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Be-Bob,
Blues & Bush
Amiri
Baraka to speak in Eugene.
by
Aria Seligmann
Writer and social activist Amiri Baraka is in town this week lecturing
at the UO as part of the Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration events and at the Lord
Leebrick Theatre, where he will discuss his play, Primitive World, and read
his poetry.
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On
the Bombing of the World Trade Center
Excerpt
from "Somebody Blew Up America," a poem by Amiri Baraka, October 2001
Who own the air
Who own the water
Who own your crib
Who rob and steal and cheat and murder
and make lies the truth
Who call you uncouth
Who live in the biggest house
Who do the biggest crime
Who go on vacation anytime
Who killed the most niggers
Who killed the most Jews
Who killed the most Italians
Who killed the most Irish
Who killed the most Africans
Who killed the most Japanese
Who killed the most Latinos
Who/Who/Who
Who own the ocean
Who own the airplanes
Who own the malls
Who own television
Who own radio
Who own what ain't even known to be owned
Who own the owners that ain't the real owners
Who own the suburbs
Who suck the cities
Who make the laws
Who made Bush president
Who believe the confederate flag need to be flying
Who talk about democracy and be lying
WHO/WHO/WHOWHO/
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At the UO, Baraka's talk will center on opposing terror and "Bushwhacker"
policies. In January of last year, he published Bushwacked!: A Counterfeit President
for a Fake Democracy!, a collection of essays on the 2000 election and other
elections like it.
The motivation for the book was simple. "It was a right-wing
coup, straight-out," he says. "For all the BS the corporate mouthpiece
media shovels, remember Gore won the popular vote by over 600,000 votes!"
In October, Baraka published a long poem, "Somebody Blew Up
America" (see sidebar for excerpt), that outlines his anger at oppression and
his understanding of the role American Imperialists played in the Sept. 11 attacks.
"The Bush family and Bin Laden were in bed together for awhile.
It was Bush 1 who recruited the Taliban and Bin Laden to overthrow the Russian backed
government in Afghanistan. They are merely what the CIA calls 'Blowbacks,' i.e.,
agents recruited by the CIA who later turn on the U.S.," he says.
For Baraka, turning a penetrating eye on politics and social issues
is nothing new. In fact, the world-renowned writer and speaker has been at it for
a long time.
He was born Everett LeRoi Jones in 1934 in Newark, NJ. He attended
Rutgers then Howard University. He was in the Air Force from 1954 to 1957, then moved
to Manhattan's Lower East Side, where he met the beat poets and began his writing
career. He co-edited Yugen magazine with first wife, Hettie Cohen, and the
following year founded Totem Press, which published Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac
and others.
In 1961, Baraka made a mark with his long poem, Preface to a
Twenty-Volume Suicide Note that chronicled the unique experience of African-American
existence. As the '60s progressed, Baraka became increasingly disillusioned with
white society and that showed up in many of his works. The Moderns: An Anothology
of New Writing in America introduced the importance of including African-American
voices in literature. His 1963 book of music criticism, Blues People, is a
classic in its field and his reputation as a playwright was established with the
1964 play, Dutchman, which won an Obie and was later made into a film.
After Malcolm X was assassinated in 1965, Baraka divorced his white
wife and moved to Harlem where he founded the Black Arts Repertory Theatre/School.
That school soon dissolved and he returned to his hometown of Newark, married African-American
poet Sylvia Robinson and founded the Spirit House Players.
In 1968, Baraka co-edited with Larry Neal Black Fire: An Anthology
of Afro-American Writing and his play Home on the Range was performed
as a benefit for the Black Panther Party. He then became a Muslim and changed his
name to Imamu Amiri Baraka. He was a founder and chairman of the Congress of African
People and one of the chief organizers of the National Black Political Convention.
In 1974, Baraka became a Marxist-Leninist and dropped his first
name of Imamu (which means "spiritual leader.") He and his wife, now called
Amina Baraka, edited Confirmation: An Anthology of African-American Women
(1984) and Music: Reflections on Jazz and Blues. Also that year, The Autobiography
of LeRoi Jones/Amiri Baraka was published.
Since then, Baraka has continued to write books, poems and plays
and he lectures around the world. He feeds the artistic appetite of his neighbors
and colleagues through Spirit House, where plays are performed.
Baraka is a mentor to many and his informal style and humor makes
him popular with students. Steve Morozumi, program advisor at the UO Multicultural
Center, which is hosting Baraka's visit to the UO, was approached by Lord Leebrick's
Artistic Director Corey Pearlstein, who wanted to collaborate in bringing Baraka
to Eugene in time for this weekend's opening of Baraka's play, Primitive World.
As it happens, Morozumi had met Baraka back East when he lived
in New York City. "He opened up my world and that of countless others to understanding
the experience of African Americans and the rich cultures of oppressed peoples globally,"
says Morozumi.
One of the missions and goals of the Multicultural Center is to
develop partnerships, collaborations and coalitions with community groups and artistic
forces, says Morozumi. "This anti-war play is very timely," he says. (See
story, p. 24)
Morozumi, who has previously brought Baraka to speak at UC Santa
Cruz, says he is an extremely entertaining, hilarious guy whose poetry is funny.
"He gets his point across; it's very political and makes you think," he
says, adding that Baraka's alternative point of view is "refreshing."
Baraka ponders the future of America under the Bush administration.
"Where are we going? Where we've been going, with some brief and very compromised
respites ... further and further to the right. The depression was in motion before
9/11. Bush is working feverishly with the rest of the right to pick the U.S. treasury
clean, giving money to the big corporations under the very ugly lying rhetoric about
'giving people their money back.' It makes you think he believes Americans are without
any mental apparatus at all."
On the current war on Afghanistan, Baraka explains, "The Bush
Right wants to make a 'gas station' out of the Middle East. It's no coincidence killer
Sharon (removed from office by Israelis after the slaughter of Palestinians in Lebanon
in '84) surfaces at the same time Bush does. Nor that Clinton's peace process 'spa'
is eliminated simultaneously. The invasion of Palestine, the contemplated attack
on Iraq and perhaps Somalia is simply to clear the way for U.S. imperialist oil interests.
Not to see this is to be duped," he says.
But Baraka doesn't point the finger of blame and leave it hanging
in the air. His Marxist-Leninist beliefs call for action.
"The society will continue to move to the right until the
great majority that opposed Bush and his far right agenda can pull together a national
people's democratic united front to oppose this right wing terror -- as Toni Morrison
called it the other night on TV, 'the Nazification of America' -- to oppose it with
word and deed. By demonstration and organization, and becoming a strident force in
local, state and national politics."
Baraka will discuss "Oppose Terrorism and Bushwacker Policies"
at 5 pm on Thursday, Jan. 10 in EMU's Gumwood Room, UO, and will give a lecture on
Friday, Jan. 11 in the Political Theatre class, 229 McKenzie, UO. Both events are
free. For further appearances, see story, p. 24.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Special Programs
NOTE: For Corvallis MLK-related events, see calendar.
Jan. 10 Lord Leebrick Theatre presents Primitive World,
a jazz opera by Amiri Baraka, at 8 pm tonight, tomorrow and Jan. 12, 17, 18 and 19
at Lord Leebrick Theatre. See Thursday, Jan. 10 calendar.
The UO week of Martin Luther King special programs presents "Revolutionary
Poetry and Talk on the International and Domestic Crisis" by Amiri Baraka at
5 pm in the Gumwood Room, EMU, UO. Reception follows. FREE.
An MLK open mic and candlelight vigil with Jayna Brown is at 7
pm at the Amphitheater, EMU, UO. FREE.
Jan. 11 Amiri Baraka speaks at 11 am in Room 229, McKenzie,
UO. FREE.
Jan. 15 "What Would MLK Say?" is a discussion with UO
faculty on Dr. King's impact on social movements and how it relates to our current
crisis at 6 pm in the International Student Lounge, EMU, UO. Dessert reception follows.
FREE.
Jan. 17 Stories to honor Dr. Martin Luther King by Paulette Ansari,
for children 1st grade and up, are told at 4 pm at the Springfield Public Library.
FREE.
Jan. 18 "Peace and Justice Through Cultural Understanding"
is a 3rd Annual Human Rights Symposium at 9 am at Jefferson Middle School. An MLK
assembly is at 2:30 pm. FREE.
Jan. 19 An MLK potluck features keynote speaker Bahati Ansari,
as well as music and dance at 6 pm at the Northwest Youth Corps Building. Bring food
and drinks to share, and utensils. 343-4023. FREE.
Jan. 21 "Tragedy and Triumph: The Strengthening of America"
features keynote speaker Nathan McCall at 5 pm at the Hult Center. FREE.
A National Association for the Advancement of Colored People MLK
march begins at 9 am at 10th and Grant. 485-4767. FREE.
Philadenco Dance Company performs ballet, jazz, ethnic and modern
dance at 8 pm at the Silva, Hult. 682-5000. A free pre-show lecture by Joan Myers
Brown is at 7 pm in Studio One. $18-$26, $14 youth/stu.
Jan. 22 An MLK showing of the film A Place of Rage
is at 7 pm at Mother Kali's Books. FREE.
MLK Creative workshops feature music and spoken art at 3 pm in
the basement, EMU, UO. FREE.
Jan. 23 An "Honoring Dr. King" performance by
Chris Stubbs, Mark Harris and the Eugene Peace Choir is at 5 pm in the Taylor Piano
Lounge, EMU, UO. FREE.
An MLK Unity Dinner and Dance begins at 6 pm at the Collier House,
UO. FREE.
Jan. 24 An MLK awards ceremony to honor exemplary staff,
faculty and administrators is at 11:30 am in the Lounge, Gerlinger, UO. FREE.
MLK,
Uncensored
King's speeches on peace and war.
By
Mark Robinowitz
The establishment of Martin Luther King Jr.'s birthday as
a national holiday has not been accompanied by a broad understanding of King's writings.
Each year, we are reminded that Dr. King "had a dream" for racial equality,
but few media discuss his opinions about the Vietnam war and economic disparities
in the wealthiest nation in human history.
Common Dreams news service recently stated that, "If Dr. Martin
Luther King, Jr., were alive today, he might well be leading acts of civil disobedience
against the war in Afghanistan. And he would probably be charged with domestic terrorism
under the new anti-terrorism act. Anyone who has any links to his organization, or
contributed money to it, could be charged, too." ("Martin Luther King:
A Domestic Terrorist?" by Ira Chernus), www.commondreams.org/views 01/103-008.htm
On April 4, 1967, exactly a year before his assassination, King
gave a speech "A Time to Break Silence: Declaration of Independence from the
War in Vietnam" at Riverside Church in New York City. This speech was attacked
by media institutions such as Time and The Washington Post for his
critique of the war, including the observation that "the greatest purveyor of
violence in the world today [is] my own government." He continued:
I am convinced that if we are to get on the right side of the
world revolution, we as a nation must undergo a radical revolution of values. We
must rapidly begin the shift from a "thing-oriented" society to a "person-oriented"
society. When machines and computers, profit motives and property rights are considered
more important than people, the giant triplets of racism, materialism and militarism
are incapable of being conquered.
A nation that continues year after year to spend more money on
military defense than on programs of social uplift is approaching spiritual death.
.... We still have a choice today; nonviolent coexistence or violent co-annihilation.
www.mlkonline.com/vietnam.html
In his speech, "The Drum Major Instinct" Feb. 4, 1968,
at Ebenezer Baptist Church, King said:
I love this country too much to see the drift that it has taken.
... God didn't call America to engage in a senseless, unjust war, [such] as the war
in Vietnam. And we are criminals in that war. We have committed more war crimes almost
than any nation in the world, and I'm going to continue to say it. And we won't stop
it because of our pride, and our arrogance as a nation.
"Where do we go from here?" King's last, and most radical,
Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) presidential address:
And one day we must ask the question, "Why are there 40
million poor people in America?" And when you begin to ask that question, you
are raising questions about the economic system, about a broader distribution of
wealth. When you ask that question, you begin to question the capitalistic economy.
And I'm simply saying that more and more, we've got to begin to ask questions about
the whole society. We are called upon to help the discouraged beggars in life's marketplace.
But one day we must come to see that an edifice which produces beggars needs restructuring.
... You see, my friends, when you deal with this, you begin to ask the question,
"Who owns the iron ore?" You begin to ask the question, "Why is it
that people have to pay water bills in a world that is two-thirds water?" ...
Now, when I say question the whole society, it means ultimately coming to see that
the problems of racism, the problem of economic exploitation, and the problem of
war are all tied together.
On "The Casualties of the War in Vietnam," Feb. 25, 1967:
An ugly repressive sentiment to silence peace-seekers depicts
... persons who call for a cessation of bombings in the north as quasi-traitors,
fools or venal enemies of our soldiers and institutions. Free speech and the privilege
of dissent and discussion are rights being shot down by Bombers in Vietnam. When
those who stand for peace are so villified, it is time to consider where we are going
and whether free speech has not become one of the major casualties of the war.
Most of King's speeches can be found at the Martin Luther King,
Jr. Papers Project (www.stanford.edu/group/King/home.htm) and in the book A Testament of Hope -- The Essential Writings and Speeches
of Martin Luther King, Jr. (James. M. Washington, ed., New York: Harpers Collins,
1986). They are indispensable guides for understanding the evolution of King's ideas.
Other resources on-line include:
-- "MLK Jr's Murder: Confessions of Conspiracy" by Sean Gonsalves.
-- History of FBI Counter-Intelligence Program persecution of Dr. King
-- "The Martin Luther King Conspiracy Exposed in Memphis" By Jim Douglass.
-- "Who Killed Martin Luther King?"
By Douglas Valentine.
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