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because we take so much for granted every day
August 2nd, 2007
I love my country
By which I mean
I am indebted joyfully
To all the people throughout its history
Who have fought the government to make right
Where so many cunning sons and daughters
Our foremothers and forefathers
Came singing through slaughter
Came through hell and high water
So that we could stand here
And behold breathlessly the sight
How a raging river of tears
Is cutting a grand canyon of light.Why can’t all decent men and women
Call themselves feminists?
Out of respect
For those who fought for this?
Ani DiFranco, “Grand Canyon”
Filed under Righteous Ribs |3 Responses to “because we take so much for granted every day”
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With all respect to Ani…
Why do we need to accept a label to be counted as people who would fight for the obvious right things? I can think of all kinds of “right things” that decent people have fought for throughout our history.
Besides labels are often not as innocent as we like to tell ourselves. Once I have a label, I have an “identity.” I choose it largely because it gives me a free ticket to act and talk in a certain way. It helps me join with like-minded others, others who are like-minded UNLIKE all those who don’t believe like me, which is exactly why I want the label — to separate from another group. (otherwise, why put up a big sign?)
But –oops — now I have an institution in my virtual reality to make real to others and to defend… I see us as different by our labels and our willingness to talk and act a certain way. But here’s the rub — be careful, because now you are becoming just like the others that you don’t like. You’ve taken the same need to separate and replaced it with a new form that makes you innocent victims who deserve the power that someone else has stolen and them guilty.
Our whole world is in crisis because of this dynamic — this need to call ourselves certain things and identify with certain labels. We love knowing who the enemy is, and this keeps everyone straight.
I’ll never call myself a feminist for the same reason I’ll never call myself a Christian or a Buddhist or a liberal or a democrat or a conservative or republican — because to do so is short-hand that says “Honk if you think like me and not like them!”
This label-making isn’t really about bringing the right things to this world or making more peace and understanding and figuring out answers to tough problems…instead it creates more of the original separation, prejudice, and hate that caused the problem to begin with.
I am a feminist. I was a feminist before Betty Friedan told me what I was. I was just a woman who wanted a decent job that paid the same as the men got paid. I wanted the barriers to come down, and they did and are continuing to do so. I think that’s a good thing.
Labels are tricky, no doubt about that. Feminist has been a dirty word in some circles, while it’s been high praise in others. But there is power in numbers, and the powers that be pay attention to the numbers.
No single label is sufficient for most people. We are many things. But when we join together under our various labels, we gain power and an audience that may be swayed by our position. A single person with a single voice is rarely able to effect change, but a group of people, speaking together has brought change throughout our history, and will in our future.
So I will accept the labels. I need a lot of them, because there are a lot of different issues that I care about. I will join with others with whom I may have only one cause - or label - in common, and we will learn from each other about other concerns.
Ribsis, you are making many assumptions about other people’s motivations for accepting ”labels.” If giving a name to something you feel passionately about means soldier-gathering, separation, intolerance, free tickets and big signs to you, then no, you should not do it.
But if a label is a vehicle for helping to bring awareness and dispel myths, speaking for those who cannot speak for themselves (yes, in many places this is still true) and affecting change through education and compassion, then only good will come from your acceptance of it.