Also finished reading Karma of Brown Folk. I could wish for somewhat less Marxist rhetoric, and somewhat more of the interesting cultural analysis on how desi culture has developed. But given that the main thrust of the book involves the need for desis to resist being co-opted into the model minority myth, because by doing so, they involve themselves in the racist oppression of blacks, the book seems particularly apt for today, at least. Reminds me to resist certain easy stereotypes about the hard-working or intellectual Asian, for example, and resist corresponding myths about lazy or stupid or violent black folk.
I'm still not sure how involved I want to get in progressive activism; I support many progressive goals in theory, but I feel ignorant of the practice. I'm also wary of having too much energy siphoned off from writing. But I'll keep going to the monthly SAPAC meetings, keep talking to these political activist types. If nothing else, I'm more informed now about politics than I was a year ago, so hopefully that trend will continue. I have to believe it's good for my writing, that I be less ignorant.
Maybe that's a good way to spend MLK day. To consider -- to what extent are you working to support your political beliefs and goals? Is there more that you could reasonably do, in terms of time, money, effort, thought?
Something for us all to think about.
"We have also come to this hallowed spot to remind America of the fierce urgency of now. This is no time to engage in the luxury of cooling off or to take the tranquilizing drug of gradualism. Now is the time to rise from the dark and desolate valley of segregation to the sunlit path of racial justice. Now is the time to open the doors of opportunity to all of God's children. Now is the time to lift our nation from the quicksands of racial injustice to the solid rock of brotherhood."-- Martin Luther King, Jr., I Have a Dream