Privilege

I've been pondering what people mean by "privilege" in the context of current affairs (civil rights, freedoms and responsibilities). And I've been pondering whether I fall into the category of "privileged," because self-examination is as important in personal growth as it is in the fight against testicular cancer.

My conclusion, so far, is that, it MUST be a privileged person who doesn't vote, and avoids educating themselves about politics, and doesn't fight with their vote for civil rights. It is an unavoidable conclusion that a privileged person must be a person who does not belong to an oppressed group of people. It must be a person who does not struggle financially everyday. It must be a person who isn’t black. It must be a person who isn’t gay. It must be a person who isn’t “of color” of any sort. It must be a person who is not female.It must be a person who never struggled with gender or sexual identity issues. It must not be children taken from their parents. It must be a person who’s civil rights are not in danger. It must not be a person who flees from violence and oppression from their own people and government. It must be a person who never experienced the fear of police brutality or profiling.

In short, people who don't vote, and avoid educating themselves about politics, and don't fight for civil rights, the people who tell us all to “play nice”, the people who are tired of Facebook posts like these, the people who think us being engaged in politics is “annoying” - they must be highly privileged. It is the only logical conclusion. They not only don’t want to fight, but have no need to fight, because their life, their safety, their livelihood, their freedom, their PRIVILEGE, is not at stake. They claim to not know about politics - but they lack motivation to educate themselves because they are not affected - they are *privileged.*

There is a short list of labels for people that fit this highly privileged group of folks - but I’ll let the reader do that math.

The rest of us, A.K.A. the minority groups, are fighting for our lives - literally. We fight for our safety. We fight for our relationships, our culture, our art. We fight for living wages and fair workplace environments. We fight for our right to unionize. We fight for our freedom, for some semblance of privilege. We fight for our dignity and respect.

There are many minority voices that are oppressed - and many reasons for that oppression - not wanting to be "out" at work for fear of losing a job or being harassed or bullied, the protection of people within our care, or perhaps fear of having our civil liberties ripped from us.

But THAT is exactly why we, the minority groups, have to be educated about politics, that is why we share strong opinions, that is why we are emphatic about elections and voting. I recognize that it is, ironically, a place of privilege that I live and work in a safe place where I can be myself. But there is all that distance traveled between work and home where I am, in fact, at risk of oppression - at the bakery, at the grocery store, at the bank, at a restaurant, in an alley or on the street. We can’t afford to be nice about it - because our oppressors aren’t nice. They are bigots and murderers and bullies, and xenophobes, and homophobes, and racists, and misogynists, and transphobic, and sexists, yes, they are politicians.

If we, the minority groups, don't vote, and don’t participate in politics, if we don't fight for civil rights, WE LOSE. If you don’t know what THEY are doing to us, WE LOSE. There are real lives at stake here - and very real civil liberties at stake.

There are many of you who say our tool, our secret weapon, is our VOTE. Although important, that is only partially true. Our real ace-in-the-hole is YOU - our friends, our family, our coworkers, our ALLIES. We are a minority, which means our votes can be oppressed by a sheer function of numbers. But our ALLIES can shore up those numbers, make our votes count. We need you.

Educate yourself. Read up on the candidates, ask your affected friends and families, ask an immigrant, ask a member of a minority group - ask how they are affected, ask how their loved ones are affected.

Please help us overcome our minority disadvantage - get out and vote this November. Vote at the local, state and federal levels to protect civil rights - vote for the candidates who will protect civil rights, who will protect minorities, who has compassion and empathy and human decency. VOTE, please, to protect that transgender child in your family tree. Vote to protect your GBF. Vote to protect the immigrant running from violence and oppression, just like many of our own ancestors.

Gov. Nikki Haley Issues Budget Vetoes

The Governor's veto #18 cuts all operating funds - $417,750 - for the S.C. Arts Commission, eliminating their ability to function/administer any programs and services, including grants. She also vetoed the $25,000 in one-time funds for a plan a Cultural Districts Designation Program in her veto #56. More details to come but now is the time to urge your House and Senate members to vote to OVERRIDE VETO # 18 AND #56. The House is scheduled to take action Wednesday at 1PM and the Senate at 11AM on Thursday. Please act now!

Gov. Nikki Haley issues budget vetoes 

In other news of things I care about: The US Supreme Court decisions about California's Prop 8 and the so-called 'Defense of Marriage Act' (aka DOMA) will come on Wednesday, June 26 at 10am. 

Where can we learn about the decision? 

Minute by minute updates are posted live Wednesday morning on SCOTUS Blog. You can log-on to watch for free. Also, if you have Facebook, sign-up to join this ONLINE Event page. 

What can we do once we have a decision? 

Many credit the beginning of our modern LGBT movement to the Stonewall Riots on June 28, 1969 which started at one of New York's LGBT bars. 

In that spirit we will gather Wednesday from 5-6pm at PT's 1109 (1109 Assembly Street, Columbia) to organize a march through the streets of Columbia. 

- At 6pm, we will march up Gervais Street past the State House which continues to deny our equality. 

- We will turn down Main Street where the first SC Pride March was held in 1990 and pass the county courthouse at 1701 Main Street where many loving same-sex couples have been denied marriage licenses in the past. 

- We will end our march out front of Columbia's City Hall, one of the places in our state which has granted equality to our state's residents and visitors through inclusive Human Rights Ordinances. 

- From there we invite you to return to PT's 1109 with us so that we can spend time together as a community, processing the court's decisions and brainstorming ways to move forward for South Carolina. PTs 1109 will be offering Happy Hour specials till 8pm.

The results of the court's ruling will signify if this will be a celebration march or a march to call for more equality. We will have posters and supplies for you to make your own signs if you'd like. We will adjust the message of our signs based on how the court rules so come early to get ready. If it rains, bring your umbrellas!

Things you can do on Wednesday:

• Wear RED to symbolize love and commitment of marriage equality

• Tell all your friends about the march and ask them to join you in support of equality

• Post this information to Facebook and Twitter so everyone will know about the march

• Remember no matter the outcome, we will march peacefully and respectfully

• If you belong to an organization or business, bring your signs and banners so that the public will know you support equality 

• Change your Social Media profile image to reflect LGBT equality in South Carolina.

If you don't live in Columbia but are organizing an event in your town, post those events this page to share with other residents of South Carolina.

United we will stand no matter the decision and we will move forward to advance other issues of LGBT equality till Equal Means Everyone. 

If you haven't already, be sure to sign-up for South Carolina Equality action alerts to stay updated on the cases. http://goo.gl/PYmPW

"I'm not an actor.  But I have been on stage.
I would never take a job for no-pay.  And yet, I do months of work on a theatre project for nary a dime.
Occasionally, I get paid for my work in theatre.  It is a mere fraction of what it's worth.
Often, I screw it up royally. People still appreciate what I do.
Sometimes theatre stresses me out. I still love it.
Many of my theatre friends are more like family to me than my real family. And possibly know a lot more about me. And don't judge me.
I sweat, I bleed, I skip meals, I skip sleep, I forfeit fashion, I donate money, I raise money, I donate my photographic talents...   for theatre.
I laugh, I cry, I get angry, I yell, I fake orgasms...  for theatre.
Theatre has helped me be more confident, outgoing, and far less shy than I have ever been in my entire life.
Theatre is Art.
Art is my life."

Art affects my life in different ways, other than theatre.
One of my proudest purchases in my life is a tiny bit of original art bought at a fundraiser for a children's charity in Las Vegas, NV.  A "nobody" with a talent for landscapes, who was "somebody" enough to donate his work to raise money for that charity.
I've visited many an art gallery and witnessed first-hand original works of under-appreciated artists (in their life-time) like Monet, Renoir, and Van Gogh. Those visits rank among my most favorite tourist destinations and memories.
Once, while in Mexico, a man who makes his living off carving steel wood for sale to tourists thanked me sincerely for helping to feed his family through my purchase.
My own sister inspired me to read books on the Arthurian legends when she herself was cast in Camelot in high school. I have never been so proud of her, and so excited about reading and what may be loosely termed as "history," a subject which would have been otherwise rather blasé to me.

Art

In this entry, I'm exploring ideas on how Art affects our culture, our business and our lives.

Art is a cultural record.

The Arts serve as the primary signature of a culture, carrying our individual and collective images and ideas from one generation to another. The arts are a distinctive way of understanding and give purpose to learning: they provide tools for interpreting life’s experiences and develop a child’s identity and sense of self-worth. 


The word "Art" encompasses so much. 

“In my own philanthropy and business endeavors, I have seen the critical role that the arts play in stimulating creativity and in developing vital communities….the arts have a crucial impact on our economy and are an important catalyst for learning, discovery, and achievement in our country.”

–Paul G. Allen, Co-Founder, Microsoft

The "Arts" mean so little to some people.
The Arts Commission is essentially shut down in South Carolina.

Haley's vetoes cut 2 S.C. agencies

People who are employed at that agency have actually been instructed NOT to report for work on Monday. Real jobs are being affected.  Real people. Real art.  Real income.


Art is education.



The Arts Commission isn't the only potential casualty here: Jamie Harrington, who teaches Youth Classes at Town Theatre, and who's classes are in part funded by the State of South Carolina, may lose that funding as a result of this action.  Again, it's more than just Art we're talking here.  Harrington says, (Parents) "come to me and say 'You have no idea how much your program has helped my child. . . .' as they go on to explain how their child is shy, won't speak, is not accepted by their peers, etc. And I do see it. I see how little kids who are afraid to speak on day one, will stand up in front of over 300 people and say their lines with confidence when Town Theatre presents it's show at the end of the program. I see how children with Autism can excel and do well. It is a creative outlet that helps in every other aspect of their lives."

“Arts education aids students in skills needed in the workplace: flexibility, the ability to solve problems and communicate, the ability to learn new skills, to be creative and innovative, and to strive for excellence.”

– Joseph M. Calahan, Director of Cooperate Communications, Xerox Corporation

What has the "Arts" meant to me?


I have been involved in community theatre since 2006. The Arts have created a unique extended family for me. People who love me and accept me, people who respect my contributions, people who also respect my fears and dreams, and occasionally even my vision.
Theatre has been a joy, a source of stress, fun, full of emotion, stimulating...

“An elementary school that treats the arts as the province of a few gifted children, or views them only as recreation and entertainment, is a school that needs an infusion of soul. That arts are an essential element of education, just like reading, writing, and arithmetic.”

–William Bennett, Former US Secretary of Education