Some Thoughts on Language

Prompted by the original subject line of this thread, a few further thoughts on language…

I don’t think it’s wise for those of us who oppose unreasonable forms of political correctness to refer to ourselves as “unwoke”. That is adopting the opposition’s framing of the debate, to our own detriment.

I’m politically awake, thank you very much, and have been since I embraced libertarianism. So I will refer to myself as “woke”, just as I also affirm that I believe in “social justice”; I simply may not apply these terms in exactly the same way that some others apply them, and will generally attempt to make that clear when using them.

While I do not call myself a progressive – that term has enough authoritarian and racist baggage that I don’t really want to be associated with it – I often add when disclaiming the term that I do believe in progress. Just as I do not call myself a conservative (ditto on the authoritarian and racist, plus nationalist, baggage), but do believe in being mindful of history and conserving what is good about the past.

Love & Liberty,

((( starchild )))

···

On Jul 31, 2021, at 10:41 PM, Starchild via LPSF Forum wrote:

Starchild
August 1
Hi Kevin,

Thanks for your post, and welcome to the Libertarian Party! May I ask whether you’ve been previously involved in the freedom movement, or how you heard about us?

The three school board members currently facing recall are in the hot seat because the others apparently haven’t yet been in office long enough to allow them to be recalled. My understanding is that proponents eventually want to recall all of them. That being said, one of the three, Alison Collins, has probably generated more antipathy than anyone else on the board, for her far left views, combative arrogance and racist tweets, as well as a hot mic incident where she said about parents giving public comment against the plan to end the merit-based admissions policy of Lowell high school, “I’m listening to a bunch of racists.” Her own child attends School of The Arts, the only remaining SF public school with selective admission based on achievement. She’s now suing the district over her removal from a board committee over her impolitic social media commentary. All the board members are reportedly complicit in failing to allow kids to get back to in-person learning, and instead of focusing on that and trying to make the schools better, getting embroiled in controversies like that over Lowell, as well as a dispute over artwork at another school and efforts to rename a bunch of schools in line with politically correct orthodoxy.

Personally I’m less concerned over the particulars noted above, than with the fact that from all appearances, the entire board has a generally statist orientation, opposing school choice, seeking to raise taxes to get “more money for schools”, etc. I tend to subscribe to the theory that politicians like diapers should be changed frequently and for the same reason, and with a few exceptions like district attorney Chesa Boudin who we’ve supported and I think is doing a good job holding abusive police officers accountable and pursuing criminal justice reform, am happy to support most recall efforts.

What part of town do you live in, if I may ask? Involved in or particularly interested in any other local issues? I’m in the Castro/Mission area myself, and not really focused on any single issue, just trying to advance freedom across the board where opportunities present themselves. I do have a strong interest though in distinguishing libertarianism from the political right and showing that our philosophy is more compassionate than that of so-called “progressives”, and that we stand with the downtrodden and marginalized who are the biggest victims of government. You can see some examples of this on the website for my State Assembly campaign last year, Starchild.ForLiberty.org.

Love & Liberty,

((( starchild )))
LPSF Chair
(415) 625-FREE
Disqus Profile - starchild
Twitter: @StarchildSF

··· (click for more details)
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In Reply To

Starchild
August 1
Hi Mike, Not sure to whom you’re responding, or what group you’re referencing – I don’t see a “David” listed anywhere and don’t know who “Henry” is, but yes, the effort to recall members of the SF school board (as we had guest speakers discuss at our LPSF meeting back in – was it April?) is underwa…
Previous Replies

Devoted2022
August 1
Hello everyone,

My name is Kevin, and I just got added to the SF LP party and this group email.

I saw a booth for that today. Everything I know about the school board isn’t very positive. Can I ask what is so egregious about the 3 Starchild mentions? I’ve got school age kids, so I’m always trying to get my pulse on what’s going on with the schools.

Thank you.

··· (click for more details)
Starchild
August 1
Hi Mike,

Not sure to whom you’re responding, or what group you’re referencing – I don’t see a “David” listed anywhere and don’t know who “Henry” is, but yes, the effort to recall members of the SF school board (as we had guest speakers discuss at our LPSF meeting back in – was it April?) is underway, and it’s (imho) a good thing and worth supporting.

I’m circulating the petition to remove members Collins, Moliga, and Lopez. If anyone wants to sign, please let me know, and I can try to arrange to meet you.

Love & Liberty,

((( starchild )))

··· (click for more details)
dennz
July 29
David…while happy to continue to associate with your group, not sure they really want to have me involved. And that’s OK. I’m used to it.

So while Henry “disinvited” me to the event with Supervisor Connie (I’m not upset), it seems best if I just work through you. If you find anything I send you useful, please send it to the group yourself and copy me. That works for me.

Does that sound like a good strategy? Happy to be useful to you in any way you see fit.

Take care.

Michael Denny

Mish Talk - Global Economic Trend Analysis

The Unwoke in San Francisco Seek to Recall Three School Board Members

Revolt of the Unwoke In a Revolt of the Unwoke, three progressive San Francisco school board members are targeted for a recall. The targets are President

The Unwoke in San Francisco Seek to Recall Three School Board Members
I am pleased to report an unwoke revolt where it’s desperately needed.
Mishhttps://mishtalk.com/author/mish

··· (click for more details)

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1 Like

I changed the subject line when posting the message below, but Discourse seems to have ignored the change, as my post appeared on the list without the change. Am trying again with this post (the subject line should start off reading “Re: Some Thoughts on Language”). Jeff, I don’t remember if we discussed this previously, but do you know if it’s something that can be fixed?

Love & Liberty,

((( starchild )))

···

On Aug 1, 2021, at 4:08 PM, Starchild via LPSF Forum wrote:

Starchild
August 1
Prompted by the original subject line of this thread, a few further thoughts on language…

I don’t think it’s wise for those of us who oppose unreasonable forms of political correctness to refer to ourselves as “unwoke”. That is adopting the opposition’s framing of the debate, to our own detriment.

I’m politically awake, thank you very much, and have been since I embraced libertarianism. So I will refer to myself as “woke”, just as I also affirm that I believe in “social justice”; I simply may not apply these terms in exactly the same way that some others apply them, and will generally attempt to make that clear when using them.

While I do not call myself a progressive – that term has enough authoritarian and racist baggage that I don’t really want to be associated with it – I often add when disclaiming the term that I do believe in progress. Just as I do not call myself a conservative (ditto on the authoritarian and racist, plus nationalist, baggage), but do believe in being mindful of history and conserving what is good about the past.

Love & Liberty,

((( starchild )))

··· (click for more details)
Visit Topic or reply to this email to respond.

In Reply To

Starchild
August 1
Hi Mike, Not sure to whom you’re responding, or what group you’re referencing – I don’t see a “David” listed anywhere and don’t know who “Henry” is, but yes, the effort to recall members of the SF school board (as we had guest speakers discuss at our LPSF meeting back in – was it April?) is underwa…
Previous Replies

Starchild
August 1
Hi Kevin,

Thanks for your post, and welcome to the Libertarian Party! May I ask whether you’ve been previously involved in the freedom movement, or how you heard about us?

The three school board members currently facing recall are in the hot seat because the others apparently haven’t yet been in office long enough to allow them to be recalled. My understanding is that proponents eventually want to recall all of them. That being said, one of the three, Alison Collins, has probably generated more antipathy than anyone else on the board, for her far left views, combative arrogance and racist tweets, as well as a hot mic incident where she said about parents giving public comment against the plan to end the merit-based admissions policy of Lowell high school, “I’m listening to a bunch of racists.” Her own child attends School of The Arts, the only remaining SF public school with selective admission based on achievement. She’s now suing the district over her removal from a board committee over her impolitic social media commentary. All the board members are reportedly complicit in failing to allow kids to get back to in-person learning, and instead of focusing on that and trying to make the schools better, getting embroiled in controversies like that over Lowell, as well as a dispute over artwork at another school and efforts to rename a bunch of schools in line with politically correct orthodoxy.

Personally I’m less concerned over the particulars noted above, than with the fact that from all appearances, the entire board has a generally statist orientation, opposing school choice, seeking to raise taxes to get “more money for schools”, etc. I tend to subscribe to the theory that politicians like diapers should be changed frequently and for the same reason, and with a few exceptions like district attorney Chesa Boudin who we’ve supported and I think is doing a good job holding abusive police officers accountable and pursuing criminal justice reform, am happy to support most recall efforts.

What part of town do you live in, if I may ask? Involved in or particularly interested in any other local issues? I’m in the Castro/Mission area myself, and not really focused on any single issue, just trying to advance freedom across the board where opportunities present themselves. I do have a strong interest though in distinguishing libertarianism from the political right and showing that our philosophy is more compassionate than that of so-called “progressives”, and that we stand with the downtrodden and marginalized who are the biggest victims of government. You can see some examples of this on the website for my State Assembly campaign last year, Starchild.ForLiberty.org.

Love & Liberty,

((( starchild )))
LPSF Chair
(415) 625-FREE
Disqus Profile - starchild
Twitter: @StarchildSF

··· (click for more details)
Devoted2022
August 1
Hello everyone,

My name is Kevin, and I just got added to the SF LP party and this group email.

I saw a booth for that today. Everything I know about the school board isn’t very positive. Can I ask what is so egregious about the 3 Starchild mentions? I’ve got school age kids, so I’m always trying to get my pulse on what’s going on with the schools.

Thank you.

··· (click for more details)
Starchild
August 1
Hi Mike,

Not sure to whom you’re responding, or what group you’re referencing – I don’t see a “David” listed anywhere and don’t know who “Henry” is, but yes, the effort to recall members of the SF school board (as we had guest speakers discuss at our LPSF meeting back in – was it April?) is underway, and it’s (imho) a good thing and worth supporting.

I’m circulating the petition to remove members Collins, Moliga, and Lopez. If anyone wants to sign, please let me know, and I can try to arrange to meet you.

Love & Liberty,

((( starchild )))

··· (click for more details)
dennz
July 29
David…while happy to continue to associate with your group, not sure they really want to have me involved. And that’s OK. I’m used to it.

So while Henry “disinvited” me to the event with Supervisor Connie (I’m not upset), it seems best if I just work through you. If you find anything I send you useful, please send it to the group yourself and copy me. That works for me.

Does that sound like a good strategy? Happy to be useful to you in any way you see fit.

Take care.

Michael Denny

Mish Talk - Global Economic Trend Analysis

The Unwoke in San Francisco Seek to Recall Three School Board Members

Revolt of the Unwoke In a Revolt of the Unwoke, three progressive San Francisco school board members are targeted for a recall. The targets are President

The Unwoke in San Francisco Seek to Recall Three School Board Members
I am pleased to report an unwoke revolt where it’s desperately needed.
Mishhttps://mishtalk.com/author/mish

··· (click for more details)

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Hi Starchild,

I moved these posts to a new topic, “Some Thoughts on Language.”

Our discussion on changing the topic via email is here.

Live free!
Jeff