Several months ago during a casual conversation, I was described
by someone as being a radical. When he first said it I didn't
know whether I should laugh or be offended. It never quite
dawned on me until then that my standing up against spiritual
homophobia, writing a gay spiritual book and producing and
hosting a national black gay TV talk show would qualify me for
radical status, but apparently in the minds of some it has.

Prior to this particular conversation, my mental concept of
radicalism or the word radical represented outdated images of
white women burning their bras in protest of anything male
dominated or people chaining themselves to century old oak trees.

So now I asked myself, what exactly is a radical? Is it someone
who marches down the street shouting, screaming, and decrying
the injustices of the day? Or is it someone who commits
outrageous acts of protest capturing his/her 3 minutes of fame
on the evening news?

And how exactly does a radical mind think? Does it wake up every
morning determined to rock the boat of society? Or does a
radical mind intentionally try to kick in the front teeth of the
status quo just for kicks?

In reality I believe that the face, the voice, and the causes of
radicalism are as diverse as mankind itself. After giving much
thought and research on the matter, I now have a much stronger
understanding of what is and what is not a radical or radicalism.

Standing up for oneself does not necessarily make one a radical.
Even standing up against an entire institution or society (i.e
homophobic church or heterosexual majority) doesn't always make
one a radical either. The act of standing up is but one
component of radicalism.

Screaming, shouting, and protesting the injustices of the day
does not make one a radical either. Although America still
vividly remembers the 1960's Civil Rights and Vietnam War images
of protests as clear examples of radicalism, I actually counter
that marching down a city street, chaining oneself to a tree or
a building isn't exactly a definition of radicalism but more of
a symbolic act of it.

After deeper analysis, I have come to the conclusion that what
makes one a radical are the following components:

1. When a person mentally and emotionally rejects all that they
know to be true about their existing reality, existing life and
of the existing society which surround them and then begins to
critically think and re-think everything that has been
programmed into them (i.e homophobia, racism, sexism, etc); this
becomes the first major step towards radicalism.

You see, radical minded people daily reject the status quo and
express their lives accordingly. Even further, although they may
respect authority, radical minded people still question its use
and/or misuse. But most importantly, radical minded people are
critical thinkers.

Radicals just don't wake up one morning and decide to overthrow
a government. It often takes many years of self-analysis,
reflection, prayer, meditation, dialogue, and research before
the ultimate stand against the status quo actually occurs.
Hence, critical analysis is a major key to becoming a radical.

2. Radical minded people seek personal freedoms, whether it's
the freedom to own property, to vote, marry, run for public
office, or to access public services. The act of being denied,
restrained, impaired, or hindered is the octane fuel which
drives the pursuit of freedom. Hence, radicalism is driven by
the inherent desire to be free. Examples of past American
concepts of radicalism include the abolitionist movement,
feminism struggle, civil rights era, and now the gay rights
fight for equal protection as well as the right and the freedom
to marry.

Just as slaves did not have any personal freedoms, women did not
have the right to vote, and several generations later blacks
were still fighting for full equality under the U.S.
constitution; the theme which runs similar in all of these
instances is "freedom." The desire to be free. Further, radical
minded people not only seek their own personal freedoms, they
also seek freedoms for others even at the cost of retaliation
against themselves.

3. Contrary to popular belief, radical minded people are
actually very patient people. Social movements can take many
years to build and to execute. A true radical understands that
revolutions and evolutions within society do not occur overnight
or within the next calendar year.

Hence, radical minded people are strategic thinkers as well as
critical thinkers. They strategically and critically assess the
social changes which must take place and then move forward in
multiple ways, methods, and fashions to achieve it.

4. Finally, radical minded people understand that it really
isn't about them per se, but instead they recognize and
understand that its about allowing a greater power, a greater
plan, and a greater pathway to flow though their existence into
a glorious fruition.

Radical minded people accept that they might not actually reap
the total rewards and benefits of their efforts, but instead
understand that each and every generation which follows them
will. Thus radicals are the social architects which build,
construct, and solidify a new world order for the entirety of
mankind.

So when I reflect upon this interpretation of what it means to
be a radical and in my case, a gay radical, then I proudly sign
up for the label and all that goes with it. To be the change
that is needed, to be catalyst which ignites, and to be the
finger of the hand of God which moves its divine will throughout
the course of time is more than enough payoff for me. So I'm
hanging on for the ride!