's one big mess. (The right loves it, too.) Nobody can have an honest conversation because it is not equal, and people feel uncomfortable, or make promises they don't keep. I am not saying, by any means, that this is alwas the case... but it is a good explanation of why things go wrong so often.
It is all part of what modern industrial society does to people.. it's how people are oppressed in America. They are not simply physically screwed, they are fucked over in the head... and until the poor people in the ghettos and reservations and such such can stand up and take some fucking responsibility for their OWN shortcomings and challenges (which are immense, I know) and work together with people who really do want to work with them and help them, nothing is going to change.
Bitch about it all you want. We all have burdens. The poor who want help from these white activists need to at least make them feel respected and safe, or the help wont come. And believe me, there is a LOT of help to be had, and it doesn't have to have strings atached. |
