Today is the second day of Kwanzaa and today's principle is Kujichagulia or Self-Determination; To define ourselves, name ourselves, create for ourselves and speak for ourselves.
Out of the 7 principles, I would say Kujichagulia is one which I see we (in the broadest sense) need to put a lot more effort into implementing.
It's not just a matter of acting on an individual level and "naming ourselves" in the sense of replacing "slave names" with an X or taking on Arab names or Pre-Columbian names.
It also isn't just a matter changing our collective names and arguing whether Latino is more appropriate than Hispanic (or Chicano or Spanish-surnamed American etc.) or arguing whether Black is better than Negro (or colored or African or Blackamerican or African-American etc.) or whether Muslim is better than Moslem (or Muhammadan or Submitter, etc.)
Arguing about isolated labels can be important on a personal or a psychological level, but from another perspective it is more like window dressing. A much more important concern is the issue of who gets to decide the questions and terms of the public debate.
For example when it comes to the debate on meritocracy, equality and inclusion who decides to focus on race-based affirmative action in higher education instead of the much more tangible economic disparities in the funding of public education which makes students unequal before they even set foot on campus? And how does that decision get made?
To truly manifest the principle of kujichagulia, doesn't just require an act of will made in a vacuum (although that's an important first step) but it also should ideally be backed up by institutions which can make your definition of the world a reality. To a large degree, this means that we (in the broadest sense) need to participate in and have a louder voice in the media. BET and Spanish language tv are a nice start but things can be a lot better than they are, especially when it comes to in-depth news and news commentary. The is power in the media, and we (again, in the broadest sense) should consider how we can have a voice when it comes to those images which fill the collective imagination. That might mean going into journalism, advertising, filmaking, publishing, or other fields.
Even if you just want to do something on the side, some of these are easier than you might think. For example, it is relatively easy to get a show on Public Access television. And with advances in audio technology or desktop publishing, if you want to get your own book or CD out, it is a lot easier than it used to be. Or you might just want to put your thoughts out there through a blog...
And speaking of blogs, an idea for next year would be to AHEAD OF TIME come up with a set of bloggers who agree to blog on kwanzaa for at least most of the seven days and perhaps make a temporary Nguzo Saba blogring/blogroll for easy access.
Anyway, I think I've said my piece on today's principle.
Tomorrow is Ujima or Collective Work and Responsibility
Tuesday, December 27, 2005
tawhid (umoja cont')
Since umoja means unity/oneness I also wanted to build on the Islamic notion of tawhid (oneness) as well. One of the most straightforward, eloquent and coherent descriptions of the Islamic concept of tawhid can be found in Abul A'La Mawdudi's well-publicized work, Towards Understanding Islam. The book unpacks and elaborates on the meaning of tawhid in such a way that it becomes the foundation of an entire way of life, an entire way of looking at the world.
One longish excerpt which describes this really nicely can be found at: Effects of Tawhid on Human Life. And you can also find a free online version of Towards Understanding Islam as well. The book is rather short as far as books go but it presents the subject matter in a really nice way and is well worth reading.
One longish excerpt which describes this really nicely can be found at: Effects of Tawhid on Human Life. And you can also find a free online version of Towards Understanding Islam as well. The book is rather short as far as books go but it presents the subject matter in a really nice way and is well worth reading.
Monday, December 26, 2005
black and hispanic
Having been born in New York to a Puerto Rican family, Ronald Flecha is, at the same time, Hispanic and black. Since the African heritage is especially strong in the Caribbean, Flecha thought that his genes and his ancestry would save him from being discriminated by other blacks. But he was wrong.Full story in the Havana Journal
When I was in the Army's basic training, back in 1968, I got caught in the middle of two discriminatory feelings. I was chastised by both ends of the spectrum: the African Americans were not agreeable with me, and the anglo Americans weren't either. There was a kind of two-way racism in there.
umoja
Today is the first day of Kwanzaa. And the principle for the first day is umoja or unity. More specifically, according to Maulana Karenga umoja means "To strive for and maintain unity in the family, community, nation and race."
At nearly every Kwanzaa related-event I've attended, it has been claimed that Kwanzaa is neutral as far as religion is concerned and that people of any belief should feel free to particpate. In my opinion that is more true now, but I don't believe that was the original intent of Karenga and the US (United Slaves) organization.
In Amiri Baraka's colleciton of writings "Raise, race, rays, raze" he has an entire essay on the deeper significance of the 7 principles of Kwanzaa (the Nguzo Saba) as the core and foundation of a new values system:
Personally, I think the whole idea is pretty provocative. It would be interesting if there were a positive group which actually tried to flesh out and develop the 7 prinicples in a serious and thoughtful way and put them into practice.
Tomorrow's principle: Kujichagulia or Self-Determination
At nearly every Kwanzaa related-event I've attended, it has been claimed that Kwanzaa is neutral as far as religion is concerned and that people of any belief should feel free to particpate. In my opinion that is more true now, but I don't believe that was the original intent of Karenga and the US (United Slaves) organization.
In Amiri Baraka's colleciton of writings "Raise, race, rays, raze" he has an entire essay on the deeper significance of the 7 principles of Kwanzaa (the Nguzo Saba) as the core and foundation of a new values system:
The 7 principles are the spine and total philosophy of the US organization. They are simple in what they say, but total in that they evoke all the levels of meaning associated with philosophical systems.
The 7 principles are "10 commandments" yet more profound to us - US because they are pre and post 10 commandments at the same time. If there is UMOJA, for instance thou cannot kill, steal, bear false witness, commit adultery, or any of the things the western world thrives on. The commandments are fulfilled by the initial need of blackness for unity- oneness.
Personally, I think the whole idea is pretty provocative. It would be interesting if there were a positive group which actually tried to flesh out and develop the 7 prinicples in a serious and thoughtful way and put them into practice.
Tomorrow's principle: Kujichagulia or Self-Determination
Sunday, December 25, 2005
2nd annual brass crescent awards
And the categories are:
BEST MIDDLE-EAST/ASIAN BLOGGER - The Islamsphere is truly a global phennomenon. In Iraq, despite the chaos and uncertainty, there is a sea change of free speech and expression, the vanguard of which are blogs. There are also bloggers in India, in Pakistan, in Jordan, and most other countries that host muslims, all of whom have their own perspectives on faith, culture, and politics.
BEST GROUP BLOG - which multiple group blog in the Islamsphere has the best diversity of writers and the most interesting debate on Muslim issues?
MOST DESERVING OF WIDER RECOGNITION - Which blog is a true diamond in the rough, one that everyone should be reading but who most just haven't heard of (yet) ?
BEST THINKER - Who is the most stimulating, insightful, and philosophically wise among us? This category is intended to highlight a blogger who may not post daily, but when they do post, they really make an impact.
BEST FEMALE BLOG - The woman's voice in Islam is equal to the man's, and in the Islamsphere we seek to make sure the female perspective is highlighted and given its rightful due. Which muslim woman's blog has done the most to explore the role that women play within Islam and society?
BEST POST OR SERIES - Which single post or group of posts in the Islamsphere was the most original and important, above all the others?
BEST NON-MUSLIM BLOG - Which blog writen by a non-muslim is most respectful of Islam and seeks genuine dialog with muslims?
BEST BLOG - the most indispensable, muslim-authored blog there is. Period.
kwanzaa
So tomorrow marks the beginning of Kwanzaa, the seven-day period of reflection and celebration founded by the controversial figure Maulana Karenga, as an expression of African-American heritage. I figure that no matter what people have to say about Karenga, we can do worse things with our time than spend the next seven days thinking deeply and conscientiously about our principles and values and where we are headed as a people.
As a matter of fact, I've never actually "celebrated Kwanzaa" (in the 'proper' way, over 7 days, lighting candles, etc.) In my opinion, it would be improper for a Muslim to do so. But I have been present at a number of Kwanzaa celebrations over the years. What happens on many colleges and universities is that since Kwanzaa itself (December 26 to January 1) typically occurs when school is not in session, students and faculty would tend to have a one-day year-end event which serves as a chance for the Black community to come together one last time before the holiday break.
This year, I still don't plan on "officially" celebrating Kwanzaa but I think it would be valuable and interesting for me to use the seven principles of the Nguzo Saba as a springboard for blogging for the next seven days.
To start this off, tomorrow's principle is Umoja or Unity. And I'll try to have an entry finished by the end of the day.
Wikipedia: Kwanzaa
Official Kwanzaa Website
As a matter of fact, I've never actually "celebrated Kwanzaa" (in the 'proper' way, over 7 days, lighting candles, etc.) In my opinion, it would be improper for a Muslim to do so. But I have been present at a number of Kwanzaa celebrations over the years. What happens on many colleges and universities is that since Kwanzaa itself (December 26 to January 1) typically occurs when school is not in session, students and faculty would tend to have a one-day year-end event which serves as a chance for the Black community to come together one last time before the holiday break.
This year, I still don't plan on "officially" celebrating Kwanzaa but I think it would be valuable and interesting for me to use the seven principles of the Nguzo Saba as a springboard for blogging for the next seven days.
To start this off, tomorrow's principle is Umoja or Unity. And I'll try to have an entry finished by the end of the day.
Wikipedia: Kwanzaa
Official Kwanzaa Website
evelio grillo
For a while now I've been thinking of blogging some on Evelio Grillo, the Afro-Cuban American veteran whose published the autobiographical work Black Cuban, Black American: A Memior a few years ago. His life exemplifies one likely trajectory for Afro-Latinos, namely to join the Black American community and get "African-Americanized" so to speak.
But for those who don't have the time to read his memoir, I recently found a "clipping" of a newspaper interview with Grillo about his experiences. Enjoy!
But for those who don't have the time to read his memoir, I recently found a "clipping" of a newspaper interview with Grillo about his experiences. Enjoy!
black hispanics and the census
By John Moreno Gonzales
Staff Writer
NY Newsday
July 15, 2003
Hispanics who identify themselves racially as black take on economic and social characteristics that more closely mirror those of African-Americans than of other Hispanics, according to a study on the often overlooked group released Monday.
The findings by the Lewis Mumford Center of SUNY Albany said that the nearly 1 million black Hispanics identified by the 2000 U.S. Census are more educated than other Hispanics, less likely to be immigrants and less likely to speak a language other than English.
Yet their economic performance is worse, with a lower median household income than other Hispanics, as well as higher unemployment and poverty rates.
John R. Logan, the author of the study and director of the Mumford Center, attributed the economic disparity between black Hispanics and other Hispanics to the "very strong color line in the United States."
"The opportunity structure here is that when people decide who to hire, or to rent to, when it comes right down to it, race does make a difference," he said.
The most intense concentration of black Hispanics in the United States was by far in the New York metropolitan area, with 9.2 percent of Hispanics calling themselves black, according to the census.
The national origin of black Hispanics was largely Dominican and to a lesser extent Puerto Rican, with Cubans and Central Americans also showing significant numbers of Hispanics who identified themselves racially as black.
Rosina Pearsall, 36, who lives in Garden City and is a instructor at the Westbury Language Center, said her black skin and Latino heritage has led to little direct segregation.
"But when I am with Caucasian people they look at me differently," said the English as a Second Language teacher from Costa Rica. "They are asking themselves 'How come a black girl is Spanish?' And they can't understand that."
The study found that 28 percent of black Hispanics were immigrants, compared with 41 percent of all Hispanics. Sixty-one percent of black Hispanics spoke a language other than English in the home compared with 79 percent of all Hispanics. The mean education level of black Hispanics was 11.7 years, compared with 12.5 for non-Hispanic blacks and 10.5 years for all Hispanics.
The median household income of black Hispanics was $35,000, closer to the $34,000 of non-Hispanic blacks than to the $38,500 of all Hispanics.
Their unemployment rate was 12.3 percent, compared with 11 percent for non-Hispanic blacks and 8.8 percent for all Hispanics. Their poverty rate was 31.5 percent, compared with the 29.7 percent of non-Hispanic blacks and 26 percent for all Hispanics.
Black Hispanics tend to marry non-Hispanic blacks at a higher rate than they do other Hispanics, the report said. Nearly half the black Hispanic children had a parent who is a non-Hispanic black.
Pearsall married Milton Pearsall last year, an Army warrant officer who is African-American. "African-Americans are a little more open to accept me because I look like them," Rosina Pearsall said.
Faced with such a mixture of racial backgrounds, the report also found that Hispanics are increasingly choosing to not identify themselves as either black or white. In the 1980 Census, only 33.7 percent of Hispanics chose to forgo any racial classification. In 2000, 47.4 percent did not choose a race.
Logan acknowledged, however, that the bulk of Hispanics may not call themselves white or black simply because they factually are neither. The dominate Hispanic group in the United States, those of Mexican heritage, are often of both Spanish and indigenous blood and their skin is neither black nor white.
© 2003, Newsday, Inc.
To see the full Mumford Center report, "How Race Counts for Hispanic Americans"
Click Here
Staff Writer
NY Newsday
July 15, 2003
Hispanics who identify themselves racially as black take on economic and social characteristics that more closely mirror those of African-Americans than of other Hispanics, according to a study on the often overlooked group released Monday.
The findings by the Lewis Mumford Center of SUNY Albany said that the nearly 1 million black Hispanics identified by the 2000 U.S. Census are more educated than other Hispanics, less likely to be immigrants and less likely to speak a language other than English.
Yet their economic performance is worse, with a lower median household income than other Hispanics, as well as higher unemployment and poverty rates.
John R. Logan, the author of the study and director of the Mumford Center, attributed the economic disparity between black Hispanics and other Hispanics to the "very strong color line in the United States."
"The opportunity structure here is that when people decide who to hire, or to rent to, when it comes right down to it, race does make a difference," he said.
The most intense concentration of black Hispanics in the United States was by far in the New York metropolitan area, with 9.2 percent of Hispanics calling themselves black, according to the census.
The national origin of black Hispanics was largely Dominican and to a lesser extent Puerto Rican, with Cubans and Central Americans also showing significant numbers of Hispanics who identified themselves racially as black.
Rosina Pearsall, 36, who lives in Garden City and is a instructor at the Westbury Language Center, said her black skin and Latino heritage has led to little direct segregation.
"But when I am with Caucasian people they look at me differently," said the English as a Second Language teacher from Costa Rica. "They are asking themselves 'How come a black girl is Spanish?' And they can't understand that."
The study found that 28 percent of black Hispanics were immigrants, compared with 41 percent of all Hispanics. Sixty-one percent of black Hispanics spoke a language other than English in the home compared with 79 percent of all Hispanics. The mean education level of black Hispanics was 11.7 years, compared with 12.5 for non-Hispanic blacks and 10.5 years for all Hispanics.
The median household income of black Hispanics was $35,000, closer to the $34,000 of non-Hispanic blacks than to the $38,500 of all Hispanics.
Their unemployment rate was 12.3 percent, compared with 11 percent for non-Hispanic blacks and 8.8 percent for all Hispanics. Their poverty rate was 31.5 percent, compared with the 29.7 percent of non-Hispanic blacks and 26 percent for all Hispanics.
Black Hispanics tend to marry non-Hispanic blacks at a higher rate than they do other Hispanics, the report said. Nearly half the black Hispanic children had a parent who is a non-Hispanic black.
Pearsall married Milton Pearsall last year, an Army warrant officer who is African-American. "African-Americans are a little more open to accept me because I look like them," Rosina Pearsall said.
Faced with such a mixture of racial backgrounds, the report also found that Hispanics are increasingly choosing to not identify themselves as either black or white. In the 1980 Census, only 33.7 percent of Hispanics chose to forgo any racial classification. In 2000, 47.4 percent did not choose a race.
Logan acknowledged, however, that the bulk of Hispanics may not call themselves white or black simply because they factually are neither. The dominate Hispanic group in the United States, those of Mexican heritage, are often of both Spanish and indigenous blood and their skin is neither black nor white.
© 2003, Newsday, Inc.
To see the full Mumford Center report, "How Race Counts for Hispanic Americans"
Click Here
he knows when you are awake...
And we haven't been...
In Spying and Lying by Katrina vanden Heuvel points out how the media has been complicit in the recent spying scandal and how the government convinced the New York Times sit on the story for about a year before making it public.
And it would be bad enough if it were just an action of the government, but according to Tom Daschle, who was Senate Majority leader after 9/11 Congress Never Authorized Spying Effort and so the spying was actually illegal.
As a protest against these revelations Judge James Robertson resigned from the Foreign Intelligence Surveilance Court or FISA. In "normal" circumstances, FISA is the body set up to approve eavesdropping and last year out of 1,758 requests for warrants, they approved all but 4. FISA even has the ability to approve warrants after the fact. Nevertheless, the administration still wanted to bypass even this much oversight. And gave rather weak reasons for doing so.
Initially it was claimed that only communications between US citizens and foreign nationals were subject to surveilance, but in reality there are indications that the scope of the surveilance was much more extensive than admitted to at first. [2]
Looks like the country is getting coal this year.
In Spying and Lying by Katrina vanden Heuvel points out how the media has been complicit in the recent spying scandal and how the government convinced the New York Times sit on the story for about a year before making it public.
And it would be bad enough if it were just an action of the government, but according to Tom Daschle, who was Senate Majority leader after 9/11 Congress Never Authorized Spying Effort and so the spying was actually illegal.
As a protest against these revelations Judge James Robertson resigned from the Foreign Intelligence Surveilance Court or FISA. In "normal" circumstances, FISA is the body set up to approve eavesdropping and last year out of 1,758 requests for warrants, they approved all but 4. FISA even has the ability to approve warrants after the fact. Nevertheless, the administration still wanted to bypass even this much oversight. And gave rather weak reasons for doing so.
Initially it was claimed that only communications between US citizens and foreign nationals were subject to surveilance, but in reality there are indications that the scope of the surveilance was much more extensive than admitted to at first. [2]
Looks like the country is getting coal this year.
Saturday, December 24, 2005
he knows when you are sleeping...
From Alt.Muslim:
Santa Doesn't Watch Muslims, But The FBI Does
Following last week's revelations that the Bush administration approved of warrantless tapping of phone conversations made by US citizens, the FBI and US Department of Energy's Nuclear Emergency Support Team (NEST) have confirmed that it conducted hundreds of warrantless searches at US Muslim sites (mosques, homes, businesses, etc.) over the last few years.
Santa Doesn't Watch Muslims, But The FBI Does
the son of mary
From the Quran 19:16-34
Relate in the Book (the story of) Mary, when she withdrew from her family to a place in the East. She placed a screen (to screen herself) from them; then We sent her our angel, and he appeared before her as a man in all respects.
She said: "I seek refuge from thee to (Allah) Most Gracious: (come not near) if thou dost fear Allah."
He said: "Nay, I am only a messenger from thy Lord, (to announce) to thee the gift of a holy son.
She said: "How shall I have a son, seeing that no man has touched me, and I am not unchaste?"
He said: "So (it will be): Thy Lord saith, 'that is easy for Me: and (We wish) to appoint him as a Sign unto men and a Mercy from Us':It is a matter (so) decreed."
So she conceived him, and she retired with him to a remote place. And the pains of childbirth drove her to the trunk of a palm-tree: She cried (in her anguish): "Ah! would that I had died before this! would that I had been a thing forgotten and out of sight!"
But (a voice) cried to her from beneath the (palm-tree): "Grieve not! for thy Lord hath provided a rivulet beneath thee; And shake towards thyself the trunk of the palm-tree: It will let fall fresh ripe dates upon thee. So eat and drink and cool (thine) eye. And if thou dost see any man, say, 'I have vowed a fast to (Allah) Most Gracious, and this day will I enter into not talk with any human being'"
At length she brought the (babe) to her people, carrying him (in her arms). They said: "O Mary! truly an amazing thing hast thou brought! O sister of Aaron! Thy father was not a man of evil, nor thy mother a woman unchaste!"
But she pointed to the babe. They said: "How can we talk to one who is a child in the cradle?"
He said: "I am indeed a servant of Allah. He hath given me revelation and made me a prophet; And He hath made me blessed wheresoever I be, and hath enjoined on me Prayer and Charity as long as I live; (He) hath made me kind to my mother, and not overbearing or miserable; So peace is on me the day I was born, the day that I die, and the day that I shall be raised up to life (again)"!
Such (was) Jesus the son of Mary: (it is) a statement of truth, about which they (vainly) dispute.
Wednesday, December 21, 2005
rage and race in latin america
From Open Democracy: The time of the underdog: rage and race in Latin America by Ivan Briscoe takes a broad look at how traditional oppressed groups seem to be gaining more of a voice and representation in several different Latin American nations.
i'm dreaming of a...
From Alternet: A Whiter Shade of Christmas
I don't mean to be a Grinch but this is a rather scary post on how normal the white nationalist movement seems to have gotten lately. It is isn't just rural, southern, uneducated and poor. And they don't just have cross-burnings but also put together cookbooks and run Aryan clothing drives.
Also on white supremacists:
race and sex
prussian blue
I don't mean to be a Grinch but this is a rather scary post on how normal the white nationalist movement seems to have gotten lately. It is isn't just rural, southern, uneducated and poor. And they don't just have cross-burnings but also put together cookbooks and run Aryan clothing drives.
[...] white supremacists are not a monolithic group. During research for her 2002 book, "Inside Organized Racism: Women and the Hate Movement," Blee found that the public's preconceptions about racist activists, and specifically about racist women, were skewed. After interviewing 34 white nationalist women, she wrote that "many did not fit common stereotypes about racist women as uneducated, marginal members of society raised in terrible families and lured into racist groups by boyfriends and husbands." In fact, most of Blee's research subjects were educated middle-class women with decent jobs, and many came to racist activism on their own.
Also on white supremacists:
race and sex
prussian blue
afrocuba.org
At the moment, it is not quite as extensive as AfroCuba Web which has been in my permanent link section from the beginning, but http://www.afrocuba.org seems to be shaping up to be another decent site (It also seems rather apolitical and more "cultural" than the former)
big brother is watching you
To be honest, I feel a bit overwhelmed by what I've been finding in the news these days. The NSA is spying on U.S. citizens. The government is planting favorable stories in the Iraqi press. Secret prisons in other countries. Less than convincing disavowals of torture. We were nearly going to bomb Al-Jazeera. What is the world coming to? Right now it feels like it is too hard to compartmentalize and sum everything up while throwing in some nice links. A free press is absolutely essential to making sure that our leaders act responsibly, but recently the media has been letting us down. In certain respects Congress has as well. There is some hope in John Conyers and others. But still, where does that leave us? What can we do?
"we shall change them for fresh skins"
One of the more vivid passages in the Quran (for me anyway) describes how in the afterlife some individuals will continually be given new skins. By contrast, in the here and now, most of us tend to keep the skins we have along with with all the positive and negative consequences which are attached to them.
The Sunni Sister recently revised and posted on her blog: White Privilege, White Muslim which has some really thought-provoking comments on how white converts to Islam don't magically stop being white. Plus she includes ALOT of useful links on white privilege generally, and related subjects.
The Sunni Sister recently revised and posted on her blog: White Privilege, White Muslim which has some really thought-provoking comments on how white converts to Islam don't magically stop being white. Plus she includes ALOT of useful links on white privilege generally, and related subjects.
invisibility blues
The invisibility of Black Hispanics is a theme which comes up so often it sometimes seems like a cliche (to me anyway). Why aren't there more Blacks in Spanish-language magazines? Why aren't there more Blacks on Spanish television? (Although I have to admit, we are appearing more on Spanish-language talkshows recently... but not necessarily in ways which make me well with pride.) And when I visited the Prado art museum in Madrid several years ago I felt like Buggin' Out from Do the Right Thing, asking myself "Why aren't there any brothers on the wall?"
On that note, George at Negrophile has recently pointed to some pieces dealing with Afro-Latin "invisibility". Where Did Mexico's Blacks Go? deals with Mexico while Blacks in Argentina and Long-Unclaimed African Roots discuss the mystery behind the "disappearance" of the Afro-Argentine population.
On that note, George at Negrophile has recently pointed to some pieces dealing with Afro-Latin "invisibility". Where Did Mexico's Blacks Go? deals with Mexico while Blacks in Argentina and Long-Unclaimed African Roots discuss the mystery behind the "disappearance" of the Afro-Argentine population.
Tuesday, December 20, 2005
john coltrane
From: The Jazz Church by Gordon Polatnick:
For a while now I've been meaning to include some links on these folks, they are a religious organization inspired by the music and spirituality of jazz great, John Coltrane. I've never been to a serice, but I'm still kind of impressed by the idea of being able to find sanctity and mystery in the midst of something which most folks would view from a more mundane perspective.
Saint John Coltrane African Orthodox Church
The Aspiration of John Coltrane by Richard Carlson
http://www.johncoltrane.com/
Sometimes I think I'm the only one who understands what true religion is. It's that cozy state of mind where nothing is more apparent than the unassailable fact that each of us belongs here on Earth, and is deeply loved by an enduring spirit. If you've got that kind of religion, you want to share it. If you've really got that kind of religion nobody will mistake you for a used god salesman. That's your litmus test, my proselytizing friend, turn one person off and it's back to the pew for you. True religion is the light bulb that just has to be flicked on to attract a flock of worshipping moths. Amen. That light bulb doesn't have to convince the moths that it's burning bright (those moths can tell and they
come a' runnin').
On Divisadero Street there is a pretty bright light bulb that first appeared over the head of Franzo King in 1971 when he had the idea to organize the "One Mind Temple Evolutionary Transitional Body of Christ," which would soon evolve into Saint John's African Orthodox Church.
For a while now I've been meaning to include some links on these folks, they are a religious organization inspired by the music and spirituality of jazz great, John Coltrane. I've never been to a serice, but I'm still kind of impressed by the idea of being able to find sanctity and mystery in the midst of something which most folks would view from a more mundane perspective.
Saint John Coltrane African Orthodox Church
The Aspiration of John Coltrane by Richard Carlson
http://www.johncoltrane.com/
monkey business
Any movie that features white people sailing off to the Third World to capture a giant ape and carry it back to the West for exploitation is going to be seen as a metaphor for colonialism and racism.
Or so says Newsday columnist James P. Pinkerton in his recent piece which tries to thoughtfully wrestle with the question: Is King Kong racist? (With a discussion of Joseph Conrad's Heart of Darkness to boot). Haroon at Avari/Nameh deals with similar issues in his timely post: the martyrdom of king kong
For my part, I agree whole-heartedly with Pinkerton's comment above and I don't think anyone should have to work very hard to view King Kong through a racial/political lens. Shoot, I have a friend who reads Curious George in the same way! Both are stories of apes taken out of Africa to the West. In the case of King Kong, the strong giant ape is blatantly exploited and when he rebels the story has to end violently and tragically. On the other hand, the Curious George stories are meant for young children so George is allowed to survive and is treated paternalistically, rather than harshly, by the Man in the Yellow Hat. (is there a "field ape" / "house ape" issue here?)
But to be honest, I never really got into Curious George or King Kong. I'm more a Planet of the Apes fan (And I'm only talking about Pierre Boule's original novel and the first 5-film cycle, not the television series or Tim Burton's remade pile of monkey s---)
In fact, one of my favorite all-time movies is Conquest of the Plant of the Apes largely because of the more interesting political content and the non-tragic ending where the apes (i.e. slaves) rebel and take over. Here the racial symbolism is perhaps too blatant for some tastes. The human characters who are most sympathetic to the ape cause are clearly Armando (played by Ricardo Montalban, a Hispanic) and Macdonald (played by Hari Rhoades, an African-American). And in the early 70's when the film came out, in the wake of the Watts riots, it would be hard to miss the connection between the political events of the day and the final climactic scene of the film when the apes have started to violently rise up against their human (i.e. white) oppressors, and Macdonald (the Black man) is arguing about revolutionary principles with Caesar, the ape leader:
MacDonald: Caesar... Caesar! This is not how it was meant to be.
Caesar: In your view or mine?
MacDonald: Violence prolongs hate, hate prolongs violence. By what right are you spilling blood?
Caesar: By the slave's right to punish his persecutor.
MacDonald: I, a decedent of slaves am asking you to show humanity.
Caesar: But, I was not born human
MacDonald: I know. The child of the evolved apes.
Caesar: Whose children shall rule the earth.
MacDonald: For better or for worse?
Caesar: Do you think it could be worse?
MacDonald: Do you think this riot will win freedom for all your people? By tomorrow...
Caesar: By tomorrow it will be too late. Why a tiny, mindless insect like the emperor moth can communicate with another over a distance of 80 miles..
MacDonald: An emperor ape might do slightly better?
Caesar: Slightly? What you have seen here today, apes on the 5 continents will be imitating tomorrow.
MacDonald: With knives against guns? With kerosene cans against flamethrowers?
Caesar: Where there is fire, there is smoke. And in that smoke, from this day forward, my people will crouch and conspire and plot and plan for the inevitable day of Man's downfall--the day when he finally and self-destructively turns his weapons against his own kind. The day of the writing in the sky, when your cities lie buried under radioactive rubble! When the sea is a dead sea, and the land is a wasteland out of which I will lead my people from their captivity! And we will build our own cities in which there will be no place for humans except to serve our ends! And we shall found our own armies, our own religion, our own dynasty! And that day is upon you... NOW!
(This is how the movie ends in the original script, but it was a bit too militant for some folks... go figure... so the content was later toned down when the film was released)
But to go back to the original question, I'm not sure how interesting it is to ask "Is King Kong a racist film?". Even if the title figure may be a stand-in for Black or Third World humanity (which is likely) the film's content is relatively easy to unpack and analyze and we can decide for ourselves who the heroes and villans are, and whether the ending is comic or tragic. The real question isn't whether the film is racist or not, the real question is who will we be rooting for?
Planet of the Apes (scripts for films and series)
Those Damn Dirty Apes! by Anthony Leong
Slate: The Apes of Wrath: The radical political history of Planet of the Apes.
Monday, December 19, 2005
latin left
The times, they are a chagin'.. in Bolivia...
In These Times: Evo Morales Has Plans for Bolivia
BBC News: Profile: Evo Morales
Common Dreams: Bolivia's Charge to the Left
Common Dreams: Bolivia's Hero Vows to Break US Shackles
Mercury News:Bolivia's presidential election could widen already deep divisions
also:
Vivir Latino: Hugo Chávez is Awarded Unesco José Martí Prize
In These Times: Evo Morales Has Plans for Bolivia
BBC News: Profile: Evo Morales
Common Dreams: Bolivia's Charge to the Left
Common Dreams: Bolivia's Hero Vows to Break US Shackles
Mercury News:Bolivia's presidential election could widen already deep divisions
also:
Vivir Latino: Hugo Chávez is Awarded Unesco José Martí Prize
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