When I hear activist, I think passionate – in other words, activists have unabashed emotional involvement in a cause.

Advocate, on the other hand, has an inference of logic/reasoning. When I hear advocate, I think of people who are good at debate and speech, who can see all sides of a situation and present them fully.

Pure concept aside, reality is, many of us are both emotionally involved in and reasonably able to speak for our cause.

That being said, I’ll step on my soapbox a moment…

Cory Young wrote an article for Susun Weed’s e-zine entitled The Science of Mother Love, and writes, “Because our culture does not sufficiently value interpersonal relationships, the mother/child bond is not recognized and supported as it could be.”

This issue, of how our culture downplays the role of emotions, ties-in to all ideas that are emotionally-imbued – such as activism. I think that’s why sometimes people are dismissive of those who label themselves as activists.