[FlyingBrickAnnouncements] Changes to Mission Statement

[Nathan Stickel]

Hey y'all, Mara and I made a few small changes to the mission statement,
attempting to incorporate the input y'all's input from the meeting. There
is still more discussion that needs to be had obviously, so I'd suggest we
do that in a meeting, not on the listserv. So if you come to Core
Collective meetings, please look this over so we can discuss it! Can't wait
to nerd out with you. The bolded words are the parts that were altered.

Flying Brick Mission Statement:

At the Flying Brick Library, we strive to be a social and informational hub
for anyone interested in radical politics in the Richmond area. *We aim to
foster a culture of discussion, action, and solidarity, while providing a
safe, sober, clean, and inclusive space for anyone interested in being
involved*. Any group needing a space to hold meetings, events, or
distribute literature is welcome to contact us or come to a meeting to
introduce themselves.

Why "radical" politics?

(define root of the word radical)
We define our politics as "radical" because we aim to get to the "root" of
our society's ills. This means not only confronting classism, racism,
homophobia, and other forms of oppression on a surface level, but
attempting to educate and agitate for a radically different view of the
world. We imagine a world where we are not forced to define ourselves
through capitalism, white supremacy, *heteronormativity*, or patriarchy. We
imagine a world where our identities and our survival aren't tied to our
"usefulness" to corporations and governments. *We imagine a world where we
don't have to struggle just to obtain freedoms we should already have.*

Why a house?

Currently in Richmond, it is close to impossible to maintain a public space
that is sustainable, without making it a business. This in itself is
relevant to why we see a problem with the ever engulfing force of capital:
Our lack of public space. Throughout the world, globalized capitalism is
making it increasingly hard for people to gather, socialize, and come
together about anything, much less to discuss the ills of our world,
without paying a hefty price. And those prices are always rising. Any who
can't afford space, are criminalized and repressed. By opening a home to
our community, we can allow free access to literature, media, the internet,
social space, and other resources that we could never provide at even an
affordable price if we had to maintain a large commercial space that would
require ever increasing taxes, fines, and expenses to maintain.

-- 
Always with Solidarity

Nathan
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