<!doctype html public "-//W3C//DTD W3 HTML//EN"> <html><head><style type="text/css"></style><title>activism</title></head><body> <div>Jon wrote:</div> <div><br></div> <div>"Another reason, as I said, was that I'm not really temperamentally fit<br> for organizing small parties -- I did some of that in the 60s/70s, but</div> <div>frankly would rather leave it to folks like you who enjoy it."</div> <div><br></div> <div>I'll be honest with you.</div> <div><br></div> <div>I can't say that I enjoy participating in the form of political engagement I believe to be most effective. On this, I take my cue from Chomsky.  I can assure you that he hates it; he likes doing linguistics. He does it because it's what needs to be done- the same reason you clean the toilet. It was the same for me and maybe it should be the same, to a slightly greater degree at least, for others.</div> <div><br></div> <div>Now, before you jump down my throat and accuse me of being a "hair shirt" leftist, I recognize that this is a problem.  Political activism should be "joyful" and, fortunately, lot of other Greens find it a lot more fun than I do.  See, for example,</div> <div><br></div> <div><font face="Charcoal" size="-1" color="#000000" >http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/g/a/2003/12/12/election<span ></span>night.DTL</font></div> <div><br></div> <div>Furthermore there is a trap which is very easy for us to fall into which I'll get at in this way:  I compose music.  That's what I like to do and also some of this music, particularly recently, is political. </div> <div>See for example</div> <div><br></div> <div><font face="Charcoal" color="#000000" >http://www.boston.com/news/globe/living/articles/2003/08/14/at_harva<span ></span>rd_the_finances_are_falling/</font></div> <div><br></div> <div>or</div> <div><br></div> <div>http://www.sfcv.org/arts_revs/compinc_12_9_03.php</div> <div><br></div> <div>Now, I would very much like to believe that the form of activism which I "enjoy" participating in is the most effective form of activism in which I engage. Unfortunately, it is not true. The fact is activism expressed through my music is probably completely useless from an organizing standpoint, maybe even negatively effective.   I have entertained delusions along these lines in the past, unfortunately, but I'm over them now.</div> <div><br></div> <div>This, I think, gets to the nub of our disagreement.  In my opinion, its really important that we have a serious discussion as to the effectiveness of different types of organizing and strategies.  I simply don't agree with you (or Dellinger) that all are equally effective.  And, while I don't agree with their solution, the HFP cadre make very much the same point in their "activistism" piece.</div> <div><br></div> <div>Best,</div> <div><br></div> <div>John Halle</div> <div><br></div> <div><br></div> <div><br></div> <div><br></div> <x-sigsep><pre>-- </pre></x-sigsep> </body> </html>