“The relationships we developed through distributing water are an entry into working for longer term organizing in the communities,” May said.“We’re not saying, ‘I told you so.’ We’re asking, ‘What are the problems you’re facing besides the water? What happens when we draw lines between these problems?’” Both experienced and new activists realize this is an important moment for West Virginia, and they are working to create long lasting momentum for change at the structural level. “I’ve been thinking about pronoia – the opposite of paranoia – the belief that the world is in a conspiracy for your well being,” May explained. “We assume that when we turn on the tap, someone is making sure the water is clean. Maybe this magical naive thinking is kind of necessary for a civil society, but we can’t assume that the world is out to help us when that is not in the self interest of the people in charge.”
Posted on: Tue, 04 Mar 2014 07:56:28 +0000
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