AN AMERICAN REALITY

"The best way to kill an idea, a movement or attention to an injustice in America is to turn it into a Fad. Then and only then can you make it cool to ignore and turn in a profit as well." - the poet Shazza

 

FOR MY COUCH POTATO OWS CRITICS, SCHOOL TIME

As a person involved with OWS, most of the opinions of its demise, its lack of organization and especially people's opinions of its lack of focus is bogus. Much of the disparaging is due to the innate and limited attention span of the American people and their inability to get their fat-asses off the couch and do something. Yes, I took it there because I needed to shock you just enough to have those potato chip crumbs fall out of your mouth. So sit up, turn off Housewives of one of the 50 States and wipe the chicken and pizza grease off our lips, fire up the laptop or Ipad and let's get to work, the LESSON THUS BEGINS.


OWS is not a traditional movement and it embraces its "non-traditional" methodologies. Even if you were somewhat knowledgeable about civil disobedience or movements, this is an important point to know. Much of it is a combination and collection of effective and successful civil disobedient practices globally. The very nature of how we use communication, media, social media and word of mouth is uniquely different and specific to the moment. Just think, in war, do leadership use the same strategies over and over again or do they use a combination of what worked in the past and newer, innovative and more advance plans and methods? Most likely the latter is applied. So why would a modern day movement not apply the same practices? But then again, you wouldn't think as such because in Actions movies and Forensic TV, the goals to solutions are formula motivated and usually comprise of 43 minutes and 18 commercials plugged straight to your World consciousness. Yes, I know, I have a lot of deprogramming to work with.


This is what frustrates the typical masses whom are use to being spoon feed their information or wanting someone to explain it in 32 characters or less. Part of what OWS does is to make the individual make a concerted effort and  to subtly make people do the work themselves by simply asking, "What is the one thing that you feel is most important for getting this country back on course?" Then we show them just how simple the solution is by pointing them to Washington DC and Washington to Wall Street. It's a simple straight line. Not complex or subversive, the evidence is practically in your face. The facts of the deed, done in blatant arrogance. No matter what people's basic concerns are, it all goes back to Washington DC and Wall Street's direct connection to each other and the unaccountability of their actions.



I know it's taking a lot longer than taking one of those Matrix pills to "Free your mind" but this isn't Science Fiction, it's life. The top 1% in America  is a population in the millions and the 99% is a population in the billions. Their crimes, the stealing, the misappropriating, the legal gerrymandering of financial access and almost barring people's Right to basic economic means to prosperity is in the Trillions. Contrary to popular belief, not one OWS participant or member wants a "handout" or special treatment, the focus is to MAKE Congress repeal the laws that guaranteed through guile and political subterfuge the gluttony of their greed at the expense of the stability of the entire American economy and the World.


Trying to force a Modern Movement to adopt Old Standards doesn't work but at the same time, and uniquely so, the modern standard allows for past methods to work thus the movement allows for all peoples with a variety of issues and concerns to be part of the whole. OWS is THE PEOPLES MOVEMENT.

People like to have "opinions" about OWS. Some might even go to look at the groups as if its social entertainment, or the zoo or to say, "I was there and I spoke to a participant, I even took pictures" but the truth of the matter is, unless you are truly doing your part, looking, condemning, dismissing and writing about OWS faults and missteps is moot when the successes far outweigh what few minor goals it didn't meet. 

Few people have even commented on how OWS has exposed members of Congress by name for their offshore and lobby connections and their insider trading based upon the laws they help pass, how Congress has moved legislation to limit OWS activities on peace gatherings and information distribution, how plans to have the military be employed as a policing (Militia) unit for OWS activities, the assigning of undercover agents to find and exploit OWS leadership, threatening public figures if they are even in association with OWS or giving assistance, OWS having moved the pace of investigations towards solving the secret banking  of Trillions of dollar deals in Washington, the Federal Reserve and abroad, OWS occupying people's homes to prevent them from being foreclosed upon, amassing large numbers of litigation suits for constitutional violations during non-violent rallies and protests, bringing back to the forefront Human Right violation of past Civil Rights activist from the 60's, 70's, 80's that were fighting for the same issues as OWS today and many more. To force OWS to pick and choose a handful of agendas and keep to it isn't the point and it WON'T HAPPEN. The very fact that Congress to local law enforcement are violently threatening the silence of people whom are simply telling the America people the truth about its government should outrage you. The evidence that Corporations, many whom would trade your family's future for an all expense paid trip to the Cayman Islands in order to deposit its profits in tax free and asset hidden offshore accounts, should make you want to storm all Capitals. But, in its place, Americans watch as young people get beat with clubs, knocked off their feet while standing with signs or sprayed in the face with chemicals for the Right to have something as simple as a "job". There is a disconnect for sure.


Only ONE AGENDA is needed; the fundamental addressing of economic inequity in America the 99% that are marginalize out of it.  It's simple. Adding anything else would complicate it and that is pretty much what media is doing. Even when you ask the question, "Why not protest in Washington DC?" The answer is, the power and decisions aren't made in DC, as it stands, they are made on Wall Street. This is the capital of our Nation and has been for the past 30 to 40 years. Once you understand this basic fact, the movement becomes less complicated and the agenda and the issues, crystal clear. All other issues, the 5 that lazy ill-informed people want OWS to choose so they can have peace of mind and an easier ability to dismantle the movement or the open agendas that effect everyone and is tied to Wall Street's influence, its all the same movement. Not to mention, the public OWS Movement is only 3 months old, and in that 3 months it has become a global movement and branched off into several extend groups working on larger and more specific agendas (i.e. MoveYourMoneyProject.org).

Its easy to point fingers and pontificate Shoulda Woulda Couldas but what you don't know about OWS is only because many are either skimming for the details or they are just looking at the pictures of the whole story. THUS THE LESSON IS ONGOING.

I HAVE A NEW HERO

Every now-and-then I get excited when I see, hear or read about someone, just anyone that stands up and say, "I'm not taking your &$#@ anymore!" A person that gives it back righteously and no matter how big, how powerful or entitled their aggressor is, that one person casts a shadow over them and puts fear and shame to them. Do that, just once, and you are my HERO OF THE DAY.

Well today, Dylan Ratigan, you got your official hero gear, cape and all. You did what I want all other News casters to do on the hair. You weren't commercially interrupted, no one dared to challenge you, you got your point across and you didn't care. Even with the Peanut Gallery you sat across from. You even gave it to the watching audience and every political pundit and pseudo-analyst out there collecting a BS paycheck for pushing the same weak agenda day-after-day, week-after-week, year-after-year, decade for decade.  Dylan didn't give the choice of a "blue pill or red pill", he straight up just said, "Open up and take it!" He didn't want to hear a comment back once he said what he did. He didn't want applauds or adulation and you didn't dare. It was the tongue thrashing one would get for braking the lamp in the living room after being told "no ball playing in the house". To even try to defend yourself would have been suicide. Even more so, you'd come off the idiot because you wouldn't know where to start with justifying MADNESS. Simply said, you had no choice but to say, "You are right Dylan." The facts were on the table, in your face, names were named and dates drawn on calendars. Clearly Dylan said, "You are busted and it's broadcasted live, now come for me."

Of course MSNBC will have some kind of follow up for stepping "OUT OF LINE". From the top brass, there will be some lecture or proposal for a time-out session and the executive corner. Maybe a warning for his OVERTLY PASSIONATE or ALMOST OVERTLY AGGRESSIVE manner. Maybe make note how the people working in the background couldn't do their work (a matter which is somewhat dumb because the idea of doing a live show in an open office setting is bizarre and trifle) or even better, "Dylan, you intimated the two female pundits and that constituted sexual harassment."  You know something is going to jump off. You just can't expose the under belly of the dragon showing its weak spot; that missing scale which exposes its heart. But regardless of the end results, Dylan put it out there and it was GOOD!!

You are my hero and I don't have a problem with how much damage you needed to do to get the job done because damage is what this system needs. Its not functional and you told us the who, whats, when, where and hows about the villains and masterminds behind the plan to take over the World. Now all we need is a Justice League or at least The Avengers once its all said to be done.

WE STAND REVEALED

I struggle with human nature daily or at least its impact in the Western World. Standing consumed in its need to be in higher stations than the person next to itself so much that its nature alters its "state of mind" even within its own family. The consciousness to out do, out perform or relish in the fall of others can be described no different than vultures waiting for the sick or injured to die so it can strip it of its self worth and dignity. We all stand revealed in the end.

I say this only because I was recently shaken to the core and into a state of surrealism, sitting on a train ride home with the World around me moving in slow motion. A truth, an verbal epiphany that revealed a flaw in my humanity, the hope that defines my spirit. It hurt my heart and will as well as my sensibility. I was humbled by a friend who today told me, "You know what your flaw is? You expect everyone you meet to be equal to you in common sense and intelligence and the truth is, people aren't. You'll never enjoy living for you if you don't accept this."

 

Photo by Shazza Nakim 2011

The moment hit me hard when he finished the sentence. If this was a total stranger, a passing association or a bitter enemy, the moment would have been just that, a moment. But this is a trusted friend. Someone who has equal integrity and fortitude and is brutally honest. He demands his friendships to be honest and will not cut cause or pause with those he equally respects. So when his criticism of the World is spoken, I rarely, if ever disagree because we are like-minded in our desire to see a better World with better people, absent the myth, pageantry, serenades of BS that humanity would like to soft sell its consciousness allowing it to sleep at night. Only thing is, the vision, truth and honesty was directed at me. And it hurt only because it was true. I do see everyone I meet as being an elevated intellectual or possessing a degree of workable common sense, decorum and respect. And when I don't see it, I get depressed, angry, stressed and to a point confused. I deeply question how is it that people can survive being in their state of mental and spiritual absence. My frustration become paramount when I can find no answers for myself and the end result, I departmentalize it and absorb it into my being and work that much harder to try and elevate people through my art, my lecture or my living example. And again, my disappointment becomes more and more apparent when I see that people don't care; often turned off by the notion that someone exists wanting to make them better by bringing knowledge, hope and or inspiration in the living flesh. In a sense, "No one is Jesus or Jesus-like".

There are certain experiences in life as well as sayings that stay with you forever. Those that define your character; to the level of self worth and actualization, can be the deepest of cuts into the psyche. How do I continue to justify the blank slate I give to people when at each turn, the initial colors on it will be dark and murky. Few vibrant and bright chosen pallets to keep and display as I go through my journey in life. My standard greetings to the human spirit and humanity, or at least I thought, allowed me to keep a degree of peace of mind for hope that we can all be better and yet in the briefest of moments, I was shown a mirror reflecting a flaw in my personal philosophy that in the end, deep within my subconscious, I agreed with. In my hidden reality, I had a seed that I kept from fostering into the fertile parts of my mind so that it couldn't grow and my friend unlocked that door and exposed it. 

"I can tell you this because I am the same way, but I am learning to let go and allowing people to just be people."

That was his follow up statement before he changed the subject.

SKEWED LOGIC FLAWED DATA

I just read an article that is weighing heavy on my conscious. Heavy because there is this movement, so subtle and so insidious that if you aren't aware, or you choose to ignore it, you'd find yourself within a movement of people who are brainwashed into thinking that their skewed logic and flawed data is the TRUTH.

The article in question is from the Blog, "the Root". Specifically, "Black Men: Death Rate Lower in Prison than Outside it?" Normally I'd read it and debate it within myself, research it and or debate it among my friends but this particular article I needed to take a way-back stance and look at the Big Picture. What is going on that is not seen or spoken. Where is the information trying to take me or "us" what matters. Who was this article for? And ultimately why?

As a researcher and historian, I have found that noting the person, group, institute and the sponsors of a study is very important and should be presented before quoting its data. I do not believe these statistics are applicable to the whole of Black Men nor do I subscribe to the notion that the application and gathering of the data is non-bias. Granted that People of Color are disproportionately incarcerated than Whites, the elements of prison life; depending on the prison (minimum to maximum security), would determine the health and welfare of individuals. Also consider that within the Industrial Prison Complex, resources such as medicine, health care, physical conditioning may be available but the mental health of prisoners are always a matter of concern and debate.

Michele Bauchmann recently made a statement that Black Families were better off during slavery for having a stable two parent structure than during a time when there is a Black President. Looking at the statistics and numbers, that may be true but the data is flawed because you don't take into consideration that there were outside elements which adds to and or prevents families from staying together or taking in extended family members as it was during and post-slavery. During slavery you had direct families, extended families as well as adoptive families collectively together. Within the US, there are laws as well as economics that prevents this or make it difficult to do. To use this type of misrepresentation would be like stating that Black employment was better during slavery than under a Black President thus using him as the cause of Black unemployment. This being said, the data for this study is flawed because elements such as education, family, environment, social structures both within and outside, the diversity of Prisons studied and their resources and the core comparison of those whom are/did serve time in prison over an extended period of time and those that haven't was not presented in an actual academic setting.

Do I believe that there is "some" truth to the study? I believe in a small way yes but with all things being equal, with health care, physical conditioning, access to education, a healthy diet and the like, Black men on the outside would live longer due to better Mental Health. This article not only encourages but give credence to the existence of the Industrial Prison Complex as it relates to Black men and other Peoples of Color and frankly as a Black man I am offended especially since the articles doesn't address that once many of these Black men leave, they either return (mental illness), they suffer from addiction (sustained and or acquired in the prison), are or have become HIV positive, or in need of medications that were freely given to them but become unavailable once they leave the system. I could easily say that Black children do better in Summer Camp than those that stay home. Does that mean we should consider removing all Black children from their homes and have them live in perpetual summer camps? Some would say that's what our modern day MILITARY is for. Collect all the Black men in America for Summer Camps, Military duty, Colleges and Universities, the employed and Community Active and let's do a real comparison and contrast ... you'd have to show me all of the data and the people who signed the checks for this to have this study done. Then again we can allow the subliminal messages sink in and eventually live in the world of the researchers and Michele Bauchmann and have Black male unemployment at 0% as slaves and have a child and a wife in every shack under Massa's care. Life was so much better for Black people then.

LAST OF THE GOOD MEN

Lately I have been calling the Sisters out on the Bashing of the Brothers. Since I consider myself a Good Person, one with quality, integrity and commitment as defined by my upbringing and reputation, too often I have to defend myself or justify why "OTHER" Black Men are ______ (You fill in the blank). It would seem the older I get and move in circles, the more I get from the Sisters. This phenomenon and the emerging younger generations are taking this reality to levels unheard of with their socially exceptable culture to disrespect Women. 

Recently, a good person, whom has come into my life, had sent me my answer and a calling card as a female's response to understand what I now deal with from the opposite side/opposite sex's perspective so that I can accept that this is a new and different reality for relationships.

I am sharing this on my blog in hopes that those that question can understand and or share in my feelings/belief that its not all about the Men or even Me. It is a shared responsibility as well as our ownership as a Black people to maintain what little is left that made us able to see, love, live and survive needs to be unearthed and used.

This isn't us because I've seen what can possibly be me. - Shazza Nakim

"It's a funny thing about the modern world. You hear girls in the toilets of clubs saying, "Yeah, he fucked off and left me. He didn't love me. He just couldn't deal with love. He was too fucked up to know how to love me." Now, how did that happen? What was it about this unlovable century that convinced us we were, despite everything, eminently lovable as a people, as a species? What made us think that anyone who fails to love us is damaged, lacking, malfunctioning in some way? And particularly if they replace us with a god, or a weeping madonna, or the face of Christ in a ciabatta roll---then we call them crazy. Deluded. Regressive. We are so convinced of the goodness of ourselves, and the goodness of our love, we cannot bear to believe that there might be something more worthy of love than us, more worthy of worship. Greeting cards routinely tell us everybody deserves love. No. Everybody deserves clean water. Not everybody deserves love all the time."  — Zadie Smith

OUR OWN FIELD

People are scared. Especially Black people. We have been conditioned to want, wait, need and depend on another Malcolm, King and now Obama that we can't get a focus on the individual work that needs to be done. Sheep and Sheparding is in our DNA and we can't let it go just enough to know that we can freely move around our own field.