issue 5: Revolution and Rebellion
In the spirit of our recent Independence Day celebration, I was inspired to highlight some stories of purposeful rebellion and revolution brought on by a minority few. These are stories about …
the challenges of unifying differing if not also combatting tribes or people of vastly differing backgrounds against a common oppressor.
common people assuming the mantle of warrior (often alongside their day jobs) to preserve their basic human right to freedom—for themselves, their communities and for those yet to come.
the complexity of revolution and those who lead such acts of defiance.
the very real torment (by their oppressors) and often abandonment (by their own people whom they’re trying to help) the few who do stand firmly in defiance against tyrants are likely to endure.
embracing cultural traditions and the best of what came before within a community while also acting in defiance of outmoded and repressive ways to forge a much needed, healthy and lasting change moving forward.
using music as medicine to mend the soul and give voice to the horrors witnessed by battle weary soldiers.
These are not just stories of bygone times and peoples far removed from us, these themes are equally present for us here and now. The issues of oppression and tyranny—though more often subtle and covert—are right at our doorstep. If we are willing to sincerely reflect on the stories of others triumphing over tyranny and oppression in such a way that we can see our own stories reflected back, we stand to learn a great deal about ourselves and how the roles we choose to play, especially at this very opportune time, will shape the future realities we and others to come will experience.
When we think of rebellion, resistance, defiance and what it means to be a warrior, these terms are often conflated with acts of aggression though that need not be and so rarely is the case. Our very community and the homes we live in were built on creative acts of rebellion, resistance, defiance and “earth warrior(ship)” in some form or another. Rather than rail against the failures of an established and inflexible system, Michael Reynolds chose to just do his own thing in accordance with his vision as it compelled him. What he created was eventually embraced by the very system that initially tried to thwart it. A legitimate value, practicality and beauty was eventually seen in Reynolds’s nutty vision of turning garbage into homes.
This is an apt reminder to us that we can do the same. When any system proves to be corrupt or oppressive, fails to serve our needs for safety and autonomy, fails to act with integrity or fails to respect our basic human sovereignty, we are called to respond in creatively defiant ways as warriors not for our own personal agendas but for the highest values Truth, Beauty and Goodness. When I close my letters this way, it is not mere fluff but a warrior’s declaration of commitment.
And with that…
In Truth, Beauty and Goodness,
B. Monique
find the full issue 5: Revolution and Rebellion newsletter here.
