Tired Old Battleaxe
Lessons from 60 years of fighting the man
I often get attacked on social media. It’s better than being attacked in real life, which used to happen to me in the 1980’s when I was well known as a fighter for abortion rights. One of those social media attacks inspired this series on Substack. I may be tired and I am old, 80 on my next birthday, but I’m still a battleaxe. I love when an insult can be turned into praise.
This is the first post in what I hope will be a weekly column based on a book I am writing about how to change the world. I have had 60 years of activism from my days at McGill University, to my activism as part of a Marxist group, to my feminist activism, including anti-racism, Indigenous solidarity, anti-war work, electoral politics, international solidarity, especially with Palestine. At the moment, we are at a very low point in world politics. Fascism is rising almost everywhere and the Left is in disarray. With the exception of the brilliant Palestinian youth movement around the world who are holding up the light of solidarity against a terrible genocide, there is not a lot of hope for change.
Now in the middle of election, it’s hard to remember a moment quite like this. The American President is threatening not only tariffs but making us the 51st state. Massive deportations into what appears to be concentrations camps in the US and travel warnings to Canadians about going there. There has been a massive shift to the Liberals in Canada because people think their new leader will be stronger in dealing with Drumph. The NDP, Greens and Bloc Quebecois are down the polls and may even lose seats and party status. Fear is driving people and that is always dangerous. At lunch last week a friend told me that she had bought a gun and was thinking of using it. I worry that fear will lead us in the wrong direction. So I think I will start my series with a film that gave me hope during another time of darkness. Scared Sacred by Velcrow Ripper is a film about hope in terrible times. So do yourself a favour and watch it. I met Velcrow after the first time I watched his wonderful film and we became close friends. I was so moved by the film that I couldn’t talk for about ten minutes, very rare for me.
Watch the film and tell me what you think.
Looking forward to getting into it, Judy.