In 1914, during the Women’s Suffrage Movement, Ella Wheeler Wilcox wrote “To sin by silence, when we should protest, Makes cowards out of men.”
I don’t want to be silent. But I also don’t want to be angry and join in the lament and arguments that come from the difficult political times as we are in. I don’t want to be hateful and divisive.
After reading Eve Marko’s post “The Womb of Weirdness” I was reminded of how I’ve always been intrigued by the idea of creative protest. And inspired by her writing, I’ve come up with a way of making myself heard in a positive protest. It speaks of the power of the individual and women in particular.
Eve writes ” The weirdness in Washington calls for weird responses, meaning something creative, from our guts, something we didn’t know we had.”
She sites Gandhi leading thousands of people to the sea to make salt from the water after the British put a tax on salt. The first time I heard about this protest, I was stunned by its peaceful power. By its creativity.
“Each of us has his/her personal strength, his/her personal voice. And the weirder it is, the less routine and conventional, the more spontaneous, imaginative, and heartful, the better.” writes Eve.
This got me thinking.
It’s not really weird or unconventional, but it is imaginative and heartful and spontaneous. And it’s a place to begin.
When I was getting prices on having a poster of my Goddess from my Show Your Soul wall hanging made, one of the options was an inexpensive 13 inch copy. More like a good quality xerox.
So along with having posters made, I’m going to have some inexpensive copies of my Goddess printed up, with the words “Show Your Soul” written on it and post them around town. Around my small town of Cambridge NY, and maybe some of the surrounding towns.
I’ll put her on telephone poles and in the post office and library, on the bulletin board in the Surfine Grocery Store and the Hardware Store. In all those places where people pin up ads for garage sales or something they’re trying to sell.
A bit of the unexpected, in everyday life.
So I may not be leading thousands of people to the sea, but I’m answering the call to the Womb of Weirdness, in my very own way.
You can read all of Eve’s post “Womb of Weirdness” here.
This reminds me of one of my favorite sayings: “When the going gets tough, the tough get Weird.”
I’ve never heard that one Susan, but I like it! I think it suits me.
I love this idea! (Also, Amanda Palmer is the perfect voice for that poem – now there’s a woman who spends a lot of time in the Womb of Weirdness).
Any possibilty of selling these prints? I’d love to have one to put up- and one to share with a friend who shares weirdness with me.
Yes Bridget, I am going to be selling some. I’m having them printed now! I’ll post them on my blog. Thanks for asking.
Oops… that should have read possibility… long day.
I love this Maria! I think you are more of a leader than you know. This soul is listening. I would love to purchase one of your posters when they become available.
I’ll be posting them on my blog, for sale, in a couple of week Terri. Thanks.