Thoughts while listening to Utah Phillips

[desh]

conana (or anyone): How is organizing compatible with anarchy? If the point of organizing is to change the status quo, and if the status quo in this country is represented by laws and elected leaders, then what exactly do anarchists gain from action? (I know you can't answer for Utah Phillips (who voted!), but if you have a good answer, I'd love to hear it.)

jre (or anyone): How do I prioritize organizing? I think it's important that we fix this country. But I also think it's important that I move out of my mom's house. I want to get a job in Corporate America. I know I can do good while I have a job like that, but how much do I need to do? "All you can do" doesn't work for me. I'm busy and I'm lazy, and I don't know my true limits with this sort of thing. What is my obligation?

Everyone: I think I'm too susceptible to the rhetoric of the left. I agree with most of it, sure. But if someone disputes something I believe in while using the language of Utah, or of the queer community, or whatever, then I feel powerless. "How can I be right and you be wrong when you sound more like a folk song than I do?" Well, what should I do about that? Because it's not the case that anyone who talks like that is right.

rahaeli: Thanks for the idea.

Comments

[desh]

and.. i'm sure this was tongue in cheek, but your obligation is as much as you can.

It wasn't tongue-in-cheek. I don't know how much I can do. If you asked me if I had time for something else in my life, I'd say no. But this is too important to just say no to, but I don't know how much I need to give. How much of what my life is now I need to push aside for this.

but if folks are using the language of the queer community you must listen.

Of course I'll listen. I always listen. Thing is, though, queer people can be wrong, even though I'm not one of them. Of course I respect them/you, especially because it's an oppressed group and especially because I don't identify as a member of it. But I'm still allowed to disagree with what queer people say about queer issues. A followup question: How can I dispute something you say about queer stuff without you feeling like I'm disrespecting you?

It's hard for tone to come across online. We need to remember that. All of the questions I've asked in this comment and in the above entry are genuine, innocent-like questions. Not tongue-in-cheek, rhetorical, sarcastic, or assuming the opposite of what I asked. Even the anarchy one.

[below-the-belt.livejournal.com]

maybe i'm too new to lj for this, but i believe discussions like this are best in person.

...I don't know how much I need to give...
there is no right answer to this. there is no certain amount. if you want me [or someone else] to tell you how much money, how much time, how much sleep you need to give up... i/we will, i'm sure. but that would be a cop-out. i believe you need to figure that out for yourself, tough as it is.

How can I dispute something you say about queer stuff without you feeling like I'm disrespecting you?
i don't understand the context, i don't think. can you give me an example? and don't say marriage because you know how i feel about that bullshit. oh - and no, queer people are never wrong. about anything. that's where our magic comes from. ::grin::