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Arundhati Roy - Come September
On the anniversary of 9/11, take the time to listen to this brilliant, beautiful talk by Arundhati Roy. Though the speech is from 2002, it remains relevant and gains even more meaning over the years.
Actually, really knowing someone doesn’t mean anything. People change. A person may like pineapple today and something else tomorrow.
重慶森林, 1994 (Chungking Express) dir. Wong Kar-wai
“To my mind, it’s an attempt by people who cannot stand the progress our country has made in recognizing the human rights of all of our citizens to overturn that progress. Right now, there are many groups, businesses, and individuals in North Carolina working to oppose and overcome these negative developments. Taking all of this into account, I feel that this is a time for me and the band to show solidarity for those freedom fighters. As a result, and with deepest apologies to our dedicated fans in Greensboro, we have canceled our show scheduled for Sunday, April 10th. Some things are more important than a rock show and this fight against prejudice and bigotry — which is happening as I write — is one of them. It is the strongest means I have for raising my voice in opposition to those who continue to push us backwards instead of forwards.“
I’ve been repeatedly and vocally dismayed at Springsteen’s complete detachment from politics on the current tour. I’d actually started a piece about it, wondering how on a tour that calls itself “The River 2016″–given how the first River tour was where he found his political voice onstage, both from what he said, and the covers he chose, and how he would sequence the show. You can crawl Brucebase and watch it unfold for yourself, but at one point it was DARKNESS ON THE EDGE OF TOWN / INDEPENDENCE DAY / FACTORY / WHO’LL STOP THE RAIN / THE PROMISED LAND, which is a big giant wallop of STATEMENT in your face, if you were paying attention. If you weren’t, it was just a solid block of songs (okay, maybe not “Factory,” but that’s another piece). I have a long history with this man. I spend a lot of time studying this man’s work. I get paid to observe and watch and analyze and write about him. I just did not understand how he could watch the news and not say something about the madness.
And then he comes out today with this.
Why did he have to cancel the show? Because making some remarks from the stage that might or might not get covered on a Sunday night by local press is not the same as a decision with consequences. I don’t have access to the contracts but Springsteen absolutely took some kind of financial loss here to withdraw from the show for this reason. He’s not rescheduling. He’s cancelling and giving people their money back.
Also, right now this news has hit every news outlet across America, including classic rock stations, the New York Times, and local news outlets. Springsteen’s core audience in the US is overwhelmingly white CIS males of a certain age. I’m not saying that every older male Bruce fan in his 50′s is homophobic–I certainly know enough that are not–but there are probably more than a few that are on the fence or not quite sure what to think, in addition to the ones who would ask lots of careful questions about whether Terry in “Backstreets” was a boy or a girl. (Holler at you former r.m.a.s. denizens.)
Bruce used to introduce “Born To Run” with the sentence, “Remember, nobody wins unless everybody wins.” This is essence allyship. This is taking a stand. This is standing up for the less privileged. This is what Bruce Springsteen’s music has always stood for.
Yes!
Two things happen when you challenge power structures:
1) You win
Or
2) They switch the game up
A month ago Mizzou’s football team went on strike to stand in solidarity with Black students at the school who took on the Administration for failing to protect them. Now a Missouri legislator is proposing a bill that would eliminate a student-athletes scholarship if they go on strike.
They know that racial tension has *been* high & Black students dominate athletic programs so the threat of another strike is imminent and athletic strikes are a university’s financial kryptonite so this is how they fired back.
Understand that when we challenge white supremacy within these power structures, we’re playing Chess, not Checkers. I’m interested to see the student movements next move(s). Game on! #Mizzou #StudentBlackOut #BlackOnCampus #Missouri
Haruki Murakami (via quotemadness)
Ansel Adams' photographs of everyday life in WW2 concentration camps portray a time that shaped our community forever. The story of how the experience affected Adams is also interesting. The embedded newsreel would be humorous were it not so outrageously painful.
first week living at kiwi house
Hey that little table looks familiar! :)
Oregon trip
Read the conversation between Grace Lee Boggs and Angela Davis here: http://bit.ly/1I9Lw7U
Arundhati Roy - Come September
On the anniversary of 9/11, take the time to listen to this brilliant, beautiful talk by Arundhati Roy. Though the speech is from 2002, it remains relevant and gains even more meaning over the years.
me
Hello, world!
In the new Adbusters!!
Nice!
me
Hi! Miss you! :)
the nicest mini ramp in norway
took a train to Bergen, on the west coast of Norway.
