short notes:
will brady's ruminations
will brady's ruminations
2009-10-28
making social change
Some thoughts on making productive social change
Affecting Social Change is much more than mouthing slogans or sound bites. It can mean devoting hours - days - years - spending time with those who are reluctant and unwilling to hear the truths of others or to work at changing existing social policy or considering other ways of living.
Yet making the fundamental changes in the values that underlie oppressive social policies require interacting with those who oppose us. This must be done before we get to the voting booth, before we get to legislative committee hearings or public forums. We need to get our points across and to affect change in board rooms and private offices; in juvenile and adult corrections, mental health, the courts, in educational, cultural, legislative and personal spheres ~ where ever decisions affecting all our lives are made regularly and daily ~ and we need to do this now!
We must infiltrate the meeting places of adversaries and decision makers who oppose eliminating wrongs. We must insist upon and make impact by directly negotiating policy change, laws and directions for the future. Once there, being heard, we have to make our points clearly enough to be effective advocates for change. Now, affecting change doesn't necessarily make for chit chat or small talk at parties. You won't be making friends with those you meet and confront at policy plannings or while negotiating change, nor will your own friends necessarily want to know about the details of your efforts.
Even if we cannot immediately make changes to oppressive social policies or practices, our mere presence in some of these meeting places can prevent additional harmful policies from being implemented. Also ~ remember to stay in touch with others who know what you say to be true, and to refresh and replenish yourself from behind-the-scenes battles rather than burn yourself out. Stay healthy to battle successfully.
Affecting Social Change is much more than mouthing slogans or sound bites. It can mean devoting hours - days - years - spending time with those who are reluctant and unwilling to hear the truths of others or to work at changing existing social policy or considering other ways of living.
Yet making the fundamental changes in the values that underlie oppressive social policies require interacting with those who oppose us. This must be done before we get to the voting booth, before we get to legislative committee hearings or public forums. We need to get our points across and to affect change in board rooms and private offices; in juvenile and adult corrections, mental health, the courts, in educational, cultural, legislative and personal spheres ~ where ever decisions affecting all our lives are made regularly and daily ~ and we need to do this now!
We must infiltrate the meeting places of adversaries and decision makers who oppose eliminating wrongs. We must insist upon and make impact by directly negotiating policy change, laws and directions for the future. Once there, being heard, we have to make our points clearly enough to be effective advocates for change. Now, affecting change doesn't necessarily make for chit chat or small talk at parties. You won't be making friends with those you meet and confront at policy plannings or while negotiating change, nor will your own friends necessarily want to know about the details of your efforts.
Even if we cannot immediately make changes to oppressive social policies or practices, our mere presence in some of these meeting places can prevent additional harmful policies from being implemented. Also ~ remember to stay in touch with others who know what you say to be true, and to refresh and replenish yourself from behind-the-scenes battles rather than burn yourself out. Stay healthy to battle successfully.
HISTORY: Written 11 November 1993 for a presentation at an Abuse Survivor's "Speakback" held in Waterbury, CT
Labels: commentary, philosophy, social change
¶ 23:00 0 comments
2008-11-13
politics: the know nothings
Now that the US Presidential election is over and the 21st Century version of the Know Nothings have completely overrun the Rethuglican Party leadership we can get back to work at solving our various social, economic and political ills.
There are some notable replacements from the Catholics, Irish and Chinese immigrants with Muslims, Arabs and "the Gays", but I expect the new know nothing leadership [still up for grabs but could include Rush Limbaugh, Lou Dobbs, Ann Coulter, maybe even Sarah Palin?] will be able to improvise.
Formally named The American Party, the Know Nothings had some basic tenets which included:
• Severe limits on immigration, especially from Catholic countries
• Restricting political office to native-born Americans
• Mandating a wait of 21 years before an immigrant could gain citizenship
• Restricting public school teachers to Protestants
• Mandating daily Bible readings in public schools
• Restricting the sale of liquor
Thanks to the persistent dumbing-down of public education that has taken place since the Reagan Era, the evisceration of the Fairness Doctrine [You know, that FCC policy that mandated broadcast media had an obligation to provide for for discussion of contrasting points of view on controversial issues of public importance], the odd promotion of "home schooling" [with precious little oversight as to whether or not the teachers were even prepared], Dubya's so-called "No Child Left Behind", the upsurge of violent thought numbing video games, and the proud braying of opinionated propagandists to blot out any opinion save their own [the Fairness Doctrine's reinstatement could help counter that], the social atmosphere for a new generation of intolerant uninformed know nothings is ripe.
Can't say I'm happy to see this resurgence, but now we know it's there, I do think one of the Obama Adiminstration's goals ought to include re-examining and rebuilding the engine that successfully provided universal education for USA citizens more than half a century.
Now that the US Presidential election is over and the 21st Century version of the Know Nothings have completely overrun the Rethuglican Party leadership we can get back to work at solving our various social, economic and political ills.
There are some notable replacements from the Catholics, Irish and Chinese immigrants with Muslims, Arabs and "the Gays", but I expect the new know nothing leadership [still up for grabs but could include Rush Limbaugh, Lou Dobbs, Ann Coulter, maybe even Sarah Palin?] will be able to improvise.
Formally named The American Party, the Know Nothings had some basic tenets which included:
• Severe limits on immigration, especially from Catholic countries
• Restricting political office to native-born Americans
• Mandating a wait of 21 years before an immigrant could gain citizenship
• Restricting public school teachers to Protestants
• Mandating daily Bible readings in public schools
• Restricting the sale of liquor
Thanks to the persistent dumbing-down of public education that has taken place since the Reagan Era, the evisceration of the Fairness Doctrine [You know, that FCC policy that mandated broadcast media had an obligation to provide for for discussion of contrasting points of view on controversial issues of public importance], the odd promotion of "home schooling" [with precious little oversight as to whether or not the teachers were even prepared], Dubya's so-called "No Child Left Behind", the upsurge of violent thought numbing video games, and the proud braying of opinionated propagandists to blot out any opinion save their own [the Fairness Doctrine's reinstatement could help counter that], the social atmosphere for a new generation of intolerant uninformed know nothings is ripe.
Can't say I'm happy to see this resurgence, but now we know it's there, I do think one of the Obama Adiminstration's goals ought to include re-examining and rebuilding the engine that successfully provided universal education for USA citizens more than half a century.
Labels: education, kow-nothings, noise, politics, propaganda, social change, social control
¶ 07:37 0 comments
2007-05-28
art + artists | street art
I'll be writing more and posting more pictures of Roadsworth and the work of Peter Gibson later today when I get the chance. He's been interviewed on Zeke's Place and there are video clips about Roadsworths' work at Citizen Shift.
If anyone knows this guy, please send me a way to contact him. I have a more extensive set of photos for him taken from the upper floors of Hotel Gouverneuer, Place DuPuis.
A write up about the chess squares was on Le Devoir.Com [Or... read an English Translation]
UPDATE 4 June 2007: Got an e-mail from Mr. Gibson who made the following observations about
I'll be writing more and posting more pictures of Roadsworth and the work of Peter Gibson later today when I get the chance. He's been interviewed on Zeke's Place and there are video clips about Roadsworths' work at Citizen Shift. If anyone knows this guy, please send me a way to contact him. I have a more extensive set of photos for him taken from the upper floors of Hotel Gouverneuer, Place DuPuis.
A write up about the chess squares was on Le Devoir.Com [Or... read an English Translation]
UPDATE 4 June 2007: Got an e-mail from Mr. Gibson who made the following observations about
"...the whole pawn takes bishop thing is a subtle commentary on Quebequois history which underwent as you probably know (are you Canadian, American, Quebecois?) a fairly abrupt "regime change" at one point, going from an extremely Catholic society, where the church had a huge influence on people to becoming the most secular (by statistical standardsThe Digital Cities Project has an intriguiging brief piece on La Place Emilie Gamelin that recounts the square's history, going back to when the Sisters of Providence operated a soup kitchen, a pharmacy and hospital for the poor, and a home for impoverished elder women at the site. It burned down in 1963.
anyway) province in Canada.
The pawn I guess represents the individual, the bishop the church and the hand the larger forces of economy, capitalism etc...similar "power plays/shifts" are taking place today but with different "pieces" or players. It's an historical point that I feel is a defining aspect of Quebecois society to this
day.
I think the fact that we refer to Place Emilie-Gamelin as Berri Square is indicative of that. You've ...noticed as I did the irony that the Square is now home to a fairly significant itinerant population while the trend at the municipal level seems to be one of pushing these people out- and on or near the location where the good Emilie dispensed alms and support to the poor nonetheless..."
Labels: artists, Émilie-Gamelin, montreal, Roadsworth, social change, street art
¶ 07:51 1 comments
2007-05-27
travel | culture
Across the street from our three-day home is an public square named "la place Émilie-Gamelin. Perhaps better known these days as Berri-UQAM" a major Metro station hub, the center for University of Quebec at Montreal [UQAM] and the stop off point for the newly opened Grande Bibliothèque, Quebec's National Library collection.
Berri/UQAM is not, however, the correct name for the square. It is, instead, named after a pious and generous Lady who lived in the 19th century, "the Widow Gamelin." After the loss of two infant children and her husband, Jean-Baptiste Gamelin, a wealthy Montreal merchant, in less than 5 years, Emilie dedicated her energy and her financial resources to serving the poor in a spirit of humility, simplicity, and charity.
So it is logically no surprise that a public space named after her would become a refuge for local Iternants, [otherwise known as "homeless persons"]. Recently a trend in city governments, including in Montreal, there has been increased pressure on the homeless to get lost. [Read an English Translation].
How much greater the irony, then, that la place Émilie-Gamelin shall likely evolve to evict the poor huddled masses. Frankly, it's distressing to see a society ostensibly more enlightened than that south of thelines established after the War with Britain so readily adopt the Ayn Rand ethic of selfishness and disdain for the less advantaged.
On the other hand, if you walk past a group who, daily, bring a gaggle of fighting dogs and have a bilingual celebratory signage out front of your staked post in the park that reads "we are a 420 family" it may rankle a hard-working stiff passing you by after work.
Across the street from our three-day home is an public square named "la place Émilie-Gamelin. Perhaps better known these days as Berri-UQAM" a major Metro station hub, the center for University of Quebec at Montreal [UQAM] and the stop off point for the newly opened Grande Bibliothèque, Quebec's National Library collection. Berri/UQAM is not, however, the correct name for the square. It is, instead, named after a pious and generous Lady who lived in the 19th century, "the Widow Gamelin." After the loss of two infant children and her husband, Jean-Baptiste Gamelin, a wealthy Montreal merchant, in less than 5 years, Emilie dedicated her energy and her financial resources to serving the poor in a spirit of humility, simplicity, and charity.
So it is logically no surprise that a public space named after her would become a refuge for local Iternants, [otherwise known as "homeless persons"]. Recently a trend in city governments, including in Montreal, there has been increased pressure on the homeless to get lost. [Read an English Translation].
How much greater the irony, then, that la place Émilie-Gamelin shall likely evolve to evict the poor huddled masses. Frankly, it's distressing to see a society ostensibly more enlightened than that south of thelines established after the War with Britain so readily adopt the Ayn Rand ethic of selfishness and disdain for the less advantaged.
On the other hand, if you walk past a group who, daily, bring a gaggle of fighting dogs and have a bilingual celebratory signage out front of your staked post in the park that reads "we are a 420 family" it may rankle a hard-working stiff passing you by after work.
Labels: emilie gamelin, homelessness, itinerants, montreal, parcs, parks, social change
¶ 16:31 0 comments
2006-08-06
futuristics | affeccting change
Written 11 nov 1993 for a presentation at an Abuse Survivor's "Speakback" held in Waterbury, CT |
Some Thoughts on Making Productive Social Change
Affecting Social Change is much more than mouthing slogans or sound bites | It can mean devoting hours - days - years - spending time with those who are reluctant and unwilling to hear the truths of others; years to work at changing existing social policy or considering other ways of living ||
Yet making the fundametal changes in the values that underlie oppressive social policies require interacting with those who oppose us | This must be done before we get to the voting booth, before we get to legislative committee hearings or public forums | We need to get our points across and to affect change in board rooms and private offices; in juvenile and adult corrections, mental health, the courts, in educational, cultural, legislative and personal spheres ~ whereever decisions affecting all our lives are made regularly and daily ~ and we need to do this now!
We must infiltrate the meeting places of adversaries and decision makers who oppose eliminating social injustices | We must insist upon and make impact by directly negotiating policy change [or in protecting good policies and practices], laws and directions for the future | Once there, being heard, we have to make our points clearly enough to be effective advocates for change | Now, affecting change doesn't necessarily make for chit chat or small talk at parties | You won't be making friends with those you meet and
confront at policy plannings or while negotiating change, nor will your own friends necessarily want to know about the details of your efforts ||
Even if we cannot immediately make changes to oppressive social policies or practices, our mere presence in some of these meeting places can prevent additional harmful policies from being implemented | Also ~ remember to stay in touch with others who know what you say to be true, and to refresh and replenish yourself from behind-the-scenes battles rather than burn yourself out | Stay healthy to battle successfully ||
JOURNAL EXCERPTS Written 20 apr 1994 in my print journal vol # 28 |
FEAR of the future, combined with an Apocalypic interpretation of events, can be a dangerous union | Mix into this brew the posturing exclamations of demagogues and proponents of social control via scapegoating and blame-pointing, and the foundation of tyranny is well on the way to being solid | This assumes, of course, that no firmly established counter-movements are present or recognized | And for some, this is the collective psychological state we find ourselves in at the moment ||
WE could dismiss the impact of all of this easily; say that throughout human history people have gotten irrational and weird when the millenium arrives | But to dismiss the effect of this kind of collective psychosis is a foolhardy action | IN EUROPE, in the 900s [years, not phone chat lines] historians now recognize this period as an intellectual and spiritual Dark Age | Moreover, in dismissing similar lines of reasoning {well, rationalizing is more like it] that occur in our own times, we open wider the door to the same things occurring to us, now ||
Since the opposite arguement is to wholeheartedly endorse the "End of the World" / Battle of Armageddon belief, this doesn't seem a productive alternative either | No, what we need to do is to recognize that severe and negative consequences of past human actions can and will occur [indeed, they are already occuring] but that these violent upheavals shall pass as well | That belief being a "given," the next course of action need to be to prepare for the rebuilding of Civilization ||
Making productive use of past and existing technologies, tools and knowledge are among the necessities in planning and preparing for opening a new Millenium | Certainly there will be catastrophic conditions and situations with which we must work [again... there already are] but we do not prepare ourselves for them by being shocked into inactivity ||
We must instead forge ahead, make the decision to work at developing solutions for social, psychic, technolocial, environmental and spiritual problems |
We may not always make the best decisions, but the alternative of making NO decisions, of taking NO action, is not a viable option |
Some Thoughts on Making Productive Social Change
Affecting Social Change is much more than mouthing slogans or sound bites | It can mean devoting hours - days - years - spending time with those who are reluctant and unwilling to hear the truths of others; years to work at changing existing social policy or considering other ways of living ||
Yet making the fundametal changes in the values that underlie oppressive social policies require interacting with those who oppose us | This must be done before we get to the voting booth, before we get to legislative committee hearings or public forums | We need to get our points across and to affect change in board rooms and private offices; in juvenile and adult corrections, mental health, the courts, in educational, cultural, legislative and personal spheres ~ whereever decisions affecting all our lives are made regularly and daily ~ and we need to do this now!
We must infiltrate the meeting places of adversaries and decision makers who oppose eliminating social injustices | We must insist upon and make impact by directly negotiating policy change [or in protecting good policies and practices], laws and directions for the future | Once there, being heard, we have to make our points clearly enough to be effective advocates for change | Now, affecting change doesn't necessarily make for chit chat or small talk at parties | You won't be making friends with those you meet and
confront at policy plannings or while negotiating change, nor will your own friends necessarily want to know about the details of your efforts ||Even if we cannot immediately make changes to oppressive social policies or practices, our mere presence in some of these meeting places can prevent additional harmful policies from being implemented | Also ~ remember to stay in touch with others who know what you say to be true, and to refresh and replenish yourself from behind-the-scenes battles rather than burn yourself out | Stay healthy to battle successfully ||
JOURNAL EXCERPTS Written 20 apr 1994 in my print journal vol # 28 |
FEAR of the future, combined with an Apocalypic interpretation of events, can be a dangerous union | Mix into this brew the posturing exclamations of demagogues and proponents of social control via scapegoating and blame-pointing, and the foundation of tyranny is well on the way to being solid | This assumes, of course, that no firmly established counter-movements are present or recognized | And for some, this is the collective psychological state we find ourselves in at the moment ||
WE could dismiss the impact of all of this easily; say that throughout human history people have gotten irrational and weird when the millenium arrives | But to dismiss the effect of this kind of collective psychosis is a foolhardy action | IN EUROPE, in the 900s [years, not phone chat lines] historians now recognize this period as an intellectual and spiritual Dark Age | Moreover, in dismissing similar lines of reasoning {well, rationalizing is more like it] that occur in our own times, we open wider the door to the same things occurring to us, now ||
Since the opposite arguement is to wholeheartedly endorse the "End of the World" / Battle of Armageddon belief, this doesn't seem a productive alternative either | No, what we need to do is to recognize that severe and negative consequences of past human actions can and will occur [indeed, they are already occuring] but that these violent upheavals shall pass as well | That belief being a "given," the next course of action need to be to prepare for the rebuilding of Civilization ||
Making productive use of past and existing technologies, tools and knowledge are among the necessities in planning and preparing for opening a new Millenium | Certainly there will be catastrophic conditions and situations with which we must work [again... there already are] but we do not prepare ourselves for them by being shocked into inactivity ||
We must instead forge ahead, make the decision to work at developing solutions for social, psychic, technolocial, environmental and spiritual problems |
We may not always make the best decisions, but the alternative of making NO decisions, of taking NO action, is not a viable option |
NOTE: I've posted this before, but it has been over a year ago. I know I have some new readers and, besides, the time seemed right to re-post this commentary |
Labels: essays, futuristics, organizing, social change, will brady
¶ 22:46 0 comments
