RE: growing activism

Salams from sister Inas to sister Yasmine..,

I think you misunderstood what i wrote with respect to tangible results. I was not at all commenting on what activism should or should not be. Nor was I making a personal comment on anyones motivation..

I was merely reiterating the obvious-- that the various forms of progress measurments are contingent on the motivation.

I dont know you personally, so I dont doubt that your activism is exactly as you say-- for the sake of Allah. But that was not the question posed by the origional text.

The question was not designed to solicit a generic response about why people do what they do. As noble as your motivations may be, they do not speak for everyone.

People are different and what incites one person to action does not incite another person to follow suite. I was merely suggesting that there are more motivations for activism then the obvious, meets the eye inclination to serve Allah.. That goes without saying ...

And freedom fighting is one of those ambiguous terms that have different meanings depending on who is claiming its title .. So naturally, some " freedom fighters" are sabatours.. and some are genuingly freedom fighters , depending on who is making the statment. One mans freedom fighter is another mans murderer. NO ONE OWNS THE rights ON THAT TERM.

I am a self proclaimed freedom fighter myself.. Give me liberty or give me death.. Patrick Henry..

Also a freedom fighter wouldnt you say... I guess it depends on who you ask.. lol

I read a funny quote, some may appreciate.. Everything is relative .. Everything, which is relative.

with love and loyalty, your sister Inas

>From: Yasmine Anabta

>Reply-To: [email protected]

>To: [email protected]

>Subject: RE: [Progressivemuslimsnetwork] growing activism

>Date: Tue, 2 Mar 2004 13:06:43 -0800 (PST)

>

>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

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>inas younis 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.

>

>

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>

> >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

> >

> >_______________________________________________

> >ProgressiveMuslims mailing list

> >[email protected]

> >http://willo.nitric.co.za/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/progressivemuslims

>

>

>

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