A New Directon, perhaps...

After some soul searching I've come to realize that this space needs an overhaul. Not just the layout, (Which OMFG please make it stop, Jane!) but an overhaul of purpose and format.

I've had to answer questions that should have been alot easier to answer if one intends to start a blog. Namely: Why do I want to do this? What do I hope to accomplish? Is this blog even necessary?

The last thing the internet needs is another vanity or confessional type blog. I want to do something that helps people and informs people, including myself. But I'm too lazy to do major research. Too lazy to keep up with the latest news to do a news blog. I'm too undereducated to do any major acadamic theory or heavy political discourse. Too green to fighting oppression to do detailed analysis of the flawed arguments and sundry political machinations of the people who oppose my very existence. And I'm much too busy holding down a 9 to 5 (and a 6 to 10) to do significant offline outreach and/or grassroots organizing and then later blog and photojournal about it.

What in the world is there to blog about then?

I've been thinking about the kinds of forums I DON'T see very often. Sites that focus on the individual persons who DO do all of the above. People who devote either all or even just a portion of their lives to actively opposing racism, sexism, heterosexism, cissexism, ableism and class supremacy. Everyone one of those oppressions impacts my day to day life in a big way, and yet, save for simply surviving them, I have done precious little to oppose them. I rely on the kindness of unseen strangers to write the books, webmaster the blogs, publish the research, lobby the congress, compose the public policy etc. all which have supplied me the tools to survive, and to occasionally stick up for myself.

Needless to say, I'm curious.

Personally, I wish to know who these people are and what they are made of. What motiviates them? What keeps them going? Those who share my struggles and those who don't but fight anyway. Who ARE my allies and where do I find more like them? What can I do to help?

I don't see very many "behind the scenes" resources like that on the web. Then again I'm a lousy netsearcher too! Maybe I just never ran across them. But at any rate, it will be a healing project for me to speak individually with some of these folks about their struggles, both personal and political, against systems of oppression.

Plus it won't hurt to learn a thing or two about fighting oppression on my own behalf and on others.

In the meantime we'll see, we'll see. I will continue doing personal posts from time to time as well, all relevant to the anti-oppression theme of this blog. And yes I will continue to experiment with the layout. It hurts my eyes too, I know I know. Shut up.