#findavoice

[politicalmindworld-blog]

The day we fought back.

In a world...okay, I won’t start this entire blog off with that overused, cliche (since I have been able to type, I always wondered how to put the little squiggle above letters if the word/letter needed it...still am wondering...), dumb-ass saying that makes people (or maybe just me) GAG. AND NOT IN THE GOOD WAY (THANKS RUPAUL) 

Nay, I have come here, at 5:45 am on a sleepless night, to Tumblr to let someone have a voice; to let US have a voice. You see, I see myself as an extrovert, one that will jump at anything and anyone to do whatever I need to do to better myself, my life, my family and my community. But, how, I do ask, can someone a loud, outspoken and daring say the things that even I know I cannot say without getting pitchforked out of town (especially in the town I go to college in...) 

Again, I ask you to see this picture for itself, for I was on Facebook, looking at posts that my family has made and stumbled across one of my fellow friend’s post that was a shared video. The video was a parody of Dukes of Hazard, disrespectively named The PC (Political Correct) Dukes of Hazard. Now, while I find this immediately distasteful, I can be totally honest and say that there were parts that were so incredibly dumb that I laughed. But, ironically, the dumb parts were not like the parts of the original movie where you laughed because you just could not help it because these characters were the dumbest people you have ever seen, but this new level of dumb was very disturbing to me: It was funny because it was real. The video fought real stereotypes. It made valid points. Yet, some see this Political Correctness as an act of overreaching, that we, as society, should not mandate so much because EVERYONE IS A LITTLE RACIST/HOMOPHOBIC/SEXIST (the list goes on, and on, and on...)

Thus, in a blaze of fury and lustful anger towards these people that put progressiveism on the back table (it is called “PROGRESSive” for a reason...!!!), I decided that the voice that I wished to say, the real words I wish I could unveil to the world with a simple stroke of the keyboard and a little force-touch (because it is a real thing) to my MacBook, to Facebook, would be better suited to be seen by the eyes of those like me. Those who cannot speak out for the lashing of their family(s), those who cannot lash out of anger for the disgusting nature of our country and society because of those who would physically harm us, for those that cannot simply speak, I say to you, through your voice, eyes and heart, We, today, start a new chapter in history: 

The day we fought back.

Welcome to my blog.

[doublewriting]

Tired Thinking

In English class I was assigned to read a couple William Faulkner novels. The one I remember most is Intruder in the Dust. I found if I read right after school or after doing something such as math homework, I could not get very far into the book. I felt as if I needed to edit and make corrections. Quite by accident, or incidentally I found that if I read at the crack of dawn or there-a-bouts I could read quickly and understand it. It just took me realizing I needed the right brain reading for me instead of the left: those moments of consciousness where my editor or so called fake muse tries to write over what my head really can hear. The same happens with writing. We want to use convention or expected standards so much that we can no longer write. For example, I might write the following as a comedy piece:

Take me out to the grassy quad

Take me out of my class

My teacher tells me peanuts and cracker jacks

I don’t care if I ever go back

Let me cheer and cheer for the home team

Because their losses are a shame

It’s one, two, three strikes, you’re out

With the old, slow brains

I have used the rhyme and cadence of the chorus of “Take Me Out to the Ball Game” to say I am frustrated with a system. My tiny voice saying I’m sticking it to the man. I would love to compose pieces that changed the world. That made things different. That altered ugly conventional realities into idealistic things of beauty. People who are good should be encouraged to do better. Places that are beautiful should be preserved. Systems that work should continue. But tired thinking and ineffective methods need to be eradicated. We can’t put new clothes on an old Ken doll and say we’ve done a great job. Reform happens in the mind, then should move outwards to mingle with other thoughts. This creates exchange which leads to change. Teachers lecturing in classrooms with no feedback, administrators speaking from old rule books do not make the world a better place. Politicians saying “we need change” but have everything stay the same stunts the growth of nations.

Be someone who makes change by thinking original thoughts, opening up the conversation through creative expression, then sharing that with others who help you to continue the conversation. Change does not happen in closed minds or behind closed doors. Be the voice of clarity others need to hear.