Hi Fellow White Men,
I am seeking to begin work with other white men on both a “big” and “basic” project seeking to organize what i hope will become a major effort to help build white men actively working to end the patriarchy.
- On a “big” level — I’ve tried to write a first draft related to working with an effort that will eventually involve and reach a lot of white men working towards a world of true justice,
- On a basic level — building a support circle — ideally tied to members of local men’s groups at a minimum in: Chicago, The San Francisco Bay Area, Portland and Seattle would be Great! Also — other men are most welcome — including men organized in areas such as: Los Angeles, San Diego, Boston, NYC and the DC Areas. This might evolve into being on some level — a follow-up (in a sense) to the STAND (Bay Area) support circle that that recently concluded.
Currently — this is an idea — I’ve come up with. J S of Oak Park (Chicago Area) is interested in working with me on the basic level — focused upon racism and the patriarchy. Similarly — J H (DC Area) is interested in working on the big level.
It would be wonderful — if some of you might show interest in either the basic and/or big level. Please — share this — with other men who might be interested. Sharing email lists of your local group — if appropriate — would be helpful.
I have set up a distinct email address — see below — which I hope to use for working on this. (see description of the “big idea” at the bottom of this email.
Thanks!
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George Marx
MenEngagingMen(at)gmail(dot)com
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In 2019 Organizing White Men for Collective Liberation began its work. After two-and one half years of building itself, the initial leadership group disbanded, and a new group of roughly 15 white male identified people began working to organize the group. This group included two representatives from recognized parts of OWMCL such as: Internal Liberation, Parsons Circle, and several other sub-groups — see: https://www.owmcl.org/get-involved/.
In my estimation, nearing the end of three years of organizing work, OWMCL lacks:
- A cohesive effort towards “actions” such as support of:
- Anti-Racism efforts such as the general Black Lives Matter Movement including the Defund the Police effort(s)
- Anti-Sexism efforts such as: Reproductive Justice and/or Ending Men’s Violence towards women and girls,
- Anti-Homophobia/Trans efforts
- Mutual Aid work
- General efforts towards “overthrowing the patriarchy” including all of the above as well as a significant focus on how capitalism pushes the interests of the super-rich playing off non-wealthy people against each other.
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- Any online — focused medium with a strategy to build regular communication among white men as well as engaging white men in responding to the concerns of BIPOC People and female identified people,
- Significant outreach to white men both to significantly build active membership as well to reach other white men casually to moderately seriously,
- Accountability at multiple levels both to white men and others.
Waiting for OWMCL to “get organized” seems totally wrong because as white men we are already “way behind” others in working for meaningful change. Example: In November 2nd’s Virginia’s governor’s race which the Republican candidate won by a margin of about 1–2%, white men’s votes were 33% in favor of the winner according to Washington Post quoted exist polling (see:https://www.washingtonpost.com/elections/interactive/2021/exit-polls-virginia-governor/).
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It seems obvious that we should organize and allow OWMCL (and other groups) to see us. Once we are successfully building into what we should be either they will want us to either be a part of them, or directly affiliated with them. Meanwhile, we can model what should be done and (finally) become accountable — making mistakes — but learning and growing and doing better.
Outside of OWMCL, relevant groups include: SURJ (Showing Up for Racial Justice), The National Organization for Men Against Sexism, The ManKind Project, and other smaller efforts.
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Basics:
- Nonhierarchical — coalition Building
- Locally Focused — cooperating nationally
- Calling In — internally (not out)
- Calling Out — oppositional forces and people where necessary
- Use — simple — Google based (or other) — technology — to connect — via shared site(s)
- Internally — encourage- dyad/trios — accountability partners — tied to larger groups to where appropriate another level of grouping,
- Developing strategies for accountability to BIPOC and female (lead) groups — as well as Queer/Non-Binary groups and people
- Building — Long Term — non-burnout focused
- Including Relaxation — celebrating — taking time off
- Related to 5. above- sharing — resources: — documents, videos, book reviews, useful websites, relevant other groups, etc.
- Tying in local and other groups — as “affiliates” and/or “interested parties”
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Possible Modes for Operation:
- Coordinating Circle — ideally dyads — representing groups/interests — for meetings — seeking at least one of each dyad to meet,
- Support Circles — Accountability — closed or open
- Interest Groups — Focus Groups
Moving Forward:
How to start and how to proceed from there should be something that at least several men should determine in communication with each other. Ideally — several of us will reach out to others and out of that we can begin a process towards starting an effort in this general direction. Over time this document can be modified and we can work out the best path we can figure out.
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Previously Published on Medium
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