A Mugging In Broad Daylight

“I see in the near future a crisis approaching that unnerves me and causes me to tremble for the safety of my country. Corporations have been enthroned, an era of corruption in high places will follow, and the money-power of the country will endeavor to prolong it's reign by working upon the prejudices of the people until the wealth is aggregated in a few hands and the Republic is destroyed.”

-Abraham Lincoln

...question everything...



Stay Tuned

::MixMasterE::

Modal Shifts

When a song is well ahead of its time and cuts deep into the nature of our collective experience, it belongs to the eternal spheres. Stevie has created many memorable classics that reside in this sphere to include the piece featured below. Take one line like, "Change your words into truths and then change that truth into love.." and one can feel the wisdom of the ages at the core of one's being. His words are like scripture pointing to a path to a more enlightened mode of being....


"As"

As around the sun the earth knows she's revolving
And the rosebuds know to bloom in early May
Just as hate knows love's the cure
You can rest your mind assure
That I'll be loving you always
As now can't reveal the mystery of tomorrow
But in passing will grow older every day
Just as all is born is new
Do know what I say is true
That I'll be loving you always

Until the rainbow burns the stars out in the sky
Until the ocean covers every mountain high
Until the dolphin flies and parrots live at sea
Until we dream of life and life becomes a dream

Did you know that true love asks for nothing
Her acceptance is the way we pay
Did you know that life has given love a guarantee
To last through forever and another day
Just as time knew to move on since the beginning
And the seasons know exactly when to change
Just as kindness knows no shame
Know through all your joy and pain
That I'll be loving you always
As today I know I'm living but tomorrow
Could make me the past but that I mustn't fear
For I'll know deep in my mind
The love of me I've left behind
Cause I'll be loving you always

Until the day is night and night becomes the day
Until the trees and seas just up and fly away
Until the day that 8x8x8 is 4
Until the day that is the day that are no more
Did you know that you're loved by somebody?
Until the day the earth starts turning right to left
Until the earth just for the sun denies itself
I'll be loving you forever
Until dear Mother Nature says her work is through
Until the day that you are me and I am you

We all know sometimes life's hates and troubles
Can make you wish you were born in another time and space
But you can bet you life times that and twice its double
That God knew exactly where he wanted you to be placed
so make sure when you say you're in it but not of it
You're not helping to make this earth a place sometimes called Hell
Change your words into truths and then change that truth into love
And maybe our children's grandchildren
And their great-great grandchildren will tell
I'll be loving you

Until the rainbow burns the stars out in the sky--Loving you
.. the ocean covers every mountain high--Loving you
.. the dolphin flies and parrots live at sea--Loving you
.. we dream of life and life becomes a dream--Be loving you
.. the day is night and night becomes the day--Loving you
.. the trees and seas up, up and fly away--Loving you
.. the day that 8x8x8x8 is 4--Loving you
.. the day that is the day that are no more--Loving you
.. the day the earth starts turning right to left--Be loving you
.. the earth just for the sun denies itself--Loving you
.. dear Mother Nature says her work is through--Loving you
.. the day that you are me and I am you...

Now ain't that loving you
Until the rainbow burns the stars out in the sky
Ain't that loving you
Until the ocean covers every mountain high

...I've got to say ....always

OneLove/One Humanity

::MixMasterE::

There Are Angels

You may never get to hear this quality music in the mainstream for the simple fact that it is not formulaic & mind-numbing (like a Lil Wayne "song"). Such a pity as Georgia Anne Muldrow's aim is to awaken the consciousness of all who care to listen (her message: we're all One in this Grand Mystery). First check out this incredible 70's throwback video of her current release, "Run Away", then take a listen to her CD which I predict will be hailed as one of the finest recordings of 2009.



The Beauty of Creation Bears Witness to God

Question the beauty of the earth,
the beauty of the sea,
the beauty of the wide air around you,
the beauty of the sky;
question the order of the stars,
the sun whose brightness lights the day,
the moon whose splendour softens the gloom of night;
question the living creatures that move in the waters,
that roam upon the earth, that fly through the air;
the sirit that lies hidden, the matter that is manifest;
the visible things that are ruled,
the invisible that rule them,
question all these.
They will answer you:
'Behold and see, we are beautiful.'
Who made these beautiful changing things,
if not One who is beautiful and changeth not?

From the poem Saint Augustine by Joseph Mary Plunkett

OneLove!

::::MixMasterE::::

Metaphor-phosis: From Chrysalis to Butterfly

Cowardice asks the question - is it safe?
Expediency asks the question - is it politic?
Vanity asks the question - is it popular?
But conscience asks the question - is it right?
And there comes a time when one must take a position
that is neither safe, nor politic, nor popular;
but one must take it because it is right.

-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.


There is so much going on in the world right now that it is impossible to keep up with it all. Instability from the individual to the global level is spiraling into unchartered territory. Whether things get better any time soon is anybody's guess, but I submit to you that unless we shift our consciousness away from the pitiful modern absurdities to a more encompassing and progressive mind-set that is able to discern truth from fiction & the unity behind the seemingly different, we will all continue to gnash our teeth in this hell that we have created for ourselves. Conspiracy theorist I am not. I can't even say that I am religious, even though I respect the various religious traditions. I am spiritual though (however you want to define it), and what I see happening now is nothing short of spiritual warfare within & without the mind of Man.

We have to kick the habit of following the herd and really think for ourselves without fear. In the end, we can reclaim what we all came here with from the start, our naked souls.

Recently, I took the time to watch an utterly fascinating documentary entitled, "The Freedom Movie Pts 1 & 2" which confirmed many of the things I've always believed and stated from time to time on this site. The first few clips in part 2 are OK--they could have presented a more convincing argument, but it really picks up from the 5th to the 14th clips. Check it out for yourself & get your third eye poked. (When the presentation is finished, click on the tabs to part 2, 3, etc...)



Stay awake...

:::MixMasterE:::

Mr Hudson's World

Every now and then an artist springs up out of nowhere and just dazzles & rockets to the top faster than Beyonce can change her weave. You can call Kanye West many things, but he is undeniably a musical wizard and credit goes to him for introducing a relative newcomer to a wider audience who goes by the name of Mr Hudson. This cat may not have the greatest voice in the world, but he has what many artists need more of, namely, raw honesty and a passion beyond the superficial. Mr Hudson reminds me of Chris Martin (Coldplay) & Rob Thomas (Matchbox 20, but he has a street/hustler mentality about him as well which sets him apart. I put together my "best of" playlist of Mr Hudson's work. For me, the standout track is "There Will Be Tears" which highlights a man's vulnerability & sense of loss which so many of us (men) try to camouflage, foolishly. We all gotta cry sometimes.

Selected cuts: http://www.filefactory.com/f/a18ec8fc5e7faba6/



::::Peace::::::

Exit....Stage Right!!

I haven't written in a while as I have been going through alternating currents of engagement with and withdrawal from the state of the world. Truth be told, whatever personal successes we've accomplished amounts to little when one thinks as a global citizen on events such as the forced evictions of Palestinian families by the Israeli government, the tragedy of Afghanistan and Iraq, the continuing global financial crisis (with half of the world's wealth just ((POOF)), gone...Leaving an ever-deepening river of tears), the lack of urgency I see in combating a warming planet & most recently, the backlash against Pres. Barack Obama that have very nasty undertones of this nation's darkest scar, racial hatred. I sometimes find myself withdrawing in order to maintain a sense of balance and calm as one can get on edge constantly thinking, discussing and trying to contribute in some small way to make a difference.

I recently looked at an interview featuring KRS-One (see video) and was quite impressed with his scope and depth of vision & active engagement. One of the things he said which is quite poignant if not controversial, is that many people (especially people of color) have fallen asleep and have given Pres. Obama a free pass. In a way, that is true. We have allowed ourselves to become somewhat blinded by his historical achievement and allowed our emotions take precedence over our critical intelligence. I like Pres. Obama, personally & I pray for him to shutdown all of his detractors with brilliant tactical maneuvers, but like any public official, he has to be held under scrutiny. I am not a fan of the weak notion of "if you're not with me, you're against me". Nor do I think that people who critique Pres. Obama are aiding his enemies who seek to tear him apart. Any true democracy must have at its base a curious and intelligent citizenry who actively tackle the pressing issues of the day. If Pres. Obama caves into powerful interests & turns his back on many of his promises, it must be respectfully stated. However, one has to be realistic enough to know that the office of the President is really nothing short of a front for more powerful entities pulling strings from elsewhere. Let's be clear on that. Presidents will come and go, but the AIGs, Lockheed-Martins, ArcherDanielsMidlands and BankofAmericas of the world will still be around calling the shots circumventing real democracy.

Thank You, Michael

MME's MJ Playlist Vol 1 

I know that Death licks our heels constantly and can claim us at whatever time, yet it's still hard to see people go. Plenty of stories have been written about Michael and I suspect countless more are on the horizon, but as far as I am concerned, it's all about his heart he poured into his music, nothing more. May you rest in a long-deserved peace, brother.





OneLove

:::MixMasterE:::

He Who Has Ears To Hear (Let Him Hear)

A Strange Beauty Remixed playlist by MixMasterE

If music be the food of love, play on,
Give me excess of it; that surfeiting,
The appetite may sicken, and so die....

We come spinning out of nothingness,
scattering stars like dust.
We rarely hear the inward praise song,
but we're all dancing to it nevertheless.
To praise is to praise how one surrenders
to every tune of the symphony celestial...

It is cruel, you know, that music should be so beautiful. It has the beauty of loneliness of pain: of strength and freedom. The beauty of disappointment and never-satisfied love. The cruel beauty of nature and everlasting beauty of monotony.


Music is a moral law. It gives soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination, and charm and gaiety to life and to everything.


Who hears music feels his/her solitude peopled at once.

(Selected quotes from Shakepeare, Plato, Robert Browning, Benjamin Britten)

Peace

::MixMasterE:::

Rockin' Ahead Of Time

I always considered the music of Kenna and Lenny Kravitz way ahead of its time. Their bold and wildly uncompromising blues/soul-driven rock is such a refreshing blast that one feels the urgency to start a revolution--from within. Check out the following playlist which I feel captures the essence of two of rock's most innovative & dynamic artists.

RockinSouls: Kenna & Lenny Kravitz. Playlist by MixMasterE


Dare to be..You!!

::MixMasterE::

Slow Jammin' The News

Video Recaps | Full Episodes | Webisodes

(..funny stuff! who knew that Black Thought from The Roots could sing like that?)

Peace

::MixMasterE::

Who's Going To Save My Soul?

The riveting, sublime depth of this space-blues cut is a naked cry of the human condition. The over-used line, "It is better to have loved & lost...." stalks this video in quite gruesome yet clever detail, but the point is made. This song reminded me of the work of the great poet Rainer Rilke in his book, "Love & Other Difficulties". That book (one of many) really opened me up to certain realities as a young lad filled with vexatious ambivalence towards my motives as well as the motives of others. Rilke gives us the following letter he wrote to a friend many moons ago which breathes a fantastic rendering of the video:

To love is good, too: love being difficult.
For one human being to love another: that is perhaps
The most difficult of all our tasks, the ultimate,
The last test and proof, the work for which all other work is but preparation.
For this reason young people, who are beginners in everything,
Cannot yet know love: they have to learn it.
With their whole being, with all their forces, gathered close about their lonely, timid, upward-beating heart, they must learn to love.
But learning-time is always a long, secluded time, and so loving, for a long while ahead and far on into life, is--

Solitude, intensified and deepened loneness for him who loves.

Love is at first not anything that means merging, giving over& uniting with another
(for what would a union be of something unclarified and unfinished, still subordinate--?),
It is a high inducement to the individual to ripen, to become something in himself for another's sake, it is a great exacting claim upon him...

Something that chooses him out and calls him to vast things. 

Whew!! That's intense. Go ahead and marinate on that for a while....







OneLove!

::MixMasterE::

Retro-Cool

(This image aptly symbolizes the 1960's & the revolutionary spirit of the times that shook the world).

I haven't written in a few weeks because of..you know...the recession..credit card interest hikes..gas prices...bad Chinese shrimp scampi... :0 )....I saw the following video recently and was delighted to hear the vintage sound making its way back. Raphael Saadiq did a throwback to the 60's sound with his latest release, "The Way I See It". Other artists have gotten their retro-twist on as well like Beyonce & Colin Munroe. If a trend is starting in this direction, I'm all for it as the 60's (and 70's)produced the greatest music ever made.





OneLove


::MixMasterE::

Guess Who's Coming To Dinner?

The legendary reggae superstar, Peter Tosh, once bellowed, "No matter where you come from/As long as you’re a black man/You’re an African.” Add to these lines,"..As long as you're a white man/you're an African". Most people know (or should know) that the Africans were the first modern human population, but paradoxically lose sight of the fact that the Africans also gave rise to the Asian, European & Middle Eastern as well. Scientists have known for a while through human genetic research in mitochondrial DNA and Y chromosome haplotypes that Europeans and Asians have distant African ancestry. Modern humans evolved in Africa 200,000 to 100,000 years ago. Many left Africa around 60,000 years ago and migrated around the world giving rise to the people that you see today.

Yesterday it was reported that one of Britain's leading forensic scientists reconstructed a face from fossilised fragments of skull and jawbone from 35,000 - 40000 years ago (discovered in a cave in Romania). The picture above represents one of the earliest known anatomically modern Europeans. I have to admit that this reconstructed face looks a lot like Boston Celtics' Ray Allen.

In any case, BBC will be airing a fascinating series entitled. "The Incredible Human Journey" on 5/10/09 which will document human origins and evolution, from our cradle in Africa to the long journeys that led us to populate the most distant lands.

I am sure many "white" people will be dismayed, perhaps angered as the notion of white superiority still permeates through the culture. A lot has been invested in maintaining the differences between whites and people of color--from standards of beauty to notions of intelligence, power & 'high culture'. Indeed "black" still rings loud and clear as a negative signifier in spite of President Obama's achievements. The concrete scientific evidence of Africans being the earliest European ancestors is bitter tonic, but as Churchill once stated, "The truth is incontrovertible, malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it, but in the end; there it is.” (Or as Miami's Tag Team once chimed, "Whoomp! There it is!")

One Love!

:::MixMasterE:::

A Beautiful Mind - Ernie Barnes (1938-2009)

As some of you may know by now, figurative painter (& former NFL player) Ernie Barnes died on 4/27/09 of a rare blood disorder. I've been a fan of Mr Barnes from the moment I saw the well-known painting, "Sugar Shack", at the end of the hit 70's series, "Good Times" & his "ghost paintings" through the character of J.J. Evans (Jimmy Walker). He painted with so much depth & "knowing" as illustrated in the sharp, angular, muscularly-taut & emotive outlines of his forms. Interestingly, he never painted 'open eyes' and this was because he observed that, " "We don't see each other. We are blind to each other's humanity."

Legendary composer, Bill Withers, who was a close friend of Mr Barnes during the last decade of his life, said of his friend, "He wanted people to look past the superficial into the real vulnerable parts of themselves...He wanted to help people peel away that layer of protection that we all wear to ward off any intrusion into our real private thoughts".

In tribute to this extraordinary artist (deemed a master of the "analyzed moment"), I created a playlist of two brothers who are cut from the same cloth as Mr Barnes: Antwan Patton & Andre Benjamin aka Outkast. I consider these cats the cream of the crop--simply unsurpassed in their originality, openness, eclecticism, poetic fluidity & innovative musicality. Indeed, Mr Barnes own natural rhythmic musicality jumps from his soulful masterpieces & he will be missed. What a life well spent!

R.I.P brother....

MME's OutKast Mixtape


::MixMasterE::

Who Sampled Ya?

Nothing new under the sun / What has been will be again....

So you think Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy", Kanye West's "Jesus Walks" & Snoop's "Gin & Juice" were all original cuts that just evolved in the mind of the artist out of nowhere? Think again.

So much of today's popular music has deep roots in the rich fertile fields of the seventies/eighties. There was something unique about that period that produced such brilliant music from the likes of Stevie Wonder, James Brown, Al Green, Aretha Franklin, Rolling Stones, Queen..the list goes on. I am not sure why the music of that era was arguably better than the music of today. It could be that after the socio-cultural & political upheavals of the sixties with the Vietnam War, two Kennedy assassinations as well as the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr, Malcolm X, the liberation struggles of the "Third World" nations, the oil crisis & a whole host of other interrelated issues caused undue stress on the psyche of the people both domestically and internationally. Music as a whole reacted and served as a valve to relieve these pressures, hence the emphasis on peace, understanding, and having a good time on the dance floor and in the bedroom. Marvin Gaye's "What's Going On", Stevie Wonder's "Songs In The Key" (& "Talking Book"), Michael Jackson's "Off the Wall", James Brown's, "Sex Machine" are just a few of the gems that the seventies produced. What other era produced so much quality & originalty?

I assembled the following playlist to highlight a few of my favorite Hip Hop cuts that have their origins in the seventies/eighties musical landscape. Many of the samples are exact copies of the originals with a loopy bass added here and drum machine added there. I aint knocking it as I enjoy it all--I just want folks (especially the youths) to understand the debt owed to the greats of the past. .
Enjoy!!

::MixMasterE::

..where private chaos and social outrage meet....

We're living in a strange time.

This politico-economic system that a vast number has had so much faith in for so long (in spite of its glaring contradictions), is on the ropes. And what's stranger still is that the same class of folks who have always milked the system and jerked our chains are the same exact folks who have been put in charge to "rescue" this massive systemic failure!

President Obama, indubitably a great thinker, orator and charismatic leader who has inspired the world that anything is possible, is in many ways, like all the Presidents before him, a pawn to the powerful corporate entities as the TARP bailouts can attest to. The rise of the corporation has pretty much usurped/diffused the power of the people and as usual, we are left holding the vaseline. Electoral politics, no matter how persuasive and appealing, is quite shallow as it is built on the sandy shores of false promises.

Nothing short of a massive social upheaval/paradigm shift can reverse the charm and power of the sophisticated snake-oil salesmen with impressive degrees who command our industries and government. Martin Luther King, Ghandi, Nelson Mandela & Evo Morales all understood one thing: Power concedes NOTHING without the people taking it to the streets and going toe to toe with those who want to keep things as is. Persistence is key as caving into complacency is oh! so damn easy! Being creatures of comfort, we tend to go the route of least resistance even if doing so is against our collective interests--aint that the truth?

Read between the lines & follow the money & you will find the Puppet Masters who laughingly cast the shadows that seduce the world......

Peace

::MixMasterE::

Michael vs The Jackass

Michael Eric Dyson's rapid-fire, take-no-prisoners oratorical gifts are quite impressive. He breaks the mold of the intellectual as the no-life, ornery dust-ball sequestered in isolated chambers ruminating over the fundamentals of reality while escaping it. Dr Dyson engages and dissects & can wax eloquent on a vast range of topics from Hip Hop to presidential politics to the boundaries of the Western philosophical canon. In this clip, he pretty much makes his opponent look like a chump in need of a clue & another job.

Peace

::MixMasterE::

..one tiny moment in time...

Sit back
And in these days
Remember my ways
Oh...Will I get out of my cage?
Yes..I am a slave
Searching for some freedom
So intend to sing them songs
To spark memories
What is a man with no history?
Where am I? Who am I? What is this place?
We're just spinning in space

I will be light

Time will continue without you
So in the end
Its not about you
But..
What did you do?
Who do you love besides...you?
Many died in the name of vanity
Many die,in their mind’s eye, for justice
We die for you
And still do
So I say to you
This is nothing new

I will be light

YOU GOT ONE TINY MOMENT IN TIME
FOR LIFE TO SHINE
TO BURN AWAY THE DARKNESS

I will be light

OneLove

:::MME:::

Light on the Edge of Darkness

Commercial radio and television are vast wastelands (for the most part). I know many people who are growing weary of the mind-numbing stupidity that commercial media feeds us insultingly labeled as 'entertainment'. How many news stories must one hear of Amy Winehouse or Rihanna as if they matter? And what is up with the overkill on the radio? Who has not grown tired of the empty, rootless and imitative music that comes out of the speakers every time the radio is switched on? And let's not speak of the level of narcissistic exhibitionism in many of the popular musicians today.

The following playlist celebrates a different kind of sound seldom heard....

Absorb it.

My Cool: Inward Travel Guide-Playlist by MixMasterE

OneLove

::MixMasterE::

An Exercise in Irony

Our strategy should be not only to confront empire, but to lay siege to it. To deprive it of oxygen. To shame it. To mock it. With our art, our music, our literature, our stubbornness, our joy, our brilliance, our sheer relentlessness - and our ability to tell our own stories. Stories that are different from the ones we’re being brainwashed to believe. The corporate revolution will collapse if we refuse to buy what they are selling - their ideas, their version of history, their wars, their weapons....their notion of inevitability.


Arundhati Roy

Examined Life: Slavoj Zizek

A few weeks ago while doing a little research on something I'm working on, I ran across a very interesting philosopher/cultural critic named Slavoj Zizek. I've listened to and read my fair share of academic/social philosophers throughout the years, but I have never found any of them humorous (except for Cornel West on occasion). Zizek is not only damn funny in both the content and manner of his presentation, but he has a fascinating erudition as well. He makes quite lucid observations on a broad range of topics from film to the war in Iraq, but through it all, he retains an iconoclastic and acerbic wit that zones in our our most cherished beliefs. From what I have read of him so far, his mission seems to be somewhat Buddhist in nature in that he wants us all to constantly engage the "real" (in Engaged Buddhism, being idolatrous about or bound to any doctrine, theory, or ideology is dangerous and close-minded. Zizek attempts to break these mind-shackles, I think, by asserting that there is no such thing as absolute truths. In fact, in his mindscape, the world only makes sense if you turn it upside down and inside out!).

There are two books I will have to add to my already huge "must-read" list which are "The Fragile Absolute" & "The Puppet and the Dwarf". I think exploring the mind of this engaging philosopher is time well spent. Here are a few clips of Zizek:

Zizek on Love:-

Slavoj Zizek about love
Uploaded by Ali_La_Pointe

(This is deep. If one reads between the lines, he seems to suggest that our notions of "love" are deeply flawed and tragic. Love as a violent act, in his terms, may suggest a form of spontaneous non-attachment which is an alien notion in a culture saturated with fantasies and illusions of love...)

Zizek on Freudian Sexuality:-



Zizek on the Nature of Reality:-



...and one more interesting piece: Zizek on President Obama

peace

::MixMasterE::

Shooting Stars, Falling Objects

Oh! The games people play! We have all heard or perhaps experienced our fair share of love affairs that started out with so much hope and reciprocity only to end up in smoke & ashes for one reason or another. Everyone's situation is unique so passing judgment is a foolish venture, but I have to admit, men (sorry fellas) are largely to blame (although women aren't too far behind in the blame department!).

The notion of "men are from Mars/Women from Venus" has some elements of truth in it as it appears that we see & experience things differently on many levels. Studies on the brains of men and women have proven this. For example, men rank good looks and facial attractiveness more important than women do, whereas women rank honesty, humor, kindness and dependability more important than men do. Men cheat more than women do not because of love, but because of sex. Some women cheat because of sex, but mostly they cheat because of the aforementioned factors (kindness, attentiveness, etc). What I have learned is that the golden key to any relationship is compromise. Conceptually easy to understand, but damn hard to execute as so many factors come into play (class & cultural differences, education & experience, etc) which tend to lean more towards antagonistic contradictions. What I find lacking in most folks is the art of compromise or sacrifice. It's as if no one wants to give up his/her selfish desires/inclinations & would much rather conveniently sweep stuff under the rug (which is why most relationships fail).

I am no "relationship expert" (don't believe in that crap as those so-called experts with all the answers have their fair share of breakups too!), but I do know that what are absolute "musts" in any relationship are gut-bucket honesty and no-frills communication every step along the way. Oh sure, feelings will get hurt sometimes, but would you prefer to live in a happy lie or a painful truth? If you answer the former, your ass is doomed.

OneLove!


::MixmasterE::

...a jazz-infused meditation...

I saw the dreamer raise his hand
Into a world of possibilities

I saw the dreamer raise his hand
Into a sky of light and love

I saw the dreamer raise his hand
Into a day of tomorrow

I saw the dreamer raise his hand…

..dive & be released..

::MixMasterE::

Dwele: "How Do I Deal?"

We're living in some dark times...This video from one of my favorite Hip Hop/Soul artists, Dwele, highlights the pressure many are feeling living/struggling through these turbulent times.



Peace

:::MixMasterE:::

Godspeed, Mr. President

Tomorrow, 1/20/09, will go down as one of the finer moments of America's history. Never have I witnessed such excitement and hyperbole over an inauguration and, I must admit, it has been quite impressive stuff--from the star-studded performances on Lincoln Memorial to the glimmers of hope on the faces & conversations of many in spite of the avalanche of dismal economic news. This brings me to the reason I felt compelled to write this post: Hope.

I have hope, but in all honesty, I am not very optimistic about the future, at least not about short-term possibilities (most notably, the financial crisis, wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the prospect of Iran developing a nuclear weapon and the question of Israel's murderous abuse of power and total lack of concern for the humanity and dignity of the Palestinians).

What I admire about President Obama is his emphasis on hope and change. History is too complex and contingent on too many things to accurately make predictions about where we are heading. One thing that should be clear, nonetheless, is the necessity of keeping hope alive & constantly learning from mistakes & adapting to new conditions. As Obama emphasized, change is always possible, even in the face of great odds. Acting on that assumption creates the possibility of progress. Indeed, the love and sacrifice of so many known & unknown agitators for the cause of justice and equality, many who fought against unimaginable odds & lost their lives in the most horrific of ways, created the conditions which made the election of President Obama possible.

Witnessing the crowd of jubilant citizens on the National Mall grounds today, I was struck by their buoyant joy and collective hope for a better future. Black, white, brown--every stripe under the sun gathered and celebrated. The stirrings of radical hope pulsated throughout the day which manifested the better angels of our nature and our common need for being a part of something bigger than ourselves.

The great Brazilian educator, Paulo Freire, once said: "Our task simply put is to change some conditions that appear to me as obviously against the beauty of being human". Our struggle continues (it's naive to think that powerful interests both legitimate and illegitimate will simply disappear), but in the end, through our joy & sacrificial pain, we will arrive closer to the power & beauty of being human, beautifully human.

OneLove

::MixMasterE::

The Gift Of Friends

And a youth said,
- Speak to us of Friendship!
And he answered, saying:
Your friend is your needs answered.
He is your field which you sow with love
and reap with thanksgiving.

And he is your board and your fireside.
For you come to him with your hunger,
and you seek him for peace.

When your friend speaks his mind you fear
not the "nay" in your own mind,
nor do you withhold the "ay".
And when he is silent your heart ceases
not to listen to his heart;
For without words, in friendship, all thoughts,
all desires, all expectations are born and shared,
with joy that is unacclaimed.
When you part from your friend, you grieve not;
For that which you love most
in him may be clearer in his absence,
as the mountain to the climber
is clearer from the plain.

And let there be no purpose in friendship
save the deepening of the spirit.
For love that seeks aught but the disclosure
of its own mystery is not love but a net cast forth:
and only the unprofitable is caught.

And let your best be for your friend
that you should seek him with hours to kill?
Seek him always with hours to live.
For it is his to fill your need,
but not your emptiness.
And in the sweetness of friendship
let there be laughter, and sharing of pleasures.
For in the dew of little things
the heart finds its morning and is refreshed.

-Khalil Gibran

OneLove

::::MME::::

 

Vacation's End

It's a new year and instead of the usual optimism that each year brings, my mood is quite glum. Purposely, I sequestered myself from the news during my month-long vacation abroad. Surrounding myself with the love, joy & laughter of friends and family, the world seemed bright, cheerful and safe. I felt unconquerable!!

The deaths of the children of Gaza brought me back to the callous nature of reality & marked the end of my wishful thinking.....




It will be interesting to see how Obama's administration handles this ruinous & demented state of affairs.

“Justice denied anywhere diminishes justice everywhere.” ~~MLK