protest

True Bravery.

| Betsy

Ok, so I’ve talked about not liking the shouting version of protesting. I find it counterproductive in most cases. Although not in the case of Afghan women taking to the streets to protest a marriage law, a law that would require them to have sex with their husbands at least 1 day in 4, unless they were ill… allowing their husbands to effectively rape them legally if they were non-consenting.

In thinking about why I found this so incredibly brave and awesome, I think it has something to do with the fact that they protested in a society that doesn’t let them do so. And that despite having rocks thrown at them, and the crowd of anti-protesters being several times larger than their number of 300 and being pelted with stones, they kept going. And speaking up and moving forward in the name of having a safe place to sleep in a country that allows few freedoms (although it’s getting better…slowly) to its women is true, raw bravery. (Photo from article)

Protesting and chanting in our long-defined democracies seems somewhat antiquated in comparison, which is why I think that visual creations in protest help us connect with what’s going on. We are so used to hearing shouting that we slap on headphones, so used to angry faces that we ignore them, so deadened by the familiarity of our rights that we take them for granted. We no longer see the signs or hear the shouts, but we are enlivened and challenged by something handmade for the occasion as it was specially crafted for the event. In other words, it allows us to project a non-jaded eye on old familiars when it comes to protest.

Over in Afghanistan today, 300 women spoke up where protesting is the domain of men and made people listen. In a country where speaking out is not a right, then vocal protest is the most radical of them all. If your voice can be freely heard and exclaimed in your society, that’s when I think other measures need to be adopted to be heard effectively.

My favorite part of the report on this protest? Female police officers (themselves an incredibly brave and new sign of moving forward, a job opportunity barely 4 years old) held hands in a protective barrier around the protesters. Despite all the anger and hate and chaos going on around them, these women moved forward in a ring of women and proved to the world that they, too, are ready to stand up. And they stood together, despite the anger surrounding them, vocalizing their discontent and holding hands, they walk forward.

what’s in a name?

| Betsy

Sometimes I think that there is a danger in definition.

Even though it’s not something I’ve ever really mentioned here, I began this blog a few years ago because I really believed that there is a special kind of energy created when craft and activism are done in conjunction.

While it’s seen me through many different moves, thoughts, periods in politics, I was really just curious if it was possible to promote an idea without really self-promoting via the wonders of the internet. I’m happy to note that now instead of just two links (here and here, there are over 300. There’s even a formal definition over at Wikipedia!

Lately I’ve been wondering what different directions I want to go in on here, so if you have any ideas, feel free to get in touch.

Even though I write alot about different places/projects to donate your various efforts, craftivism (to me, atleast) is about more than that.

It’s also about using your talents as a way to note your dissent, approval, frustration or other various emotions in a mode other than bog standard marching with placards and yelling.

The quietest forms of protest will always win my heart and my love. Because they find a way for us to rethink and reexamine our own thoughts.

So you can imagine I was more than pleased to come across the work of Patrice Lehocky of Takewrning.com.

The way that

21.jpg

becomes

bridget.jpg

reminds me of the myriad ways that craft and activism will always be intrinsically intertwined. And reinstates my adoration and belief in quiet acts of protest.

I like the small things.

| Betsy

My favorite sight today was the man I passed during the inauguration speech with the handheld battery-operated radio. He was walking down the street with the radio tucked under his arm like a book, listening to the President take an oath to office.

There was a lot of anger and frustration expressed at today’s events. There were people on the internet vehemently posting about Not One Damn Dime Day as well other pieces denoting its uselessness. In particular, I found this to be the most insightful take on the ‘protest,’ which I first thought to be a good idea. Then I started to realise just whose businesses it would really be hurting.

While I agree that it’s okay to get angry, I just don’t have that kind of energy anymore. I’d rather make things and send them to people who really need them because it’s cold out and they’re homeless or they’re sick and need a little cheer. It may not be showing my political dissent, but it does show that I am using energy formerly put forth in anger in more positive ways. And there are myriad different ‘positive ways’ to choose from, this is just what I’ve chosen.

I still believe that by crafting in general, you are demonstrating against the status quo and consumer culture. By choosing what to make when and constructing things with your own hands you are being political.

With that in mind, two links for today both sent to me by my always thoughtful friend Karen:

made with love by a liberal: because the world is bigger than you alone.

buy blue: because even the little choices add up.

Lately it’s the small things that have provided me the most solace and beauty and wonder. It’s funny how often we forget the small things, which are usually the most important.

In case you missed the guy with the handheld radio, you can read the transcript of Dubya’s speech here.

a little bit of this and a little bit of that, but no popemobile…

| Betsy

There have been things on the news lately about Dubya’s state visit to London. Apparently, his people want to be able to shut down the whole of London so he will be safe and driven around in what I can only guess is the Presidential version of the Popemobile. I was actively looking for a photograph of the Popemobile, when I went to a CNN link, and saw this: U.S. operation under way in Baghdad, Pentagon sources say. Dozens of explosions heard. Details soon..

Which destroyed my jovial mood entirely.

All this talk of activism lately is a good thing. But it’s easy to see how activism gets a bad rap when Spiderman stops London traffic in the name of protest. I was one of the very annoyed people who had to be diverted because he was running around on a scaffold.

In my heart, I think that activism should be a positive thing, not a headache induced by a man in a Spiderman costume with a banner. I believe that while it may take a bit longer, I can do my part to change the world by continuing to make things for the less fortunate, cut down on my own personal materialism and try each day to make a difference in this world rather than hiding under the covers.

But having said that, there is a time and a place for banner waving and making your voice heard- to me, it’s all about knowing when to pick your battles. And if you’re interested in making that choice, please go see these links.

slow as molasses going up a hill on a hot day in july….

| Betsy

Still no computer, which means no regular updating and pics from last weekend’s antiwar demo in London. Grrr. The computer people keep telling me its on its way to me, but still nothing.

Was amazed at the demo to see very little in the way of craftivism (ie, very many signs and shouting, but very little art/craft incorporated into activism). I did happily snap a picture of a gorgeous antiwar orange tank. Hurrah!

More on the way soon.

Be patient and keep reading.