" I am a member of the US left and I care in layers"

that quote is from a friend of mine but it is very true to my feelings. I care in layers. I care about a lot of our causes.

I care about health care. I care about marriage equality. I care about violence towards people of color. I care about violence towards gays. I care about our environment. I care about social and economic justice. I care that middle class and poor kids get quality education and help for higher education. I care a lot about a whole host of issues.


I think they are all very important things. I do not believe, I have to put down one oppressed minority, to push forward my agenda. I say this because i have noticed on du (and other places) to belittle other people's causes. People belittle gay rights all the time to put forward health care/environment/something else. As though one can only have one or the other. These oppression olympics are self defeating and balkanize us further. As activists we have to remember that our world view is skewed because we are working towards things things that we consider important. However that does not give us a right to belittle other people who are also seeking different forms of social and economic justice.

I care about health care. I care about marriage equality. I care about violence towards people of color. I care about violence towards gays. I care about our environment. I care about social and economic justice. I care that middle class and poor kids get quality education and help for higher education.

And especially people
Who care about strangers
Who care about evil
And social injustice
Do you only
Care about the bleeding crowd?
How about a needing friend? - Hair



Couldn't resist and it's my way of bumping your thread.

I don’t want to denigrate anyone else’s cause, but I only have so many issues that I can dedicate my work towards. Just because my work might focus on poverty, doesn’t mean that I’m indifferent to equality issues, the environment, or health care. If asked to vote (or donate) to these causes they would get my support, but I’m going to spend the majority of my efforts on my number one cause. I don’t think that makes me homophobic or a freeper.

You might not be talking directly to me, or that view, but I do get that feeling sometimes. I think that your greater point is something I talked about yesterday. It's the lack of respect for people's differing ideas and opinions on this board.

then yes, i am talking to you. if you mean prioritizing, by doing as much as you can on health care, then i am not talking about you