Minor Activism

From all I can tell, most preppers are people who don't buy into the popular social constructions in society and who believe the media, governments and powers that be are not always straightforward, dealing with the general population in a manner that is sensitive to the needs of the population.

Many are activists of the grassroots variety.

Some aren't sure about activism but are working on looking after themselves in the event that institutions fail to or refuse to assist the public/general population in a fair way during times of crisis and emergency mayhem.

What many beginner activists fail to realize or do is actually become INVOLVED in community groups - sometimes thinking that they are too ineffective or small when standing alone or that nobody thinks like they do, so they'd just better do things alone, just with family, etc.

My prepping involves learning how to grow my own food at home. This is an action of protest in a very small way. I can do this at home without bothering anybody and without making any large political statements in my community. In the end, it benefits ME. The issues of protest are food prices and food quality. If I want to take this one step further, I can write about it (Oh look! I am blogging about it). I can outline the why and how and reasons why I am in the act of growing my own food so that I won't be giving my li'l sums of money in trade for big company (large grocery stores, Wal-Mart, etc) products that keep increasing in price and also increasing in number of poisons put into or sprayed onto the food I need to eat to survive.

(Video: Mark Winne. Food Activist speaks on how to be a Food Rebel)



My food growing has more to do with my needing cheap, healthy food than my making a huge activist statement, but the secondary bit is present as well. As I increase in stability and become more self-sufficient, I expect to have more time and confidence to perform more activist actions outside my home and in the general community surrounding the issues of food prices, additives/harmful chemicals being put into our food, etc.

(Video: Mark Winne on Closing the Food Gap)


In the meantime, I do speak publicly in a very political way in other areas concerning homelessness, oppression and poverty. For those issues, I know more about speaking out, activism, etc., so I will transfer some of what I know from these realms of activism - to food topics - once I have succeeded in a way to improve my healthy food stores and do so in a way that is replicable. ie: I need to be able to show people a successful way to use an alternative food resource (growing some of my own food). I need to be able to "recommend" this method (home-growing of food) as a way others can also save money on food costs and grow foods that are healthier than what is available in general food stores. Otherwise, I should stay quiet, for the most part, about the food issues - so that I don't become one of the many arm-chair activists who are acting on opinion and screaming loud without actually DOING SOMETHING to move forward with activism and to physically attempt to make a change for the better in the world.

(Note: armchair activist isn't the same as "kitchen table" activist... armchair is inactive, opinionated, not in action - kitchen table is bringing things out as if or actually on the kitchen table to sort out what you are going to do to take action in at least a small way - and then following through to perform at least small action steps of activism - phone calls to authorities, letters to authorities and media, planning and implementing small community groups, getting involved in neighbour groups, etc)

Sure, I have opinions on a lot that seems to be going wrong in the world. I don't have trust in most government actions and certainly have little trust in what most politicians say - but to be effective as an advocate or activist, I think one needs to pick and chose the right battles.

My battle starts at home with my health and finances. I have strong opinions about war, various laws, bills, human rights issues, etc., but right now, I have the time and resources to do only a few things - continue to speak out against poverty and to inform anyone in the general public who wants to listen - about myths concerning the homeless, oppression, and poverty, continue to benefit from growing my own food, participate in community research project with groups who are marginalized.

I'll keep researching on and learning methods of activism and will be adding a tab to the blog with links for others to learn how to be active in opposing things in society they think are wrong, how to write effective activist letters to various entities, etc.