grammar/feminism -- common goals

James Pasto (pasto@UMBSKY.CC.UMB.EDU)
Thu, 9 Nov 1995 10:13:00 EST

So where do we begin?? What are we to do when we've got people like Newt
out there with his head you know where?? Is therapy the answer for the
adults? For the youths? I really don't know the answer to any of these
questions, nor do I believe that there is just one answer. I think a
further discussion of this would be excellent here and look forward to
hearing more to maybe spark some controversy in my own mind---we need
ideas, people!

Take care,

Elaine

Thanks for your reply Elaine. For Newt and his gang (and they are a gang,
sociologically speaking) we need to start with mobilizing people to vote.
That is the immediate task, the short term goal. I think the majority does
oppose the policies they are pushing, so it may not be as hard as it
sometimes seems. There are already Citizen Alliance groups forming all over.
There is a national conference for these groups in Chicago in February.
Other groups are mobilizing voters as well. So things are moving in that
regard; we must all get out and do our part.

For the longer term, and to forge a more permanent alliance, there has to
be some way to reorient our basic thinking. We have to move away from victim
thinking. Many of us are victims of many things; the way to overcome it is
to move past the trauma bonds and create self-empowerment. It is not easy --
individuals can't do it alone -- that is why we need to talk openly and help
one another. But we should not be fooled into thinking that self-empowerment
is a conservative stance. At this point it is the only option; we only
have ourselves now. So we have to move toward empowerment thinking. Also,
the marginalization of the 'white' working class by the academy must stop.
A national consensus cannot be built on minority issues -- it just can't.
People have to hear the real anger that the white working class feels.
'White'intellectuals have a tendency to project their own economic and
educational status (which is now eroding as well) onto all other European-
Americans, and then position themselves as the white heros of minorities.
(the 'white-persons burden'all over again). The Republicans have shown
themselves to be politically smart because they have been able to represent
corporate interests, while speaking the langauge of the working class. So
we need to find a way to place both the concerns of the majority and
minority under one commen cause. Let's start by talking about it
and writing about it. Here, in the university, and in our community.

Just some ideas. Peace.

Jim Pasto
pasto@umbsky.cc.umb.edu