A good way to spend your life

On being radicalised

What does it mean to be radicalised?

Since last Wednesday I have spoken to people who might have once said “I’m not political”. That line is something I hear a lot. I often talk about how everything is political, how you’re political even if you think you’re not, how your boss is political and your landlord too so it really doesn’t matter if you think you’re not.

It’s something I used to despair over. What? You only care now because it impacts you? Why didn’t you care before? I no longer think like this.

I think of us all sitting at a table, coming together, trying - and when we are joined by a new person I just think welcome, I’m glad you’re here.

That quote is from feminist activist Grace Paley. She was a Ukrainian Jewish socialist, a poet, an author, and a pacifist who devoted her life to peace.

When people ask me why I’m still going to Palestine protests when it’s obvious our government does not care and will not act - I think of Grace.

And in this past week I’ve been thinking of her. I’ve had many parents cry down the phone to me and I’ve cried a lot in the last few days. I’ve begun to organise and I’ve thought about what it means to continue a struggle that you will not win.

A mother said to me yesterday: “Is it worth it? If we protest the funding cut will it do anything? I don’t know because I’m not an activist. I don’t know how to do this stuff”.

Nobody is born an activist, a peace protestor, or a pacifist - we become them in moments of radicalisation.

Do not be afraid of this word.

In the usual way that we reframe words for political ideology the world reframed radicalisation as a bad thing. The powers that be said you’re too angry, too EXTREME, too much.

The message was clear - be quiet, don’t make a fuss, you’re not with the terrorists are you? The extremists? Go back to the kitchen, go back to work, go back.

If you think of a radicalised person you might think of a dangerous person. And it’s true that radicalised people are dangerous to this government and all governments.

If you know you have power, if you will stand up for those who don’t - you’re a threat to the status quo.

Our greatest change makers were radicals.

Grace said - “The only recognizable feature of hope is action”.

I know many people have heard the call to action. And maybe now is the time they will answer.

I have asked before what moment radicalised you? Was it when your mother went without food so you could eat and the government called her a bludger? Was it how the police treated your friend? Was it the Iraq war? Ihumātao? Growing up on welfare? Becoming a parent? Becoming disabled? The pandemic? The dawn raids? TERFs? ACT? Kathleen Hanna and riot grrrl zines? Louise Nicholas? bell hooks? Losing a friend to suicide? Long Covid? Having a disabled child? Having a trans child? Fostering children? Climate change? Pollution? Working in a factory? Being injured at work?

Whatever it was - it doesn’t matter if it took a while or whether you were radicalised at three years old, it doesn’t matter if that moment is right now - all that matters is you’re here.

Ready to meet this moment - knowing the only way there can be any change is if we speak up, stand up, fight back.

We must fight back against complacency, against “that’s just the way the world is”, against “you can’t do anything about it”, against “we are too small”.

We can make a difference. The only difference that has ever been made for good in this life has been by every day people who were radicalised to not accept what is not right.