As I was sitting at home this weekend, writing out my “membership renewal” checks to Amnesty International, Lambda Legal Defense and Education Fund, National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and the ACLU, I realized that I have become a checkbook liberal. I used to be progressive and involved and active. In college I headed up the campus GLB (we didn’t have a T back in the day) group. I was involved in reproductive rights, ACT UP, the Progressive Student Union, the anti-war movement (for the first George’s war) and wrote for and help produce a leftist paper that was the oldest continuously published paper of its type in the country.
After I got out of school and moved to Madison I got involved with a local radical paper (which closed up shop because of wicked poor management), an anti-nuclear group (also folded) a gay community group and a gay social group. I also helped found a statewide GLBT coalition group. For various reasons (mostly having to do with being screwed over by people in power in some of these groups but for some personal issues as well) I dropped out of everything. In 2001 I got involved with a new local alternative paper and after 9/11 attended some anti-war rallies. An ugly falling out with the paper staff has soured me on getting involved with other progressive groups in town (mostly in distaste at the idea of running into people from the paper). So now I sit home and write checks.
I’ve been trying to figure out why it is I’ve gone from being a noisy radical activist to a check-writing recliner-sitting (ugh) liberal. Is it age? Experience? The fact that what passes for an organized left in Madison is a sick joke? I’m not really sure. Maybe it doesn’t matter as long as the checks clear.
Well, when you’re young and have no money, all you can do really is be actively involved. When you’re older and more established, usually you have more obligations to other things. So you can lend your support monetarily, but you can’t donate as much time. Nothing wrong with that, you’re just passing the torch. You’re still supporting your causes.
I thought this thread was going to be about rounding off the numbers when you record your checks in the register. I always do that.
The organizations that you support need the money just as much as they need the active supporters. It seems that many people go from being active when they are younger to less active as they age. I think that it has to do with having time and no money when you are young and money but no time when you are older.
If you miss being involved then try again to find a cause you support run by a group you like. Or start your own group.
I think that was one of Churchill’s more sanctimonius moments. Generally (not in this case, no worry!) when someone quotes that to me, I have to fight the urge to punch them in the snoot. I dislike people that trivialize and patronize my values by looking down their noses at me and saying “Tut tut, when you’re older, you’ll know better.” :mad:
You’re probably right, but a lot of people did say it, or at least a version of it, predating Churchill’s public career.
Put another way, If Churchill did say it, then Chumpsky has someone to look up to.
My annual membership checks to various causes go out in fall. I feel the same way. I used to be somewhat connected, I used to be on boards of organizations, and go to meetings, and do stuff.
And now, I don’t even write checks - I type in my credit card number.
Oh well.
