Bling Bling in the ATL

In my political fantasy land, identity would not be the organizing factor for progressive political groups. People would not assume similar causes based on a perception that they were similar people. Rather, people would congregate around issues or problems that have a broad base.

So:

Trauma:
Rape victims and vietnam war veterans would share mental health services and lobby for better recognition of society's role in creating and caring for these traumatized communities.

HIV/AIDs:
Black churches and the gay rights movement would team up to provide treatment to gay, straight, black, and white individuals and couples to provide treatment, send information, share models of care, talk about secrecy, safe(r) sex, etc.

Implications:
1. Our rhetoric would not lose gender/sex/race specific concepts, but we'd start identifying first as americans, or as humans, and our goals would be general goals - instead of trying to redeem a particular gender role, we would discuss our overall development as peopls: how to achieve fulfillment, empowerment, etc.
2. Tolerance and acceptance would take a more personal aspect. Instead of fearing and hating certain groups - men, women, religious folks, black people, gay people, different communities would have to bridge differences and accept that which they had in common. Instead of highlighting historical injuries that divide us, we would use our different strengths to create a broader network of support. Lipservice tokenism would not work - instead of mouthing fundamental repect for different sorts of people, individuals would be engaging in a circle of healing with others who had very different lifestyles than themselves.
3. NO MORE MISSIONARIES! Be they liberal, evangelical, whatever. The basic basic fundamental underlying concept would have to be one empowerment, individualism, free choice.

Thats all for today.

Ms. Bling