so, like, basically, none of us are free until all of us are free, Loser :/

update:

5.10.25. i feel like im going crazy when i read books, and then talk to people who dont read books. it is equally empowering as it is ostracizing.. also, its probably the fact that im turning 25 in a couple weeks, but as the fortunes have foretold, i am feeling and acting a lot less "cute" than i was when i first created this website. its truly like clockwork isnt it? ive always wondered what it woudl feel like, and well, now im here.

reading:

where do we go from here: chaos or community, by martin luther king jr..

i have yet to finish this book, but halfway through it, it has been a huge insight into the movements of the past, and the failings of today. martin was in a very tough spot when he wrote this, as his peaceful and organized movements stagnated with the passing of voting rights and ending jim crow laws. his followers were promised better lives, and yet they still struggled with poverty and mistreatment. some people began to grow angry, and martin, though he knew the anger was justified, still argued that it was not the way.... this book is what sparked a theory of mine that i have in the works, for, as he talked about the struggles of the black man in his day and age, much of the power play between him and the white man were very similar to the struggles of other minority groups. the worst part, was while malcolm fought very eranestly for the black man, many have made the rightful critique that he did not fight for the black woman, or for women at all. this holds true in this book, and i think that discrepancy is what bothered me the most (not to say i disagree with what good he has done). the thing ive come to realise, is all bigotries stem from the same bone: ones reflex to weild power over another as a tool to feel better about ones self, and to make ones life feel easier and more important... malcolm saw very clearly the path out for the black man, but made little room for the liberation of the women in his life. much the same back be said howerever for other groups, as women accross the board are mistreated. thus discussions on intersectionality and fighting bigorty at its very core seem to me to be much more applicable. malcolm made a very beautiful movement for his bretheren, but imagine how much more power the oppressed could find if his movement also stood up for the women, for the kids, the jewish, the queer, the diabled? there are not many of each of those sections, hence "minority", but if we collectively band together to create a world with space for all, and a reflex of self importance that does not pivot around ones position in relation to one-another, imagine how much farther we could get.

however, it should be said, that at the point in malcolms quest for liberation, he realised that votes and power were not enough. he realised that americas system itself was broken, and that in order to help tha black man escape poverty, he would need the system to be fixed. this meant better education FOR ALL, better resources FOR ALL, better conditions FOR ALL, and more respect FOR ALL. he never said the words exactly, so not to scare away those who would otherwise agree with his words yet fear its name, but malcolm wanted to move his movement towards a socialism for america. and though the white man would begrudgingly accept voting rights for other beings, he is so enraptured in his need to weild power and never have anything change, that america could not allow socialism to even be consiered. and i beleive that is why they finally assassinated him: he took a step too far.