DEPORTMENT

It isn't easy participating in a movement for social change.  Usually, there is a need for social change because some kind of injustice exists.  When injustice exists you have a great many--get ready for the word again--victims.


Unfortunately, the hurt these victims have experienced, the hurt which galvanized them into action in the first place and endowed them with the energy to work for social change, also can end up being the source of a great deal of turbulance and disruption within the movement.  Ironically enough, as a consequence, we advocates can end up doing more harm to one another than we ever do to our opponents. 


For example, consider what happened during the Rodney King incident.  When the people who attacked Rodney King were acquitted, out of anger some members of the black community ended up looting and vandalizing their own stores and homes; they didn't vandalize in middle class white neighborhoods.  


That's what can happen with us.  We can end up turning on and attacking one another in the movement rather than focusing on the real enemy.  Not only that, not only is there this self hating, self destructive influence within our community of advocates, there can also be spies coming in from our opponents' side who join up with us with the intention of spying on us and disrupting our attempts to organize.  So, often, we don't even know what is truly going on in the head of someone who is sitting right next to us.  I know this may seem unreal to some of you, but this truly happens, and we have to succeed with good results nonetheless.  It has been going on as long as social movements began.  


Consider Benjamin Franklin--he was surrounded by a bevy of spies from the moment he woke up until he settled himself into bed at night.  If the man so much as sneezed, the King of England heard about it.  Nonetheless, he accomplished the results that he wished through his intense focus, sharp intellect, and Oh! Papa Franklin!, charm with the ladies.  We need to be the same.  Throughout the struggle, throughout the adversity, we need to succeed with our focus, sharp intellect, and charm which we have in abundance.  


We need to work with one another effectively and avoid power struggles among ourselves at all costs.  If we don't see eye to eye on a particular issue, rather than tear each other apart, perhaps we simply need to agree to disagree rather than attack each other and accuse one another of not bearing the true faith.  We need to stand together and expand our numbers and find common ground upon which to fight, rather than disintegrate into a fragmented, squabbling, self involved group that ends up being totally ineffective.  


Courtesy, respect for other peoples' opinions and hurts, recognizing you will not always have it your way, flexibility, the willingness to consider where other people are coming from while respecting your own place, all of that is central to achieving the results we all want, which is a more just, and a more safe society for ourselves and for our children.  Don't let the bastards win!