JASON DEL GANDIO'S "RHETORIC FOR RADICALS"

Del Gandio states in chapter 1, page 2, “Basically, there is a communicative gap between our efforts and the public’s reception of those efforts. This gap is a rhetorical issue needing attention and redress. If we are to change the world, we must remedy this situation. This remedy can begin by rigorously attending to the communicative aspects of our twenty-first century radicalism.”

This issue brought forth by Del Gandio is an issue I encountered in the piece I wrote on the We Energies rate case for Urban Milwaukee.com. A lack of specification in the law regulating public policy as applied to solar is a chance to create a structure in public policy that progresses renewable energy distribution.

When first reviewing the information I was confused over a lack of specification in public policy. There was a grey area. I worked through the matter in the interview with the director of RENEW Wisconsin. It is appropriate that this lack of clear language in public policy on solar, stemming from absent state law, had a trickle down effect on the editor I was working with. His understanding was unclear about the point of lacking clarity I enumerated. How do you describe something that has no language? In the process of reporting on this point, the editor helped flesh out the problem. Question and answer format was essential to this process.

Del Gandio states, "Then of course there are folks like Noam Chomsky, Howard Zinn, Cornel West and bell hooks who are intellectuals and activists." I must admit I haven't put the time into studying these people as much as I wish I had right now. I recall passing facts about these people, these activists. I say that as a person who has been deeply involved in studying and practicing Iyengar yoga methodology, as someone who for better or worse, for richer, for poorer deliberately chose to dive into the practice. How does this fit into rhetoric and digital activism here and now? I have been lucky enough to work with practicing rhetoricians, yogic activists, through following this path. To relate back to our discussion on what it means to be moved by something or someone . . .what I have seen, heard, learned, in those classrooms, influences my sense of how to apply activism here and now deliberately and persistently.

On page 20 Del Gandio states, "We can use gender relations as an example . . .But that pattern was eventually challenged and replaced by a different pattern . . .This is a positive, progressive change, but we still have many other sexist and misogynist patterns . . .These patterns are often challenged, but many discriminatory patterns remain. It is our job to change these patterns and to create new ones. We must keep in mind, though, that this process (unfortunately) takes time."

This quote is a direct reference to my point, "how do you describe something that has no language?" We have to make room for ourselves. A major impetus for adapting and adopting (to use a yoga phrase) feministic ideals and behavior comes from a kind of lack in expression of things female. Addressing patterns that inhibit our expression of female-ness provides room for opinions and truths.

I keep thinking of Fran Lebowitz discussing biology and how it structures gender oppression. This is a good one https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SeXg6G5nRKg.