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Volume 6 Issue 35…Dedicated to the Dialogue on Race…September 5, 2003
Walls
By R.L. Brown
If good fences make good neighbors, then what do walls create?
Within them we could store all our joy and love...and greed...and hate
We build our walls within ourselves,
While outside we claim we're open
Inside our hearts we place our bricks
It's our way of coping.
If good fences make good neighbors,
Do my walls bring others nearer?
Or serve instead to hold my dread,
To keep my vices dearer?
Or, walls within, relief or sin?
To protect others from what I may be?
Or rather would my walls defend 'gainst
That which I might see?
If good fences make good neighbors, then what do walls contain?
All my laughter
And my tears?
All my triumph...And pain?
If I pulled down each and every wall,
Would I know what I was daring?
Would I find I boxed in all my troubles?
Or all my joy and caring?
Within the shadows of our walls
A demon seed created
A lurking fear and dread of love
With joy the demon bated
We build our walls to fortify scars,
Protect from future abuse;
We build our walls to glorify pain,
To trap within misuse;
We also build walls against our fears,
Out of sight, out of mind
We now have wall against everything
Even that which is kind.
If good fences make good neighbors,
Then what do walls create?
A higher place from which to fall,
Or behind which to throw our hate
A fence will usually have a gate;
That gate is sometimes open;
But in order to get thru a wall,
Some bricks just must get broken.
About Me: "Good fences make good neighbors" is a line from the poem "Mending Wall" by Robert Frost. In "Walls," R.L. Brown uses it beautifully to capture the dilemma posed by erecting barriers, whether it is the historic Berlin Wall or the fence being built to separate Israelis and Palestinians. R. L. Brown's poetry is at http://officemart.hypermart.net/rlbrown/poetry.htm.
This Sunday, September 7, 2003, Atlanta explodes with conscious vibes. Presented by Locke & Key Entertainment Group and Pyramid Ventures, Poetic Episodes at Café Atlantis, 495 Peachtree Street, spotlights the ATL's hottest spoken word artists and live jazz every 1st and 3rd Sunday.
Teddy White's Band "Unplugged" kicks off this week's show, which features Yohannes Sharriff, TNT, Malachi, Lucky, Kimotion, Focus and A.R.T. Showcasing the future of Atlanta entertainment, this week's Poetic Episodes will be taped for a later showing on Whatz Happenin' TV/UPN 69. Stay tuned for dates and times! Doors open @ 8 PM. Admission is $5 with an email invitation or a $10 donation. For an invitation, email Lockeuno@hotmail.com or call 770-309-3298 for information. Be a part of the consciousness explosion!
Berlin Wall (1961-1989)
At the end of World War II (1945), military forces of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) surrounded Berlin. Partitioned into East and West Berlin, the Soviet occupied territory became the German Democratic Republic (GDR) or East Germany. Occupied by British, French and United States forces, West Berlin became the Federal Republic of Germany, commonly known as West Germany.
Between 1949, when East Germany was established, and the middle of 1961, more than two million people fled East Germany. Many of those fleeing hoped to find better economic opportunities in the West. In August 1961, the East Germans built fortifications to end the illegal migrations. These structures were fortified with concrete and steel and topped with barbed wire. Where walls were not possible, buildings were bricked-up. Border crossings were heavily guarded. The most famous became known as Checkpoint Charlie.
The Berlin Wall extended more than one hundred miles; it became the most visible symbol of the Cold War between the USSR (East) and the USA (West). Ostensibly built to prevent armed aggression and political interference from the West, the Berlin Wall kept East Germans in. Between 1961 and 1989, a few East Germans managed to escape; at least 80 died in border crossing attempts. Throughout this period, economic conditions in the East continued to decline.
On June 12, 1987, President Ronald Reagan in remarks at the Brandenburg Gate, challenged the East to unite Berlin and allow people on both sides of the wall to enjoy the prosperity associated with individual freedom enjoyed in the West. "General Secretary Gorbachev, if you seek peace, if you seek prosperity for the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, if you seek liberalization: Come here to this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, open this gate! Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!"
In 1989, the Berlin Wall became irrelevant as East Germans were allowed to pass through Hungary. On the verge of collapse, the East German government did not interfere as private citizens began to demolish sections of the wall on November 9. Eventually, the government participated in the wall's removal. In 1990, the two Germanys united becoming the Federal Republic of Germany. (Sources: http://encarta.msn.com/ and www.reaganfoundation.org)
Israeli Wall
White House visits by Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon confirmed that the wall or fence being built by Israel is a roadblock to Middle East peace. In his press briefing with Abbas, George W. Bush acknowledged it is a problem. Following his meeting with Sharon, Bush smiled and acquiesced on the need for Israeli security. Clearly, this security fence is so much more.
When completed, the wall will stretch nearly several hundred miles. In some areas, it will stand as high as 26 feet. With buffer zones, trenches and barbed wire, trace paths to register footprints, an electric fence with sensors, a two-lane patrol road and guard towers at regular intervals, the structure will cost millions of dollars to complete and maintain.
Annexation is a part of the wall's construction, since it uses Palestinian territory. The Fourth Geneva Convention prohibits the annexation of occupied territory. Likewise, such annexation violates the UN Charter, UN Resolution 242 and the Oslo accords, which provide that the status of the West Bank and Gaza shall not be changed pending the outcome of permanent status negotiations. The 1967 boundary between Israel and Palestine is being changed as Israel erects its wall.
Palestinians see it as an ongoing effort on the part of Israel to dominate the region, and in the process render the two-state concept moot. With the fence in place, many Palestinians will be cut off from their farmland, workplaces, schools and clinics. The wall will create a new generation of Palestinian refugees, while insuring the survival of illegal Israeli settlements.
International law scholars condemn the Israeli wall as an act of unlawful annexation in the language of Security Council Resolutions 478 and 497, which declare that Israel's actions aimed at the annexation of East Jerusalem and the Golan Heights are "null and void" and should not be recognized by states. Israel's claim of no ulterior motive in erecting the wall is not supported by the facts. The United States, under Republican Ronald Reagan, condemned East Germany for the Berlin Wall. It is time US politicians of all political persuasions reaffirm the US' commitment to freedom by opposing this equally offensive barrier. (Sources: Articles by Professor John Dugard - The International Herald Tribune - and Ross Dunn at www.news.scotsman.com)
By John Burl Smith
Riding the tail of the Harlem Renaissance, like Mark Twain's entrance with Halley's Comet, Mrs. Margaret Danner spent her life opening the eyes and minds of young black children to the power of imagination. Through her poetry and 50 years in classrooms, she taught them about their legacy of greatness. Seldom recognized for her contributions to the arts, Mrs. Danner personified the term "mentor." While a student at LeMoyne-Owens College in Memphis, Tennessee (1972), she dilated my world in unimagined ways.
Although education was highly prized among members of Rev. Burl Lee's clan, for the son of Mississippi sharecroppers struggling to survive, farming cotton left precious little time or fertile soil in which to plant seeds of knowledge. For me, a very poor grammar student, writing was like farming in rocky soil; one might work for months and not see any real progress. Yet, constituting the entire staff of What's Trump, a campus newsletter expropriated to be a liberation manifesto, I was the voice of black power in the Mississippi delta in the1970s.
Catching flak from the administration over my writings, Mrs. Danner, so small in stature but so huge in effect, insisted that, "There is something real inside him trying to get out." Prior to Danner's tutelage, I spent hours reading and plagiarizing icons like Dr. Lerone Bennett. Like a locksmith with the right keys, Mrs. Danner unlocked unrealized potential and released my spirit to dream of its own expression. Building my ideas on the solid foundation laid by others, I molded personal perspectives on current events against their historical offerings. Ignited by Mrs. Danner's brilliance, smothering thoughts exploded the emotions driving my expression. She would point to my work and say, "That's you on that paper John, make sure it is a true reflection."
Freely sharing her wealth of experiences and perspectives on contemporaries, such as Claude McKay, Gwendolyn Brooks and Dudley Randall, Mrs. Danner gave the Harlem Renaissance a kind of personal "how to" quality. Knowing someone who had actually been a part of a movement that changed minds and hearts gave a kind of missionary zeal to black power.
Thirty years later, I cannot imagine how the world would look had I not seen some of it through Mrs. Danner's eyes. One's vision of the world is the sum of one's experiences multiplied by the emotions generated. Not as star-studded as Mark Twain's comet ride, Mrs. Danner left a lasting legacy of giving and service. Learning that in painting the picture of one's life, values color our expressions, whether we are aware or not. Mrs. Danner's gentle persuasion helped me comprehend that one must select values, as a master painter chooses colors for his pallet and that impact is a gift that keeps on giving. Thank you Mrs. Margaret Danner!
The Dark Knight-Batman/White Ninja/Zorro comes alive at night. Because of school and the need to rise early, his nighttime ritual is curtailed from Sunday through Thursday. On Friday, he is free to stay up late. When asked about this dual state, the Dark One/Ninja/Zorro said, "It's not right, school should be at night!"
Disgruntled wants to know: When national test scores were published, the state of Georgia ranked last. Like most southern states, Georgia has a large black population. Historically, prior to Brown v Board of Education (1954), Georgia sought to limit black education and maintained a dual public school system for black and white children. As evidenced by the rabid resistance to Brown, attitudes are difficult to change, so social progress is slow. Given this, can southern states, indeed the nation, raise test scores when educating black children as a priority remains so low?
Disgruntled feels: Hoodwinked! The Iraqi invasion was planned well before the 9-11 attack. Bush officials from Donald Rumsfeld to Condoleezza Rice lied about the imminent threat posed by Iraq's weapons of mass destruction. As we prepare to commemorate 9-11, we should recall the lies Dubya and his minions have told and remember the men and women that have and continue to die because we were hoodwinked into war.
Disgruntled says: According to Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld, "Some things are unknowable," such as the cost of war. We do know the US used napalm and depleted uranium munitions in Baghdad, the casualty count numbers in the tens of thousands and nearly 40,000 of the frontline US troops carry green cards rather than US passports. We know, while the poor die, lucrative wartime contracts will make the wealthy richer.
By John Burl Smith
The roots of art and entertainment in the black community are in the black church. Religious consciousness developed as slaves searched for ways to hold onto their tradition of drums and dance in their worship ceremonies. Many would "Steal Away" into swamps and jungles for a more spiritual experience.
A two-faced approach, religion verses "blues," began with black minstrels traveling across the south after the Civil War entertaining on streets, in taverns and brothels. Flipping that script, itinerant preachers traveled circuits connecting isolated black enclaves. Meeting in homes, backrooms and schools, gospel minstrels were lifelines that connected lost souls to God and tied them together as sisters and brothers with a common fate.
The Harlem Renaissance's two-headed mind-set pulled blacks toward the inspirational sounds of Marian Anderson, Paul Robeson, James Weldon Johnson and Mahalia Jackson. Pulling the other way, they were tempted by Josephine Baker, Bessie Smith and W.C. Handy. Saturday night's fun bled into Sunday morning's guilt. Some black folks believed great innovators, like Robert Johnson, sold their souls to Satan.
Today, this double-bind holds sway as religious icons, such as the Wynans, Yolanda Adams and Kurt Franklin, do battle with the stars of sex and gansterism, like Eminem, Lil' Kim and P Diddy, for the hearts and minds of impressionable young people. Though times have changed, the choices remain the same, that is, until now. Pondering these developments today, young people see rock and hip-hop bands replacing choir stands in churches. They witness preachers from their pulpits transforming the Prince of Peace into a God of war.
Atlanta Vibe poets believe this divide is a false choice that requires young people to choose between spiritual concerns and secular expression. Spoken word artists, like Yohannes Sharriff, are breaking down barriers through conscious hip-hop. The great-great grandson of Rev. Burl Lee, Yohannes is tapping into his spiritual roots. A circuit rider in the Mississippi delta during the early 1900s, Rev. Lee preached, "The family is the building block of the community and raising the next generation is its most important obligation."
Honoring that legacy of service, Yohannes has embarked upon a spiritual revival of his own. Presently, he is collaborating with Leatrice McNair to take spiritual consciousness across the traditional divide that separates artistic performance from religion. This powerful performance provides an opportunity for families to experience positive vibes created by young black artists. Join Yohannes' family revival tour on Saturday, September 26, 2003 at the First Congregational Church located at 105 Courtland Street in downtown Atlanta, Georgia and cross the spiritual divide to oneness.
Mailbox: E-Mails, Faxes & Telephone Calls
Email hadeelassali@yahoo.com I plan to donate my car to charity and looked at the IRS website on charitable donations, etc. Apparently, you can get a tax-deduction for donating to Israeli charities! Check out http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p526.pdf - "Israeli Charities. You may be able to deduct contributions to certain Israeli charitable organizations under an income tax treaty with Israel. To qualify for the deduction, your contribution must be made to an organization recognized as a charitable organization under the laws of Israel. The deduction will be allowed in the amount that would be allowed if the organization was created under the laws of the United States, but is limited to 25% of your adjusted gross income from Israeli sources."
Email ImpeachSonOfaBush@yahoogroups.com The United States has asked Israel to explore reviving an oil pipeline route from Iraq directly to the oil refineries in the Israeli port of Haifa. Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon sees the pipeline project as a "bonus" in return for Israel's backing of the US-led campaign in Iraq. The pipeline from Mosul to Haifa was a vital supply line for British forces in WWII. It fell into disuse after 1948, when Iraqis stopped the flow of oil to newly independent Israel. Critics, including Israelis, have warned that plans to revive it could play to those in the Arab world and beyond who claim the US fought the Iraq war for oil.
Email ducksrus@hotmail.com The head of a company vying to sell voting machines in Ohio told Republicans in a fund-raising letter that he is committed to helping Ohio deliver its electoral votes to Bush next year. The letter from Walden O'Dell, chief executive of Diebold Inc., caused Democrats to question allowing O'Dell's company to calculate 2004 votes. O'Dell attended a strategy session with wealthy Bush backers, known as Rangers and Pioneers. After the Texas ranch pow-wow, he penned invitations to a $1,000-a-plate fund-raiser to benefit Ohio Republicans and Bush - at his mansion in the Columbus suburb of Upper Arlington.
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