People cannot be defined by race. When I started Chaotic Fringe it wasn’t so I could have a racial soapbox to stand on. Anyone who has followed the ‘zine knows I cover a whole range of topics. My crusade of late has made some feel I have become this dashiki wearing anti-white crusader ready to lead the revolution. I will admit I have been fueled by the recent racial unrest at UCSD but that has not been the primary driving force for my recent activism.

In one of my blog posts I talked about how in high school, because of a racial incident, a number of students started an underground newspaper exposing the perceived racism at the school. This was in a primitive time, before the internet, high speed computers and other modern devices. Those that didn’t have computers typed up articles. We either used a typesetting machine or someone had an old layout program we used to typeface the publication. We had to hand out the paper, almost like street corner drug dealers.

We made small progress with that underground newspaper and that’s what got me interested in activism. I wanted to be able to voice my opinion, to shine a light on injustice I saw or to inform people of wrongdoing. When I started Chaotic Fringe, which was as a similar underground paper publication, it was done in reaction to MTVs Real World and a fear I had that people were defining my generation, Generation X, as a bunch of self-centered folks who sat around moping about their lives. That was the perception of my generation in the press. I wanted to say it was something different but I saw myself as one voice. I didn’t think my message would get across to many people.

Here I am much older but not sure how much wiser. The racial incidents at UCSD were appalling however the response I saw from people disturbed me. Part of that has to do with my status. I’m still a single guy, OK for the moment I’m a single guy, and because of that I can pretty much rally against the system and only have to worry about myself. When I sent out the virtual battle cry to the troops I figured I would have a mobilized force ready to man Facebook and twitter with shout outs. When that didn’t happen I thought I was a lone voice in the wilderness with others of my ilk long gone from the battlefield. No the reality was priorities changed. Like I said, for the moment I’m a single guy able to react quickly. I don’t have to think about a significant other, kids or any sort of social standing that could be jeopardized by my stance on an issue. When you’re under 25 and single you can do those things but once you get settled in the adult world, things change.

I’m realizing a little of that now but the UCSD incident brought that into sharp focus. I have seen people beginning to get the word out. With my position I have been able to keep folks informed as to what is going on and in their own way word is getting out. Family has to take a priority to activism. While many may say they take up a cause for the sake of the children of the world, if they can’t provide and take care of their own kids what’s the point? If they can’t juggle their activism with their significant other, what sense does it make to save the world yet lose their soul?