`Revolutionary' Often Reasonable

Well, The Daily Tar Heel hasn't been printed on a Monday yet this semester, and I am the Monday columnist, so this is my first column.

Here go my introductory remarks.

To explain what I plan to write about, I would like to explain my title. It comes from a quote by Judi Bari, an environmental activist who fought to save California's ancient redwoods from corporate logging. In a piece called "Revolutionary Ecology," Bari wrote the following:

"Starting from the very reasonable, but unfortunately revolutionary concept that social practices which threaten the continuation of life on Earth must be changed, we need a theory of revolutionary ecology that will encompass social and biological issues, class struggle, and a recognition of the role of global corporate capitalism in the oppression of peoples and the destruction of nature."

Bari had spent countless hours thinking through her theories.

She based them on the belief that all humans should be treated equally and given equal opportunities.

She also thought that nature did not exist to serve humans but instead that humans were a part of nature and should value the intrinsic worth of all the earth's systems.

Though these were her theories about how things should be, she knew that reality was much different.

She saw a world in which humans weren't treating each other equally and where we were taking advantage of our earth.

Because Bari's theory about how things should be and how they actually are did not match, she worked for change.

I too am an activist, for reasons very similar to Bari's.

When I was young, I learned a whole slew of morals. You probably learned them too: Humans are all intrinsically equal; do good to others; don't steal or cheat.

It wasn't until I got to college that I realized that the world did not reflect these morals I had learned as a kid. I studied oppression, a concept we have to describe the way in which whole masses of people can be socially, politically and economically hindered, though in such a way that the majority of society doesn't notice or think that there is any real problem.

I saw that most people are good people and try to live good lives but that their actions have more ramifications than we might imagine.

And, I learned that many of the figures we see as successful or praiseworthy steal and cheat all the time.

As was the case with Bari, my ideals and reality do not match.

I base my beliefs on an incredibly reasonable foundation of kindergarten-level ideals. However, the conclusions I have come to are often dismissed because they are considered revolutionary.

If I tell people I choose not to shop at the Gap -- because I don't want to hurt Third World workers, or give money to a company that reinforces the notion that women are only beautiful if they are as thin as pencils, or contribute to the profit of its parent company that is willfully logging some of our dwindling redwoods in California -- I am told I am too radical, out-there or just an idealist.

I've heard a million and one arguments about why these things are all acceptable or even beneficial, but I refuse to be distracted by these lies we tell ourselves so that we can psychologically cope with the damage we're doing to each other and to our planet.

As I said before, my beliefs are firmly grounded in basic ideals that I would estimate 95 percent of you hold as well.

There is a bumper sticker that says, "If you're not outraged, you're not paying attention." This is exactly how I feel. The truth is shocking.

With my column, I'd like to share with you some snippets of the shocking truth that I have discovered. My hope is that you'll all read with an open mind and an honest desire to uncover new facts, even if you don't agree with everything I say.

I also hope that you will read my thoughts without dismissing me as a revolutionary. I think that what is revolutionary is fantastic, though many people unfortunately consider such ideas to be outlandish.

When you are young, your parents, teachers, and peers all encourage you to be creative, insightful, and to think "outside the box." But, as you find out later, the moment that your ideas begin to change too drastically and threaten established norms, they tell you to get back in line.

Thus, calling people revolutionaries is often a powerful tool to silence them.

I intend to use this column to give a voice to that silence. If you take the time to listen, I will show you that these thoughts that are actually "very reasonable, but unfortunately revolutionary."

To start, I want to announce that all are invited to come to a Speak-Out on Men's Violence Against Women at 8 p.m. Wednesday. Come to learn about this intrusive violence, listen to others thoughts, or speak your own.

Linda Chupkowski is a senior women's studies and psychology major from Fayetteville. Reach her with questions, comments, or revolutionary thoughts at lichup@email.unc.edu.