Today I will embrace what I am resisting. At this point in my life, I’d rather resist all competition.* But instead I have joined the race. Race 2012! It is a blogging project by my blogging buddy Monica Medina.
“Race 2012: A Conversation of Race & Politics in America”
Embrace what you are resisting!
I will kick off from the starting line today. But I am not so ready to dive in to the deep end yet. Today I am just announcing it. Politics and race are complex topics, full of history, misunderstanding, and powerful opinions. It scares me even to write about writing about it. But if I announce it in public, then I’ll have to follow through.
I’ve have committed to write about race and politics in America. Eek!
You might be wondering why such a passionate person can resist writing about such an important topic. I am wondering, too. But the answer is, that I am a coward. I am afraid I won’t know enough or that I’ll come across as stupid. I am afraid that I will offend somebody. So easy to do!
When we commit to something, it is important that we take actions steps everyday toward that ethos. It is all too easy to make excuses, put things off, and talk ourselves out of our goals. I have done this too many times to point to the speck in anyone else’s eye.
For me, these delays tell me something about my upbringing. I was always taught to behave.
When I feel this way, I know, the best thing for me to do is to dive in, and dive in I will. My cousin once told me that , “You’ll know the leaders since they are the ones with the knives in their back.” I don’t necessarily want a knife in my back, but it seems cowardly to avoid it for my own comfort. BTW the safety of the coward’s way is an illusion. If I don’t speak up about change, I will go down with the ship, too.
I think it is time to bring out the wild woman and put my efforts to something worthwhile! Wish me luck! And get ready to cauterize the blood.
* It is not really a competition. It is a wonderful collaborative effort to start a conversation. The worst thing to do with a problem is to hide it. It festers, grows more powerful. The more we speak up about what is wrong in the world, and suggest how to makes shifts, the more chance we have of digging ourselves out of this mess!
Fed up with the mess on the news? I will attempt to offer something different. I don’t know what it is yet, but I will start working on right away!
What would you like to hear about?
Wishing you all the very best for the Race Jodi!
I’m sure you will do wonderfully well, no matter what topic you write about.
But yes, politics and history are beyond me too. However, I know you would come up with great topics that all of us would be able to relate to.
Thanks for sharing, and looking forward to reading more about these topics here.
Harleena Singh@Freelance Writer recently posted..How to Avoid Misunderstanding Others
Thanks for that vote of confidence, at least someone has it!
I’ll look forward to reading what you have to say, Jodi. I know you’ll do a great job!
Tina Barbour recently posted..Why I am a vegetarian
Thanks Tina, I hope I at least do something!
Jodi, you’re off to a fantastic start! I am so glad you’ve decided to conquer and overcome any reservations and plunge ahead on this very important conversation. I look forward to reading more!
monicastangledweb recently posted..15 Minutes of Fame
Thanks, Monica, now I just have to write something.
–Brava! Manificoooo!
To one WILD WOMAN from another one. Xxx KISsss
My Inner Chick recently posted..859 Days
Thank you, this will embolden me! That is your gift to women. Embolden them. What a mission you have, love!
Very cool! I agree — so much more important to talk than to ignore out of fear.
Jessica Vealitzek recently posted..Meet Alice, Maceo, & Dorothy
Thanks, Jess. I am working through it!
I too am challenging my good-girl-don’t-make-a-wave nature for this project. I respect and admire you for taking this leap, Jodi. I know anything you write will be from the heart and will move people to consider things a new way. That is the beauty of your empathy and honesty, which is a gift to your followers.
Godspeed!
Lisa W. Rosenberg recently posted..Announcing My New Practice Website
I have terrible writer’s block.
But this reminded me to write from the heart, not the head, I think this will help me push through!
I think (especially for white folks such as myself) we can be reluctant to speak about these things, in case we do it wrong. (Then again, that doesn’t hold back the racists, does it?)
We need these conversations, lots of them, if we ever want to have a society that works together, instead of pitting one set of people against another. Thanks for joining in.
Beverly Diehl recently posted..Who Would Jesus Abuse? #domesticviolence
Lisa helped me by saying fro the heart, and that is an important component. I think we are all writing from the heart. Heart conversations are what is important.
I can hardly wait to see how your thoughts unfold. Even if, or ESPECIALLY if I disagree. Although I expect we won’t disagree on the issue of race. And even if we don’t agree on politics, that’s ok. I believe was can respectfully disagree and both come out better for the ensuing discussions.
And THANK YOU for being courageous enough to put yourself out there like you have.
Greg recently posted..A Tiny Bit of a Mirror
I hope I live up to that, we shall see!
It’s time for someone to stand up and tell the truth AND then for those effected to actually hear it!
Racism is the last think that a country like the USA needs. Look around you…the USA is a mini world all by itself…everyone fits, everyone belongs but not everyone contributes.
There is a very thin line between wanting and needing to belong to a group or a community and wanting and needing to assimilate into an American culture… I vote for tolerance for those that try and education for those that don’t.
Thanks Gordon! I’ll tell the truth! (My truth anyway!)