I love those moments in all the Rush Hour films when Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker burst into "War: What is it good for? Absolutely NOTHING!" The same can be said for prejudice. Recent events in the Sunshine State of Florida have brought home the message that the ugly, smelly, nasty underbelly of white power and/or free-flowing racism is alive and well in Fort Lauderdale. It's had a long nap and now is flexing its muscles, savoring a romp in the park or Fort, as it were. Like this kind of crap:
"We have to see these billboards flourish in 2010 and leading up to the 2012 election when Obama will seek re-election," said Farah. "If he can't answer that simple question by then, he's toast. Help me make it so Obama can't go anywhere in the United States without seeing this sign." Since Jesus was an immigrant, I guess these are Christian values in action!
Last Saturday there was demonstration requesting amnesty for aliens which turned into a street fight between ANSWER (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism) and ALIPAC (Tea Parties Against Amnesty. Actually, it's Americans for Legal Immigration PAC).
A video posted by ALIPAC was so bizarre with it's pop-up comments that I felt compelled to deconstruct it, lest someone less compulsive than I sit through it and be misled and deluded.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ekW3HmlnYS4
It's easier to watch if you turn off the sound and keep your finger on the pause button. Ignore the pop ups, (very strategically placed) because reading them will obscure what your eyes see.
Shot from the perspective of someone across the street (let's call this person "Deep Wad"), we see a group of demonstrators organized around a corner while a man (call him "Jacko") stands in the street shooting a video directly into the face of an ANSWER demonstrator (good morning!). Words are seemingly exchanged and Jacko walks behind, then into the middle of the group. The ANSWER group turns to Jacko as a man in a black shirt (so ironic we could call him "Benito") leaps into the action (#8) with another video camera hoisted, already "shooting." Benito joins Jacko as side-by-side they continue to endure (heroically or arrogantly?) more verbal confrontration from the ANSWER demonstrators who clearly had claimed that corner to express their First Amendment right.
Only now notice there's a guy in a brown hat ("Goose") to the far left (# 12) who ALSO has a video camera and has been taping (from yet a different perspective) Jack and Benito's great adventure of provoking a riot at a peaceful demonstration.
Things happen quickly now. As Jacko seem to leave by walking behind and past Goose, a black van cuts across Deep Wad's angle. Although Goose is nearly obscured by a HUGE cartoony balloon directing us elsewhere, we can see Goose is clearly making gestures towards Jacko or Deep Wad, or maybe both. Goose turns towards Deep Wad and from here to #34 we can watch Goose cross the street and past Deep Wad's camera. Goose avoids a direct look but smiles into said camera while using his brown hat to shield his face as he gets closer to Deep Wad. Mission accomplis[h]ed?
Except provoking a riot is a felony, or so I thought based upon all the Black Panthers and Yippies and pacifists and progressives who've been busted for less. And in the case of the Panthers, outright hounded and murdered.
I don't get paid to do this and need some sleep but I hope someone will use what I've noticed, continue the deconstruction and get it to the right places.
Back in the day there were plenty of slug fests started by hardhats and Nazis and yes, cops out of uniform against anti-war protestors, only this time THEY GOT THE SHIT BEAT OUT OF THEM!!!
What a surprise!
Here is ANSWER's response, appropriately titled:
Racism, Lies and Videotape
A statement from ANSWER Florida
Nov. 17, 2009
http://answer.pephost.org/site/News2/1667236835?abbr=ANS_&page=NewsArticle&id=9225&news_iv_ctrl=1621
At least the majority of American people understand the stupidity of the birthers, Birchers, Tea Baggers and repuglicans. There will be scuffling in the streets but we will continue to love and live as free Americans, despite their hatred.
November 18, 2009
Prejudice: What is it good for?
November 28, 2007
Life in The United States of Terrorism
How much daily humiliation, intimidation, hostility and assault can we label “normal” before the homegrown sociopathic criminal behavior of might makes right takes us down to the level of Cro-Magnons? We already beat or kill each other for cheap DVDs and parking spaces. How low can we go?
Here was my morning wake-up: watching a 78+ year old man with a cane struggle to keep himself erect on a crowded subway while “adults” comfortably read, play Sudoku or close their eyes in bliss to the music on their IPods. But most of all I am disgusted at the moral depravity of a nation that accepts war and torture of innocent people to maintain a gas-guzzling life style. Can you accept living "free" in the Unites States of Terrorism?
Now read this about the re-incarceration of elderly black people for crimes which were dismissed 30-odd years ago. From The SF Gray Panther Party comes this report:
Defense Motion on Statements Made under Torture Denied
[…] In front of a packed courtroom, SF 8 presiding Judge Moscone denied a significant defense motion asking that statements made under torture by Harold Taylor in 1973 be precluded from consideration in this case. In 1975 a Los Angeles judge ruled these same statements inadmissible in a trial that ultimately resulted in Harold Taylor's acquittal. That case involved a police attack on a car of Black activists in which all three – Ray Boudreaux, John Bowman and Harold Taylor – were fired upon and shot multiple times. After Harold Taylor's acquittal, charges were dismissed against Boudreaux and Bowman.
Committee for the Defense of Human Rights (CDHR)
PO Box 90221
Pasadena, CA 91109
(415) 226-1120
FreetheSF8@riseup.net
http://graypantherssf.igc.org/SF8.htm
August 11, 2007 at 11:39:55
Free The San Francisco 8: Former Black Panthers in Prison Need Your Support
by Ron Jacobs
http://www.opednews.com/
Eight former Black Panthers are currently in prison in California on charges related to the 1971 killing of a San Francisco police officer. Similar charges were thrown out back in 1975 after it was determined that the evidence used to indict the men was extracted by police torture. Two of the men have been held as political prisoners the past thirty years in New York State prisons, but the other six have been living regular lives, working and raising families. A ninth man is still being sought by the police.
These men, known collectively as the San Francisco 8 (SF 8) are being held on $3 million bail each. This bail is considered excessive and the men, their legal team and their supporters are trying to get it reduced so that those members of the SF 8 who are not currently serving time can go home during the upcoming legal proceedings. The struggle to gain these men's freedom is gaining but will require much more public support. In a manner similar to the campaign waged in 1971-1972 to free Angela Davis and the ongoing campaign to free Mumia Abu Jamal, this campaign must become a widespread and international campaign.
http://www.opednews.com/articles/genera_ron_jaco_070806_free_the_san_francis.htm
August 5, 2007
Missing a Limb
Other than my compulsive daily trolling of the Internets for signs of peace and justice, I have a few real world things to sort out.
Ron "Doc" Rosen was buried on July 23 at Crow Dog's Paradise on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota. I know the overwhelming grief I feel is shared by many others.
Ron was so much to so many people. It's astonishing to think how much we packed into the 3+ years of nearly constant togetherness. In the decades after that, it was a rare two days when I didn't get a message about some action, some outrage, and finally but most fortunately, of finding love in Carol and his desire to devote himself to her.
We were true comrades who bonded over kung fu movies in the old Chinatown theaters, sneaking sushi in. My little slice of life with him was like an “everything” pizza. We met near the end of 1969. Bored and lonely, I spent much of that year going to The Alternate U on 14th Street, corner of 6th Ave. (Anyone with more info on it? I can’t find much on the web.) I floated through Astrology for Socialists, Consciousness Raising classes (FOR WOMEN ONLY), and a terrific class run by Murray Bookchin on Anarcho-Communism.
A very motley group usually assembled just as I was leaving, wearing weird uniforms with tight belts, shouting at each other as they practiced punches and kicks. The leader of the pack had flashing black eyes and long black, curly hair. He walked like a cowboy but often wore black slacks with a black business shirt. (I later learned there was a white collar inside so he could effectively transform into The Reverend Ron Rosen.) I decided to practice whatever it was to have my consciousness raised by other liberated women, and finally introduced myself.
My life was never the same.
I joined the Self-Defense for Activists class and became a dedicated member. As the class grew and The Alternate U imploded from infighting and provocateurs, it seemed clear our class would have to find another place to continue working out. A carpenter friend of Ron's named Stephen Barnett knew of a loft on Broome Street for a whopping $300 a month, 1,200 sq. ft. Yup!
We had a home and took on a Chinese name to distance ourselves from the more macho karate and judo practitioners. Ron came up with Wo Ping Kuen Kwoon, or Peaceful Harmonious Fist School. Those were the days before SoHo, and I really needed to use self-defense on several occasions coming or going from the place late at night.
In addition to the Kwoon, Ron & I spent the bulk of our free time (rent was only $47 a month!) either in Village hangouts or doing political work at the Washington Square Methodist Church on W. 4th St. The guy who usually held court at the Kettle of Fish or Feenjon's, Walter Teague, had an office in the back of the church which was called the submarine. Although it covered the entire width of the church, it was only about 10 feet wide, however the clearance was wayyyy up there, so submarine it was for the Asian American Information Committee (also known as the US Committee to Aid the NLF, or USCANLF, to us & the FBI).
Walter's mission was to educate the American people to the Vietnamese. He wanted to put a face on the "gooks" and press more people to resist fighting. To advance this mission, on Saturday nights we'd have film showings in the church. These were often a mix of a radical Hollywood movie, like Marlon Brando's "Burn," with films from Vietnam, showing what every day life was like for these incredibly vulnerable people. Their beauty inspired the desire to live, no matter how horrible the conditions, and after shows we'd ramble into the neighborhood bars to eat, drink and live like the revolution was coming tomorrow.
Ron was a great mentor, in fact became better over time. He was ever patient and never rude. He never criticized directly but instead would smile and ask if the person had read a particular book or heard a song, then he'd smile again and eventually, the argument would dissipate. Of course, Ron had zero tolerance if someone was out looking for a rumble.
As the police were directed to use more force and violence toward all protesters, Ron took the lead as an organizer of "cadres" of street medics. Those of us in the Kwoon were his first class but I now understand he was looking forward to what he ultimately became, the people's healer.
Thanks to Ron I got to march in the St. Patrick’s Day Parade! The Young Lords had been getting a lot of press coverage and decided they would participate. Ron “volunteered” us and we wore armband crosses with red berets, as was the Young Lord’s fashion.
Ron was brilliantly self-taught, even if you don’t count all the amazing people in his family. His Grandfather, Joseph Greenstein was well known in the carnival circuit as “The Mighty Atom.” See
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joe_Greenstein for more info.
Here’s an excerpt:
Greenstein continued performing his strongman feats well into his eighties, giving his last performance at his great-grandchilds first birthday on May 11th, 1977. (Was that you, Ari?)
Zeidy taught Ron basic martial arts skills which he acquired while escaping Russia through Asia. Sifu Greenstein also practiced Judaism with the same dedication it took to survive the immigration.
Ron’s entire family lived with the openness I characterized as one of Ron’s best qualities. There was always time to talk. Aunts and Uncles came and went or stayed, as Desde did. What some might have seen as an unorthodox household seems to have been a perfectly tended garden.
Ron absorbed highly technical information with barely a high school education. He learned about the barefoot doctors in China and how acupuncture affected health. During the battle of Wounded Knee in 1973, the Native American Tribal Leaders fully accepted him because he brought medicine and stood with them during the siege. I don't know if Wounded Knee was the first time Ron almost died from being in the wrong place at the right time, but it certainly changed his life. He packed up NYC and made Denver his home. He stopped teaching people how to fight and instead taught them how to heal. He became so good at it that his name is known all over the world by indigenous people, people who fight oppression and humanitarian aid workers. Whether it was Guatemala, Ache, New Orleans or New York City, if people were needy, Doc was tireless.
Ron was one of the first to learn of my impending marriage to our mutual cohort, Bert Lee, and if things had been different, he'd have been the one to marry us. I will always regret that we were not able to attend Ron and Carol's wedding this past June. It would have been one last beautiful time to share together.
Of course, Ron was going to live forever and didn't have insurance or savings. If you have the ability to contribute to Ron's family for the hospital and burial, plus help keep the clinic going, here are contact addresses:
The StreetMedics
1529 York Street
Denver, CO 80206
Denver-Training-Collective@streetmedic.org
Medic.Trainers@aimmedics.org
The address I have for Carol is:
1590 S. Dahlia Street
Denver, CO 80222
If this information is incorrect, please let me know. Carol and their extended family need our help getting through this awful time, so please do what you can.
If there's interest, I'll post other items regarding Ron, Doc, Sifu, …
Here is a quote from Doc's Own site:
"Traditionally in every tribal society, medicine sprang from and was the property of the tribe and the people as a whole. In the middle ages, the church based medical establishment deliberately and methodically substituted a patriarchal, hierarchical medical paradigm. It is my goal with the projects I've been helping to set up around the world to return medicine to the hands of the people from which it sprang." - Doc Rosen