Not All Steps Must Move Us Forward

Steps taken towards liberation can be observed in small, grassroots, groups which revolutionize the status quo.  I see the roots of revolution in queer activism; and I see it in independent journalism; much of what goes on among artists liberates us all.  We must not be singular in our definition of anarchy, however.  Because, if we try too hard to define radicalism, or anarchy, and if we sit high atop our ideologies, hoping for a more positive future, the present anarchy will recede.

How can we all be less governable?  Society, maligned with crime and poverty, is not necessarily less governable than one that is peaceful, and egalitarian.  One could even argue that the means to liberation is through non-violent resistance.  Revolutions, in history, have taken both forms of peaceful protest, and violent upheaval. 

Exercising our liberties is a good start to uprooting injustice.  Gay pride opened the doors to gay marriage.  Publicly opposing government influence, the queer population revolutionized the public attitude towards sexuality, and choice of gender.  Now, there is a great deal of strife in this country around police violence; if we are steadfast we can revolutionize the way our society is “kept safe.”  But all of society has to act as one body, with one mind, of anti-political revolution, that disregards ideologies which slow the process of liberation.

Liberation could take the form of a society befallen by disorder.  But we could survive.  And in such a society we could make steps towards ending hunger, and rape.  Society has taken many centuries to prove that we will not arrive at a culture, sustained by government, where all people’s contributions to humanity are valued.  As long as economy runs the political spectrum, abuse and inequality will be perpetuated in the name of country, and patriotism.

I don’t believe we will see the resolution of our revolution; society will, in our lifetimes, remain unquestionably evil; hunger and all other symptoms of oppression will persist.  And it is because people are too afraid to see that we can change the world right now.  We are too afraid to make the sacrifices necessary for the upheaval of a harmful political system.