Chopping down the trunk of social injustice takes patience…

Hello friends and comrades...

What I want to share with you today is simply a message of hope, encouragement, and most importantly one of love. I don’t normally speak in the abstract…so we’ll see how this turns out.

I came to the YP4 National Summit feeling overwhelmed, frustrated, angry, and skeptical. Great feelings to start out with at a progressive summit, right? I’ll give you a sense of my history, and maybe you’ll understand.

I am a socialist. As you can imagine, this means the way I analyze things are largely misunderstood in greater society. As soon as I label myself as such, I feel that a large number of people immediate close their minds off to what I have to say next. Dealing with a country that is largely influenced by conservative values throughout such entities as Rupert Murdoch’s media empire, it is no surprise that those farther left than “democrat” are given the name “radicals.” And the negative connotation that comes with it. My “radical” views such as advocating for equal access to education, freedom of reproductive choice, socio-economic parity for people of color, and the freedom for people to marry anyone of their choice—regardless of sexual orientation is seen as some sort of vile, social ill. Advocating for clean water, safe living facilities, un-biased elected officials, quality and available health care…oh no. How dare I even have the audacity to go there…Don’t I remember where I came from—the United States? Don’t I know that I live among the richest, most privileged and powerful peoples in the world?

Yeah, I get that. But maybe I don’t want to be a part of that legacy—because it is hurting more people than it is helping. Isn’t there another side to the story? If there is someone prospering and gaining wealth, does that not also mean that someone else is suffering and living in poverty? In a world fueled by destructive capitalist philosophy—prioritizing profit of business over the labor of the workers—there is an overwhelming level of suffering. Some people in this country cannot afford the basic things they need in order to survive: food, water, shelter…and with a deficiency in those things there comes a lack of self dignity, motivation, creativity, and engagement. Approximately one percent of the population of the United States owns 1/3 of the personal wealth. That means that nintey-something percent of the people own the rest. And because I think this is wrong, in the eyes of the larger society, I am wrong. Excuse me, but THAT is wrong.

The myth of the American Dream needs to be dispelled immediately. How can people lift themselves up by the bootstraps if they don’t have any boots?! In this country, it is extremely hard to work your way up when the entire system is against you. Oppressive STRUCTURES are the “trunks” of our problems. Our problems do not stem from bad presidents, corrupt governments, or biased judges. No, it is dangerous to blame individuals in the fight for social justice. Individual people die, but oppression continues…how do you explain that? It is not the actions of these individual people, but the policies they create, advocate, and implement. Our problems stem from the discriminatory policies that come from such institutions. Some examples of institutionalized discrimination include, but are not limited to: lack of funding for urban or rural schools, laws prohibiting people from being able to marry the person of their choice (anti- miscegenation and anti-same-sex marriage laws), biased curriculums (devoid of teaching critical thinking skills or select themes in history including class struggles, Black history and accurate war history) selected for public schools, gerrymandering of voting precincts to keep poor people and people of color from voting in blocs, ineffectual and un-enforced environmental policies…the list goes on.

So here’s the thing. Trying to convince people that structures have been the problem with the United States thus far has been something of a challenge. I have had to mainly deal with “liberals” who try to sell me let’s-end-racism-with-a-hug solutions. Others have attempted to try and convince me that picking up signs, screaming, and spitting on cops at a protest is the best way to end our problems. Sitting around in a circle eating soy nuts and singing kumbaya isn’t going to bring us any closer to true democracy in this country. I’m not blessed with the gift of eloquence, so I don’t know if I’m really getting through to you. You see…my main concern with activism in America is that much of it is symbolic, not attacking structures of oppression, but engaging in reactionary, petty activism. Don’t get me wrong! There is a time and a place for activism…but one must first understand what the root of a problem is before they go attacking something! Otherwise the practice is blind. Practice without theory isn’t going to get anyone anywhere. At best, that kind of activism will achieve short term results that are hard to sustain.

What some liberals are doing is putting a band-aid on a broken arm. As much as I am frustrated with them, I realize that is they who are my closest allies. It is them that I must bring farther to the left. Yes, so even among so called progressives, my socialist analyses land me in the far off land of marginalization. I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s ever felt this way. I’m sure other people, who may not even identify as being a socialist, have felt frustrated with the reactionary left.

The truth is, activism is tough work. Constructive activism is even tougher. Making the kind of change necessary means getting to the root of the problem, finding ways to fix it, and being able to sustain one’s efforts. One must then fight distraction from the ineffectual left, and the close-minded conservative right that is always willing to support the status quo. Before coming to the YP4 conference, I was very skeptical that I would find people who would be adverse to my kind of politics. What I found was actually something completely different. I found a warm, open, environment filled with people who are out there organizing with purpose. I found people who were willing to not only listen to me, but support me in anything I decided to do. Those who did listen to me wanted to learn more about what I was talking about rather than casting my views aside as “crazy.” Never before had I been in such a position of acceptance and open minded-ness.

So, by now you’re probably wondering where all the promised encouraging sentiments are…where that message of love could probably be. Well, here is it. I apologize, as this is ridiculously longer than what I anticipated it to be. The kind of change needed in this country will take courage, time, and above all, patience. I urge everyone who reads this to keep the energy alive, and realize that even though the change you wish to see might not come automatically...it doesn't meant that it won't ever happen. I beg you fellows, advocate for real, positive, tangible change. Don’t settle for the status quo. Don’t take the easy way out. I believe that you can do this. I see the promise in all of us. I don’t know most of you… but I share a common love with you. Love, mixed with anger, love, mixed with passion, love, mixed with patience…will inspire us to do great things.

The other day I heard somebody say something that I will never forget. In lieu of Martin Luther King, Jr. day: “We can come together to praise the dreamer, but if we don’t do anything about the dream—then why are we here?”

Be patient.

Be persistent.

Be radical.

I look forward to working with you!