Attention Activists: Choose action over virtue signaling | Mickey Z.

Source: westernjournalism.com

Mickey Z. -- World News Trust

March 7, 2017

I’ve already told you about Help Homeless Women - NYC, my post-activism project giving out food, supplies, and support to women on the streets of New York City. But did I tell you I was named NY1News Person of the Week? 

That “Person of the Week” segment is less than two minutes long but I talked with the reporter for nearly 2 hours. Understandably, almost all of my commentary on activism was edited out. Here's some of what you missed:

• I told her that if I was a typical activist doing the same work, I’d be taking selfies as I handed supplies to homeless women.
• I talked about how my current efforts differ from yelling (sometimes at inanimate objects like a building) while holding a sign.
• I explained that if I could fund this project on my own (or find a steady private funder), she would’ve never heard of me.
• I wouldn’t seek publicity or recognition. (Perhaps the only reason I’d go public about it in such a scenario would be to urge others to do something similar.)

Ironic side note: I recently discovered that Twitter trolls were mocking me for always “bragging” about my “altruism.” Putting aside the obvious reality that I must keep posting about this project in order to maintain donations, let’s break things down. So-called activists regularly post thousands of photos (half of which are selfies) taken at their counterproductive rallies and marches. They shamelessly hashtag ’em #ShutShitDown and anoint themselves to be a #warrior. But… I’m the ego-driven braggart? 

Making up for lost time…
As we sat talking in Union Square Park on that frigid February morning, more than once did my interviewer come back to a one-word question: Why? My answer is both complex and simple. It involves patriarchy, privilege, and countless issues pertaining to the current state of the dominant culture and the current state of “activism.” 

But my answer can also be summarized in six words: I’m making up for lost time.

Indeed, I am finally putting my values into concrete action. I'm having an immediate and direct impact. You’d think that many of my former activist allies would be on board -- contributing money and supplies, or at least sharing the link far and wide. You’d be wrong.

I can count on the fingers of one hand the number of people who once stood with me at rallies who’ve now directly supported my new project. I’m not delusional. I know I've ruffled some feathers and burned some bridges. But surely, you’d think that if their sincere desire is to help those being oppressed, they wouldn’t get hung up on personal or ego issues. You’d be wrong again.

Obviously, my project will not end homelessness or male supremacy. I’m no longer delusional enough to “occupy” utopian quests. But my project will address -- for even just a few minutes -- the daily struggles and discomfort of women in need. That’s something that no sign, no chant, or no hashtag will ever do!

The virtue signal crowd may not be coming along for the ride but YOU can play a major role in helping me expand my efforts. To directly help homeless women, CLICK HERE and make a donation right now. And please spread the word! And please consider how you can make a difference wherever you are. We need coast-to-coast grassroots projects more than ever!

Mickey Z. is currently writing two books, a political memoir called How to Change Minds & Influence the Future: Rebuilding Activism From the Ground Up (Microcosm Publishing) and a novella entitled stain red. In the meantime, he can be found here.

Attention Activists: Choose action over virtue signaling by Mickey Z. is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
Based on a work at https://worldnewstrust.com/attention-activists-choose-action-over-virtue-signaling-mickey-z.