Re: Amiri Baraka and the great Jewish debate -- Unlikely Stories

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Date Posted: 23:22:17 12/10/02 Tue
Author: jp
Subject: Re: Amiri Baraka and the great Jewish debate
In reply to: JLW 's message, "Re: Amiri Baraka and the great Jewish debate" on 20:14:23 12/10/02 Tue

>I also believe that it's obvious that he implicates
>Jews in the WTC attack, but I also think that he does
>not distinguish between Jews and white people and
>blames that whole group for all the evil in the world,
>which is so obviously rediculous that I'm surprised
>someone so closed minded and racist could achieve the
>position of New Jersey's poet laureate and even more
>surprised that everyone didn't just laugh him and his
>poem off as the ignorant simplistic dribble that it is.

Well, Baraka was famous long before this poem came around. If you'll search Google for "LeRoi Jones," his old Beat name, you'll find a large list of his many accomplishments. So I'm not greatly surprised that New Jersey considered him the best they had to offer. I mean, it's fucking New Jersey.

He does have a reputation for doing outrageous things for attention, though, and the nominating office probably should have thought harder of it.

Unlikely contributor Wendy Carlisle was there, at the Dodge Festival, when he unveiled this poem. Baraka has tried to summon Dodge Festival attendants to his defense, but according to Wendy, the tension when he read was clear and palpable. There was a sigh of relief when he stepped the hell down, and few were favorably impressed. He wasn't laughed off, but he was recognized as simplistic and ignorant drivel.

>I agree with Colin that we are all responsible for the
>evil in the world, not just white people, however, I
>don't think this was the message of the poem. I
>didn't see any mention of any of the crimes
>perpetrated by black people or asians or latinos or
>muslims. There's no WHO forces women to hide their
>bodies against their will and denies the education.
>
>White people are certainly guilty of crimes against
>humanity, but they are not the answer to the question
>of WHO is evil. Evil has nothing to do with race,
>unless you consider the evil perpetuated by ongoing
>racism, which this poem is a perfect example of.
>
>>Hi Colin,
>>
>>>You are entitled to your opinion,
>>
>>I would hope that would go without saying.
>>
>>> but do you really
>>>think that he was saying that there was one evil in
>>>the world. I take his poem as a wake-up call to the
>>>way we as humans are treating ourselves, not as a
>>>pointing of the finger. He points the finger at
>>>everyone. I do not think that the poem is un america
>>>either, which some people believe. I think that he
>is
>>>honestly looking at history and saying who.
>>>
>>>and i think that the answer is us. everyone.
>>
>>Not to speak for JLW, but yes, I really think he was
>>saying that there is one great evil in the world. I
>>don't think he actually believes that. I think he was
>>saying it in order to gain notoriety. But whether I'm
>>wrong or right on that point, the poem accuses the
>>great "WHO" of warning Sharon to stay away from New
>>York, saving Israelis from the World Trade Center
>>attack, and, most blatantly, looking like Jesus.
>>
>>"Everyone" doesn't fit the description. Only an
>>international Zionist conspiracy could pull off the
>>things Baraka accuses "WHO" of doing. Whether or not
>>Baraka believes in such a conspiracy, he surely wants
>>us to.

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Replies:

Re: Amiri Baraka and the great Jewish debate -- The Concubine of Satan, 11:02:19 12/11/02 Wed
- Re: Amiri Baraka and the great Jewish debate -- jp, 16:55:40 12/11/02 Wed
  - Re: Amiri Baraka and the great Jewish debate -- The Concubine of Satan, 17:12:59 12/11/02 Wed
    - Re: Amiri Baraka and the great Jewish debate -- jp, 18:28:36 12/11/02 Wed
      - Re: Amiri Baraka and the great Jewish debate -- jp, 11:42:57 12/17/02 Tue
        Re: Amiri Baraka and the great Jewish debate -- jayro, 18:45:08 01/03/03 Fri
        Re: Amiri Baraka and the great Jewish debate -- jp, 19:41:39 01/04/03 Sat
        Re: Amiri Baraka and the great Jewish debate -- madd, 13:23:13 07/27/03 Sun
- Re: Amiri Baraka and the great Jewish debate -- JLW, 12:28:26 12/12/02 Thu
Re: Amiri Baraka and the great Jewish debate -- Jude, 21:07:17 03/05/03 Wed
- Re: Amiri Baraka and the great Jewish debate -- jp, 11:35:09 03/19/03 Wed