tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16645996.post547090814934714453..comments2023-07-04T21:12:47.972-05:00Comments on Why Am I Not Surprised?: Well, Hello There. My, It's Been A Long, Long Time...changeseekerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18350201531677548579noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16645996.post-62627194698581844892015-04-11T18:45:14.717-05:002015-04-11T18:45:14.717-05:00My dear brother. Yuck on lack of consciousness. Bu...My dear brother. Yuck on lack of consciousness. But not on you. You're a peach. You're learning. You're reaching out. You're jumping in with both feet. You're putting it out there on front street. Just like me. Revolutionary love, my brother. Revolutionary love.changeseekerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18350201531677548579noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16645996.post-41094518499951111462015-04-11T08:08:56.911-05:002015-04-11T08:08:56.911-05:00Last year, prompted by my veganism and my interest...Last year, prompted by my veganism and my interest in oppression, I began doing some reading on intersectionality, which led me to some reading on feminism which led me to exposure to the critical stance which led me to the notion that oppressions reproduce themselves throughout the western european culture which led me to white privilege which led me to anti-racism and whiteness concepts which...discombobulated me profoundly.<br /><br />Aside from feminism all those other concepts and ways of comprehending have matured and blossomed since I was in grad school. I found myself becoming energized and horrified, elated and dumbfounded and pretty much gobsmacked.<br /><br />The notion that invisibility is one of the principle methods that oppressive "isms" rely upon to remain in place is one of the most exciting (and dismaying) things that I've "grasped"...ever.<br /><br />I've found that it always helps me to find authors and presenters who resonate with me. Joy DeGruy, Robin DiAngelo, Patricia J. Williams and Beverly Tatum have all both elated and terrified me with their mind-blowing and mind expanding writings and presentings. <br /><br />Although, I must admit, it is rather unpleasant to be 70 years old and realize (dimly) that I've been seriously oblivious (much more even than I already thought) for all that time. Jeez. I can only console myself with the notion that the journey is what counts...not the destination.<br /><br />My apologies to all for prior ignorances. I plead guilty to being not diligent enough in my attempts at understanding and also to having been unaware enough to have succumbed to the diligent narcotizing methods of U.S. American culture.<br /><br />I think the thing that irritates and dismays me the most is that I've always known (as most do) to never ever pay much attention to the narratives of the perpetrators/offenders/oppressors and that if you want to get the most truth you must pay heed to the victims. How the hell did I go so long not doing that and not realizing that I wasn't doing that? That goes all over me. Yuck on me. <br /><br /> veganelderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05188156008589356984noreply@blogger.com