Another Politics is Possible in Detroit, and it will NOT be the same old Politics of Exclusion

A Little Ditty inspired by a closed meeting called
"Another Politics is Possible,"
held in Detroit, October 10, 2009
*
*

There once was a group
of self-styled intellectuals
who thought of themselves as progressives
(or radical, or something better than ___ (you?);
They flew into Detroit from LA and NY
and other great places
to discuss in an "intentional" way
how to organize politics
in a much better way--
They had been meeting for a year,
and wanted to be clear
that "Another Politics is Possible"--
But when it came to the actual meeting
they failed to make clear
for interested Detroiters
who wished to join their discussion
that although another politics
will be possible someday--
if they have their way--
newcomers were not
to their discussion of the possible
invited...

I have the experience of having tried to attend this meeting today to thank for inspiring the above little ditty, which is offered as a public service warning to any other Detroiter who may be so naive as to think this meeting is open to them--

So in case anyone else is interested in attending the above noted meeting in Detroit today or tomorrow, you should know it is a small and exclusive meeting NOT open to anyone who has not already been invited by the in-group at this meeting. Therefore, unless you have already received your personal invitation, you'll be turned away at the door.

I saw the above flyer posted here, and since there was nothing on the flyer saying it was a closed meeting, and the subject of the meeting was supposed to be about how ANOTHER POLITICS IS POSSIBLE, and about community organizing to achieve this "other politics," I assumed it was an open meeting that would be dedicated to the discussion of HOW TO CREATE A MORE INCLUSIVE DEMOCRATIC POLITICS OF ORGANIZING THAT INVOLVES ALL PEOPLE EQUITABLY.

And since it was a meeting being held in Detroit, at the Boggs Center, which is known for being a community-focused place for open discussions and meetings, I also unfortunately assumed that this meeting to discuss how another politics is possible would especially be open and inviting to Detroiters.

But unfortunately my naive assumptions were all wrong. I arrived at 3061 Field St., Detroit, and after being given a hug by someone I knew (who I had assumed was a committed progressive) was then told the meeting was not open, and was only for people--mostly from elsewhere in the country--who had already been discussing amongst themselves how another politics is possible for a year or so.

I was told these folks had decided to meet "intentionally" in Detroit to continue their private conversation. I appealed to several of the organizers, trying to suggest that perhaps, since they were meeting in Detroit, they might want to consider opening their meeting to the participation of at least one new person from Detroit, who was committed not just to talking about another politics, but to working together with others in Detroit to make it happen.

But alas, the organizers were unmoved by such an argument, and "politely" told me I was not invited, and should therefore leave, which I did, with some relief and a bit of a laugh--as I realized that if this was their idea of "another politics," it was not worth investing any time in...

So Detroiters please take note: Anyone who does not already have an exclusive invitation from this group is not welcome to the discussion of "Another Politics is Possible" today or tomorrow:

Even if you are passionately committed not only to discussing how a truly democratic, inclusive and equitable politics is possible, but to organizing to grow this kind of politics together with others in Detroit, this meeting is not for you.

For me, this experience only further underlined how it's apparently become cool now for folks to fly in from elsewhere to meet in Detroit, and to talk about Detroit, & to be associated with Detroit, because its chic to be associated with the downtrodden and depressed, as we've seen with the new focus of Time magazine on the city--

But where are the Detroiters in these meetings and discussions, and why are they not being invited to participate in ways that can actually shape the discussion?

If for this exclusive group, "Another Politics" is truly possible, it would be interesting to know how they seek to open it up to others in Detroit and elsewhere...

Based on the information from this group's poster (above) and what I was told, their meeting last night in Ann Arbor was an open meeting for the Ann Arbor community, or for anyone who could afford to drive or fly in to Ann Arbor from elsewhere for last night's meeting. But today and tomorrow they are meeting in Detroit, and these meetings are NOT open to Detroiters.

So Detroiters, if you're interested in what this group is discussing about how Another Politics is Possible, you're unfortunately not invited to the discussion.

I'm always amazed at folks who like to advertise and think of themselves as planning for a new progressive politics, but who are so exclusive and confined in their discussions that you can't help but ask....

Isn't this the same old politics of exclusion and elitism?

And isn't it a bit indecent for a group that apparently sees itself as "progressive" and dedicated to creating a more progressive politics for the future to hold an open public meeting in Ann Arbor on a Friday night, and then move to Detroit for meetings on Saturday and Sunday that are completely closed to anyone who might be interested in attending from Detroit?

Utterly amazing!

Emma Goldman's famous quotable phrase was: "If I can't dance, I don't want to be part of your revolution":

As far as we're concerned: If Detroiters aren't invited to the discussion, we don't want anything to do with your "another politics."

I don't know about others, but I am so disgusted and tired to my soul of folks who like to pretend to be progressive and inclusive in theory, but who are in reality anything but that. We truly need to build another politics, and the building needs to begin with openness and inclusiveness and equity IN ACTION AND PRACTICE.

So our message to the organizers of this exclusive closed meeting is: Please be so good as to let us know when you decide to invite Detroiters into your discussion.... and then we'll decide if we're interested in participating.... (and based on today's experience, we're not sure why anyone would want to...)

Detroiters are committed to building a vibrant, inclusive, equitable, participatory politics that is not beholden to the practices of exclusion and POWER-ELITISM of any kind (including class and intellectual elitism), and especially to the kind of politics that seeks to present itself from the outside as "another politics" that is IN THEORY a better politics, but that IN PRACTICE is simply another politics of exclusion....

To THAT politics, wherever it comes from, and in whatever progressive or salvational guise it may present itself, we say, NO THANK YOU!

We will invest our time in actually creating a new progressive and inclusively participatory politics of equity and social justice of, by, and for Detroiters. And then perhaps those who like to talk in their small exclusive groups about how to make a better politics possible will gain the wisdom that will allow them to learn from Detroit, rather than to merely fly into Detroit, and talk about another politics while practicing the same old politics...