an open post to all involved in activism...

I remember that first time I felt called upon to act. To make a stand for something I believed in, despite the many barriers I would be facing to participate and march for the hardest hit. I came away from that protest empowered and empassioned to make a change. I realised that it was possible for a small group of people to change their world, if they were committed enough. I became a disabled student activist, an elected representative both locally and nationally and a passionate campaigner for disabled people.

And then, it all changed. The reality of politics hit my ideological view of activism and dirtied the water. Ultimately, the inherent twists, turns and the constant who’s allied to who and trying to work out what’s really being said is a sad deviation from the ultimate goal of change making.

I didn’t come into this to make friends, but to make change. It seems however, that there are some people I have to be seen to be friends with and some not in order to advance my agenda. Call me naive but i genuinely believe it shouldn't be like that.

At the end of the day, it’s all a distraction, and at the end of the day it feels like nothing gets done barr bickering and arguing amongst ourselves. When there is more than ourselves at stake, shouldn’t we be putting ourselves aside for the greater good?

I’m writing this because I have become disillusioned with politics, student activism and the disabled students campaign. I have to be honest, I don’t know what’s next for me anymore.  I am so passionate about making change, and so passionate about representing people, but when I get hit back by other things it just gets in my way and it leaves me exhausted. Should I just give up? Walk away? Or is there something, some one, to keep fighting for? Will it ever change? Someone out there give me some hope of a better future, or at least a feeling of some sort of humanity in all I do.
Anyone?