Thank You Egypt

(written a while ago) 



Thank you Egypt for reminding me that the 4th of July is nothing to celebrate.

A country founded on genocide, mass theft of indigenous peoples' land and the profits of black and brown slave labor, the U.S. independence day is far from a celebration of democracy. It was the armed uprising, far more violent than in Egypt, of a regime now held in place by everyday violence, surveillance, incarceration, poverty and sexual oppression.

Look around, we are celebrating the wrong things. Our version of democracy has failed. We have to ask ourselves: is democracy simply a checklist -- a ballot box, a supreme court -- or is it an act that you have to participate in everyday?

Egypt is pushing the boundaries of the collective consciousness. We are not in a bubble; we are part of an international community that is seeking a world for all of us -- and not for the few.

Marcos said: our end is not simply revolution; but rather, a reality where revolutions are possible. That reality exists in Egypt, Turkey and Brazil right now -- and that reality existed two years ago in the United States.

Can you feel it? The movement within us?
The scream of the silent majority powered by the imagination of this generation -- we can have it if we want it.

If not now, when? If not here, where? If not you, who?

It's time for a real independence day.

Dissent Jungle

A little bit ago, I wrote a response to an invitation to a week of actions happening in NYC.

I wrote it thru the conversation between a Purple Elephant and a Pink Rhyno.

<Purple Elephant in the room speaking to Pink Rhyno>
Pink is drinking green lake water and purple is carving something out of wood.
They are in the groovy place called Dissent Jungle>

Purple Elephant: Yo homie, Have you noticed that every time there is predictable moment, the big orgs decide to mobilize predictable responses?

Pink Rhyno: Nah, actually, what do you mean Frank? Don't you love week of actions?

Purple Elephant (Apparently Frank): Think about it bro, money and power sometimes collaborate you know? If you were in power and you heard whispers from the shadows that people were thinking of attacking you soon, what would you do?

Pink Rhyno: I would probably get my guns ready, shiiit, aint nobody gonna take my power!

Purple Elephant:  Exactly, and they already got their guns man! believe me! (raises the thing he is carving in the air)... but do you know whats even more effective than that?  

Pink Rhyno: (silence... of the lambs...)

Purple Elephant: Subduing the real anger of the people and harnessing them into safe and predictable boxes (draws a square with his trunk...)  see what I mean? 

Pink Rhyno: ya i guess, so what you saying frank?  You saying week of actions don't do shit? (takes a slurp of now yellow lake water)

Purple Elephant: I'm saying that institutions do these things so the people feel like they are doing something-- meanwhile those in power feel perfectly safe and distant - fukkk that. 

Pink Rhino:  Damn, thats real. and crazy since animals are pretty pissed off these days too--

Purple Elephant: --Damn right--

Pink Ryno: 

My homeZebraGurl went to apply for a job at Barns and Hobos and they said they already had 5 Jungle creatures with Master Celsius Degrees applying for that same bullshit position, so that unless she had her PH.Free, not to bother applying.  Oh and don't forget, they fired our homie Giraffe for being too tall...

Purple Elephant:  There you go, I mean shit man, look around? Shits fucked, prices are rising and I aint getting paid more, are you? Rents going up, schools shutting down, hospital services are ending, our neighbors are getting deported and shit.  Meanwhile we keep on paying for RoboPig to go overseas and kill more Purple elephants and Pink Rhynos! .... like I said, fukkk that.

Pink Rhino: I hear you bro, I hear you... whatchu carving man?

Purple Elephant: Like i said man, I aint playing this little game nomore.  I've been working on this, check it out. (shows off a simple spear with a tooth attached)

Pink Rhino: (spits water and starts coughing) whoa... whatchu thinking?

Purple Elephant: I'm tired of that shit man,  I just think that we gotta do something and that ----wait, woah whats wrong?? your horn is bleeding, u ok???

Pink Ryhno: What?  (looks in the lake a little worried)   Damn, I can't even see my reflection anymore.  Fukkk man, fukkk this water!  It use to be made up of rainbow colors, remember???

Purple Elephant: All the colors that our eyes could see, even some that we couldn't -- i remember, i remember...

shit man, I think you picked up the PlasticVirus,  i'm sorry, i'm really, really sorry... 

Pink Ryhno: (looking scared, trying to wipe his horn on the ground....) oh shit, what should i do?? am I gonna die!?

                                       
                                        Purple Elephant: can i, can i be Frank for a                                          moment?   

                                              (puts trunk on Ryhno's back)

                                Stop drinking that poison ass                                                           water and pick up a spear! 

Pink Ryhno: (stops moving, calms down and whispers)  

"Stop drinking that poison ass water and pick up a spear."


--- give me that spear -- I'm calling the jungle animals.

Hidden in Plain Sight

Last nite,

During an event in harlem,

a womin - an elder, a warrior

spoke truth to power --

"What IS wrong with white people?
What IS wrong with Black people?
What IS wrong with Brown people?!

Whats wrong with the people in this country?
ARe we afraid, are we not committed, I don't think thats true?
ARe we not educated, Cuz we have the education in ouR communities!
So get educated!

I'm tired of this, i'm telling you, i'm on the edge!
I'm tired of meetings, I ain't going to to another goddamn meeting!
I'm tired of travelling all over the country telling people shit
that they already know!  You all know that shit is bad, I don't have to
tell you!

I'm serious, I swore to nonviolence but Oooooh, i'm on the edge,
I could switch sides anytime!

And the youth! I'm so pissed off at the youth, don't even get me started!
What are you waiting for!?  Because this oppression ain't gonna affect me!
I'm gonna be long gone! I'm good!

but I see some babies 'round here, it's them! it's them that are gonna have to pay the price of 
of our inaction. 

So i'm tired of talking, I'm tired for more organizations and more meetings, 
I'm telling you, i better see something, I better see something real soon!"

I hugged her afterwards, told her that I had to pay my respects,

and thru my eyes i told her that even if i don't commit to anything else, 

its the struggle for freedom that i'm here for and -- 

--last night i recommitted,