Social Justice....
May. 10th, 2009 02:52 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
poltr1Damn. I missed National Train Day. I was going to post to LJ about my recent ride on Amtrak, and lamenting the dearth of passenger rail travel in the USA. But that will be for next time. Maybe later tonight, maybe tomorrow.
Today, at UU services, the message was about social justice, also called social actions or social concerns. One woman talked about our monthly activity of serving lunch at one if the local homeless shelters. Another talked about grass-roots community organizing in Vermont, where a paper mill in neighboring New York was planning to burn used tires to generate electricity.
There's so much more I can do, if I choose to do it. I often keep to myself, declining to get involved. I've done social actions in the past, but it pushed me a little beyond my comfort zone. I realize that's my classist shadow at work, that I'm afraid to be around inner-city people or people with a lower socioeconomic standing than where I am. Where is that fear coming from? Fear of being mugged. Fear of being hit up for money. Fear of being a physical representation of "the man" that so many people would like to stick it to.
Despite my fears, it's important work to do. I remember my days as a Catholic, being encouraged to help those less fortunate than ourselves. We gave money and donated goods to the local St. Vincent de Paul Society. But that was the extent of my family's involvement.
So what have I done in the past several years that could be considered "social action"? I participated in a protest, or rather a silent vigil, while a local fundamentalist minister burned books, records, and other material. I wrote to my congressman asking that the pentacle be added to the list of authorized symbols to be put on military headstones. And I continue to work on building the local pagan community, despite the apparent lack of want for community by the people involved. I don't see how i can integrate that into my faith community, so I'll continue to pursue these on my own.
What about you? What social justice/action activities have you done recently?
Today, at UU services, the message was about social justice, also called social actions or social concerns. One woman talked about our monthly activity of serving lunch at one if the local homeless shelters. Another talked about grass-roots community organizing in Vermont, where a paper mill in neighboring New York was planning to burn used tires to generate electricity.
There's so much more I can do, if I choose to do it. I often keep to myself, declining to get involved. I've done social actions in the past, but it pushed me a little beyond my comfort zone. I realize that's my classist shadow at work, that I'm afraid to be around inner-city people or people with a lower socioeconomic standing than where I am. Where is that fear coming from? Fear of being mugged. Fear of being hit up for money. Fear of being a physical representation of "the man" that so many people would like to stick it to.
Despite my fears, it's important work to do. I remember my days as a Catholic, being encouraged to help those less fortunate than ourselves. We gave money and donated goods to the local St. Vincent de Paul Society. But that was the extent of my family's involvement.
So what have I done in the past several years that could be considered "social action"? I participated in a protest, or rather a silent vigil, while a local fundamentalist minister burned books, records, and other material. I wrote to my congressman asking that the pentacle be added to the list of authorized symbols to be put on military headstones. And I continue to work on building the local pagan community, despite the apparent lack of want for community by the people involved. I don't see how i can integrate that into my faith community, so I'll continue to pursue these on my own.
What about you? What social justice/action activities have you done recently?
