Note: The Right is attacking inclusive language as part of its assault against the “PC” bogeyperson, which is actually a disguise for their general assault on women and people of color! Using inclusive language is an important thing—the way we think is indeed affected by the language we use. The problems arise when people pathologically scapegoat others who make an occasional slip, or when people think that using the right words automatically cures us of racist and sexist tendencies. These tendencies run far too deep in our psyches and in the structures of society for simple word substitution to cure. Avoid the excesses of PCness but remember that most of what is associated with that term is positive and progressive
Continuity and Involving New People
People graduate and move on, and you don’t want your group to fall apart when they do. It’s important to maintain your group’s continuity, so that it can build its power and experience over the long haul. There are two ways to do this: constantly involve new people and make sure that skills and connections are possessed by the group as a whole rather than any one individual.
Here are a few suggestions for building your group’s long term health:
- Pass your skills and experiences on to the rest of the group. Give presentations at meetings describing the local press, how to write a press release, how to reserve a room, how the administration works, and stories about major past campaigns. Take your skills seriously! These things are learned, and you can teach them to others. Everyone shouldn’t have to reinvent the wheel.