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Monday, July 30, 2007

You Say You Want a Revolution

My blessings have made me dull. Deep within this suburban, middle-class, white, forty-something mother lies the heart of a rebel: a reincarnated Panther, a Freedom Fighter, a Women’s Libber, a No Nuker, a Hug your Mother Earth, a Make-Love-Not-War, sign carrying, Capital-marching, rubber bullet dodging activist. Maybe I need something on the outside of me to make me take the action that is burning on the inside of me, but my skin blends with the empowered class of the United States of Mediocrity.

What will it take to light that fire that kindles in my belly? How can I fight for causes when my days are consumed with replenishing the negative interest-earning bank account, with monitoring the expiration date on the carton of pesticide and growth hormone filled milk, with washing the clothes purchased at discount on the backs of Malaysian pre-adolescents, and with financing the war-inspiring fuel for the tank of my made-by-bigwig-lobbyists car?

Maybe I want change without personal sacrifice. I won’t go to jail for a cause like my Birkenstock-wearing foremothers and forefathers. I have a child to raise. A mortgage to pay. Too much to lose. A disenfranchised Floridian, I’ve lost faith in the voice of a vote. I can put some nickels in the Anybody-but-Him fundraising can and change my lamps to those ingenious new light bulbs. Funny way to start a revolution.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Don't you ever think for a second that you are dull or mediocre! You have probably made more of a contribution to the future of this planet than anyone I know. You are teaching people to express their ideas - and to THINK. We live in a society that does not encourage us to do that. Most (if not all) of the activists you speak of were raised to be that way - we do indeed live what we learn - I firmly believe that. GO GET MANHEIM'S BOOK IF YOU HAVEN'T READ IT YET!!! And stop beating yourself up or feeling guilty for whatever it is you think you are NOT doing. Raising a child - and your teachings - are things to be celebrated! Surely you have faith in that? I know I do.

Drive Topless :)

LJ said...

POWER TO THE PEOPLE!!! But can we stop by a Starbucks first? I'm useless without my venti double shot raspberry cafe macchiato. It was Huey Newton's favorite drink.

Anonymous said...

Mothers visit sons in jail, but they would rather play Mah Jongg, share dinner and go to the beach

MJ said...

Your post reminds me one of the reasons I like you so much. You are a revolutionary and I think it shows through lots more than you know. (It's EG who drives the minivan after all.) Compared to this rule-follower here, you are pretty exciting.

By the way, I love the calendar to know where you are.

~MJ