RE: growing activism

Brother Inas,
 I say I really do disagree with you on some of the issues that you raise here. Please refer to my post on tanglible results. ( Sorry  for the delay but I was ill).
 For me concrete change is good but not the point, time can only be the measure of such.
 
For me activism is not a need to self dientify , it is neccessary and  Justice work is always , for me,, the work of Allah's calling. Is is just that, a neccesaary part of a good realtionship with my community, my self and my Lord. I have never NOT been an activist.
 
As you wrote it I completely disagree with you association of Pessimism and self sagbotage  and FREEDOM FIGHTERS .Please expalin clearly, if you don't mind, what and who you mean exactly by freedom fighters . As I know it Mohammed (PBUH) was alsoa freedom fighter. I sense you are referring to particular actions of resistance by particular individuals or groups of individuals.
 
I do agree that one must nourish many aspects of oneself. I do whole heartedly agree. If ai were only an activist I would have lost touch with life completely. I am a mother , daughter, academic, writer, poet, dancer, horticuluralist, medicallly extremely well wersed, soo many many things. I have not made those things less important than my work as an activist. THAT would be self sabotage,
 
Shukran Kteer for your patience in reading this.
 
Rima
 
 
 
 
 
  
 


inas younis <[email protected]> wrote:

Salams Vana,

The measure of an activists progress is directly proportional to the motivations of the activists.  If the motivation is fuled by a need to see concrete change, then only if and when that change takes effect will their efforts be redeemed.  Ie.  WOMANS SUFFRAGE. 

However,  I suspect that for many, activisim is motivated by the need to identify with something greater then yourself, and to do so in some tangible measurable way.  Ie.  writing, counselling, marching. 

the measure of postive change,  when the  motivation is self identification is sometimes counterintuitive.  ie.   The need  to feel that  you are all the more greater because of your humble efforts.  Some people's  entire identity is shaped by some greater cause to the extent that success is sometimes sabatoged with pessimism.. IE .. FREEDOM FIGHTERS.  

The question becomes not .. WHAT PROGRESS AM I MAKING ?  but WHO AM I, IF NOT AN ENVIRONMENTALIST,  A POLITICIAN , A HUMAN RIGHTS ACTIVIST ETC.. 

That is why I believe it is important for people to nourish more then one aspect of thier personality so that the activism does not become the only measure of who they are.  When that happens, progress is measured by how much worse things are then how much better they have become.  

So your question has a relative answer, depending on the agenda and who is espousing it, and whether you are using a personal or objective yardstick for measurment. 




>From: Vana Lopez 
>Reply-To: [email protected] 
>To: [email protected] 
>Subject: [Progressivemuslimsnetwork] growing activism 
>Date: Thu, 26 Feb 2004 08:55:27 -0800 (PST) 
> 
>Salaam, 
> 
>I am wondering how those of you who are activists on a 
>large(r) level know when what you are doing is 
>useful/working?  I'm coming at this from the 
>perspective of the smallest.  Give 1 person some food 
>& he is not hungry for a day, shelter and not out in 
>the elements for the night.  It is very clear what is 
>working at that level. it is easy to see if someone 
>stops drinking or stops using drugs. it is easy to see 
>if someone hasn't killed themself. 
> 
>As the target of the activist increases past the very 
>small, how do you know if your meetings, speeches, 
>protests, etc., are doing any good?  How do you 
>measure it? Is it a "feeling" thing?  Is it a level of 
>opposing intensity measurement? Is it the 
>acknowledgment of others like yourself? 
> 
>I see this as somewhat separate from the "do the right 
>thing" need that we probably all have in that I think 
>that the "right thing" is irrespective of 
>outcome--more of us having a whiff maybe of what God 
>has put us here on earth to do. 
>wondering, Vana 
> 
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