Where the world's headed, nobody knows

It's ironic that I chose a title of a song that was released over 30 years ago. We aren't any more confident in our current wartime president than we were in 1970.

It's fascinating how different things affect you at certain times and how different movements spring up at opportune times. Maybe you weren't paying attention the first time. Maybe a certain idea must be planted to serve as an impetus for change. I think it's slightly more than coincidental that I'm reading about the hip-hop movement while being interested in civil rights policy and grassroots political organizing.

On the other hand, I have a hard time being convinced that widespread national political movements like ACORN or the state PIRGs are the signal for the next revolution. It's too planned. It lacks the allure and anger of the Black Panther movement, the leadership of the U.F.W., and the immediacy of the Vietnam War.

It's hard to understand what these new nationwide organizations are fighting for. ACORN works for a higher minimum wage, better schools, and housing. I'm definitely for all those things. However, I don't know how well a national organization can work in a state like my home state of New Mexico where politics are deeply rooted in families and old-school politics, or here in Oregon, where employment is high and minimum wage is high as well. I'm still glad other people are willing to fight for a cause.

Learning how to fit in isn't as important as feeling empowered to be yourself. I've heard so many arguments against the Mexican immigrant movement using the Mexican flag and having a Spanish national anthem. Did anyone ever think that two of the border states haven't even been in the union for 100 years? My great grandparents were born in New Mexico when it was still Mexico.

Other nations have something that the U.S. lacks: a pride in history. We are afraid to teach our kids our native languages if they are something other than English. We tear down old buildings to build abominations like Wal-Mart and Starbucks. Those of us who are outraged should take a stand.