Change Agents

Introduction

            While my early life was riddled with neglect and struggle, I was lucky enough to be taken in by a nice family, in a beautiful quiet town, where I was provided with all the necessities to grow and prosper. I grew up in a white, conservative, middle class family. While early on, political issues were not something that was discussed very much, lately it is among the most frequent topics shared. Political or social activism, in my family, is viewed as an extremely radical idea.

            As the time has passed however, I have generated my own beliefs. I would still say I am somewhat conservative, however not to the extent of my parents, which upsets them. While I am forever grateful and in debt to my Aunt and Uncle for their sacrifices, I simply oppose some of their radically conservative beliefs, and there is nothing wrong with that. People can coexist having different beliefs and opinions. What I am getting at however, is that I am just now discovering what it is that I am passionate about, which I will get into later. As a way to gain some perspective, I decided to read many of Tim Wise’s pieces on white privilege.

Tim Wise

            Tim Wise is a middle aged, white male of southern decent. Typically, anti-racist activist does not jump to mind as a trait of this profile, but that is just what Tim Wise is. Tim Wise holds an extremely powerful opinion about how a good portion of America still harbors feelings of racism. While this claim could turn heads and result in swift denial, as it did with me when I read it, however Wise’s words are revealing. He explained two types of racism, and what their impacts could be on the country. Of course, the immediate type of racism that jumps to mind is white supremacists, the Klu Klux Klan and many other groups like it. It is very easy to oppose these views. Their thoughts are so radical, that the courage to stand up to them is almost natural. This is what I think turns all of our heads, because we do not agree with this type of person, we are secure in thinking that there is no way we are racist. Then Wise explained another type, a type that, maybe unknowingly, follows along with a racist system. Without standing up and fighting to change that system, we are just collaborating with it, participating. In his Wise’s own words; “The second type is like an invisible gas: you don’t know it’s there until you’ve been lulled unconscious by it.” (Cook, 2009)

            Wise possesses a very strong personality which enhances his ability to catch the reader. His bold words, grabbed me instantly, he uses wit and shocking statistics to back his points. In a piece of his, he attacked white suburban societies for continuing to hold themselves as a microcosm of America. He used the tragedy of school shooting, to bring to light the skewed perspective and denial of a portion of middle class, white Americans. The way he explained the issue, was that these communities are so sure that crime and violence are a trait of minorities, that they cannot believe it could happen in there isolated all-white towns. In fact, they have it completely backwards. Wise points out several statistics opposing this blind assumption, brining to light the fact that white kids are much more likely to use cocaine, crack, heroin, and LSD. Wise goes as far to point out; “there are more white high school students who have used crystal methamphetamine (the most addictive drug on the streets) than there are Black students who smoke cigarettes.” (2001). Because these “All-American” towns believe minorities are the main catalysts of this behavior, they ignore the dysfunction in their own backyards. Wise warns:  “unless you address the emptiness, pain, isolation and lack of hope felt by children of color and the poor, then don’t be shocked when the support systems aren’t there for your kids either.” (2001)

            Wise is a renowned scholar, author, and educator. He spends his energy traveling the country and abroad, speaking and teaching about racism. His teachings touch all of racism, from issues in education and religion, to politics and labor; he brings to light the issues in these systems. Perhaps the most important thing he is doing however is bringing awareness to white privilege. There are many advantages that white people, who without being told, may never realize it. It is the idea that simply having pale skin in our society, entitles you to certain advantages over minorities. Whether or not people want to believe it, it exists. Wise points out statistics in the justice system, labor force, education, housing and so on (2001). Wise has spoken at hundreds of colleges and high schools, has taught professionals about antiracism all over the country, and has written and published five books (Cook, 2009). The true scope of his impact cannot be measured. It is impossible to know how many people he has inspired, and how many people that person will inspire. With a brash attitude, witty sense of humor, and remarkable intelligence, Wise has inspired me. While the issues I feel most passionately about are in a different area, one can only strive to match the passion that he feels for ending racism.

David Oaks and My Passion

David Oaks is the Executive Director of MindFreedom International, an International human rights activist group, with its main concern on psychiatric abuse. David Oaks is a psychiatric survivor, during college he was hospitalized on numerous occasions and diagnosed schizophrenic and manic depressive. During one of these hospitalizations a doctor told David he would have to me on powerful psychotropic medication for the rest of his life. David has since lived without medication for 35 years. (Mindfreedom.org, n.d.)

Experiencing firsthand, the flaws of the mental health care system, David set out to make change. Since graduating college, David has made it his mission to reform the mental health care system. As one of the founders of MFI, David has played the leading role in ending the psychiatric abuse that runs rampant in the current heath care systems. For years providers, and even states, have mandated psychotropic medicine on mentally ill people, against their will. While good intentions they may have been in the beginning, the public is not being served. They are handed a bag of pills, and sent on their way. In even worse occasions, symptoms and dosages are experimented on these clients. This is where our passions are linked. While David’s path was through firsthand experience, survival and maltreatment, mine has been forged by eyewitness account. I have lived in a family that has seen undiagnosed mental health issues result in serious substance abuse issues, which has peaked my interest in the subject, but more so it is my work experience in child welfare.

During my employment at a residential home, I began to see how powerful medications were altering these children. With no real advocate, these children were more or less being experimented on; if one dosage were too low, they would kick it up, if that same dosage had a certain side effect, they would add another med to deal with that, all totaling cocktails of upwards of ten pills. I remember thinking, “this is not right”. As a 19 year-old kid, taking my first full-time job, I did not have the knowledge or courage to question the authority. The doctors made the decisions and we, the support staff, dealt with the children. Children in the system are sometimes not fortunate enough to have a responsible parent looking after them. This was never more painfully evident than in my current placement within a small adoption agency. Particularly with one child, she had a medical history that would be daunting had it belonged to an elderly person, never mind a 10 year-old girl. Thankfully our agency intervened and advocated for this child, demanding a review. Over medication of children is a huge issue, even more dangerous when dealing with children without parents.

Learning, Leadership, and Lasting Impressions

            Child neglect and abuse is by far the issue that I am most passionate about. While neither of these agents particularly touches on these issues specifically, much can be taken from their approaches. Wise and I have similarities in our personalities; however what I can take from his approach is to boast this personality. I have a tendency to be bold and brash in my personal life, however, much more reserved professionally. He has shown that these traits can be a valuable asset in influencing others, it worked on me. The most important piece to have, however, is a vast knowledge of the scope of the issue. The impression taken from Wise, is that he knows all about the issue, how effects not only the oppressed individuals, but also all other people, and their perspectives on it. This is now something I believe is vital in reaching out to as many people as possible.

            Oaks on the other hand, while bold and passionate in his convictions, has taught me more about the importance of organizing. Oaks brings together groups of survivors to protest agencies and lawmakers, and also to support agencies and lawmakers. The way he captivates and convinces is with eye opening truths, with rawness and purity. He has organized sit-ins and hunger strikes in order to challenge the American Psychiatric Association and their policies. (Davis, 2003). It takes tremendous courage to challenge the authority and that is something I did not possess in the past.

            This is the only leadership quality lacking in my skill set. As has been the case with many of my recent assignments, my eyes have been opened to the importance of courage and almost fearlessness. I have always been taught to please as many sides as possible, without generating any confrontation, which is not entirely possible in this work. My style is typically to be a leader by example, hard work and dedication go a long way in inspiring people to do the same. I care very deeply for the well being of children, specifically children dealing with poverty and neglect. This is where I hope my impact will be felt.

            While I feel I have all of the qualities it will take to change at least a small part of the problems affecting communities and systems, developing the courage to fight for them openly on a larger scale is what I am in the process of doing now. When thinking broadly about what I want to do with my career as a social worker, it has always been about helping individuals one at a time, improving their lives and those around them. In doing this I have always settled for doing as much as I could, or was allowed to do. What these activists are teaching me however, is that the greatest change needs to happen systemically. My biggest question to movements like this has always been; “why’. Why fight so hard when the odds are completely stacked and the goal is unachievable? Reading one of Wise’s pieces, this question was answered with a letter he received from the archbishop of South Africa, thanking him for his efforts, which stated: “You do not do the things you do because others will necessarily join you in the doing of them, nor because they will ultimately prove successful. You do the things you do because the things you are doing are right.” (Wise, 1999). I can only hope that when I am finished with my career, I will have fought for causes that I knew were right, regardless of their prospects of victory.  

References

Barrett, R., & Munro, N. (2007). Paved With Good Intentions. National Journal, 39(17), 60-62.

Blackburn, G., & Wise, T. (2009). ADDRESSING White Privilege IN INDEPENDENT SCHOOLS. Independent School, 68(3), 114-120.

Cook, David (July 2009). "By The Color Of Their Skin: Tim Wise On The Myth Of A Postracial America". The Sun (403), http://www.thesunmagazine.org/issues/403/by_the_color_of_their_skin

Davis, D. (2003). LA Times Sunday Magazine. Losing the Mind:David Oaks and Others in the 'Mad Pride' Movement Believe Drugs Are Being Overused in Treating Mental Illness, and They Want the Abuse to Stop. Retrieved February 11, 2012, http://www.mindfreedom.org/campaign/media/mf/los-angeles-times-david-oaks-mad-pride

Mindfreedom.org. (n.d.). About David W. Oaks, MindFreedom International Executive Director Retrieved February 10, 2012, from Mindfreedom.org: http://www.mindfreedom.org/about-us/david-w-oaks/brief-bio-oaks

Wise, T. (2001). School Shootings and White Denial. Multicultural Perspectives, 3(4), 3-4.

Wise, T. (1999). The Threat of a Good Example. Social Justice, 26(2), 182-184.