Don't speak don't think and whatever you do, don't show up

Today at the soc salon we talked about American apathy. Why can people not see value in the lives of farmworkers and other certain immigrants or the value in making sure EVERY American has healthcare, nontoxic food, safe living and working conditions and the time to spend with those they love? How difficult is this to imagine people? Why would people rather believe that this is an impossibility rather than a very timely and pragmatic ideal waiting to be made real? Well the salon renews my hope in others so that as much as I get down and frustrated and downright pissed off about things, it helps to remember that others ARE concerned about these same issues, despite what the media tells you. Your progressive values ARE moral values. Your progressive ideals ARE American. Being anti-war IS American AND supportive of the troops but also supportive of innocent civilians being massacred hour by hour.

If you get anything out of your college experience I truly hope it is the ability to think critically and see beyond the propaganda. That's what I've learned and what I am most grateful to have had the opportunity to learn. Until we speak, think and show up little will change. I rather like Marcy's point of "putting your body where your mouth is." The factionalism amongst leftists only helps those who like to slip the liberal label around anything progressive and strangle it.
George Lakoff offers some great challenges to this tactic by that the left adopt a set of frames that neither the far right wingers nor the undecideds can manipulate. To me, this frame would be that of human rights. It worries me to no end that people honestly think torture is justified and that arbitrary arrest and imprisonment without charge/trial or representation is justified.
I can only say this: if it were you or someone you loved behind bars or in chicken wire cages or with a bag over your head you'd think twice about that justification. As someone else pointed out (whose name escapes me at the moment, but I think it was Molly Ivins): "if it were you, you'd know it was torture."

Please speak. Please think about the crap you're being sold. Please please please show up. The world needs you to do more than care, it needs you to get off your comfy chair and turn off your reality t.v. and get involved! Picket. Protest. Push. Agitate. Question. Listen. Speak. Converse. Change.

peace!