If They Come in the Morning...

"Privilege is not something I take and which I therefore have the option of not taking. It is..."

Wed, 31 Oct 2012 23:41:32 -0400

“Privilege is not something I take and which I therefore have the option of not taking. It is something that society gives me and unless I change the institutions which give it to me, they will continue to give it, and I will continue to have it, however noble and egalitarian my intentions.”

- Harry Brod, “Privilege, Power, and Difference” (via heartmarten)

Lemington

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 09:07:16 -0500

Currently I am teaching a basic computer principles course to senior citizens. So far, this has been an experience to say the least. I love interacting with my students, they are hilarious. I am preparing for today’s lesson about the internet and trying to think of some innovative ways to keep them engaged. Wish me well. I’ll let you know how it goes.

Imagination

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 11:04:00 -0500

My fantasies distract me. I can go on for hours playing out various intricate plot lines of my life. Introducing new characters and often bringing back old ones, playing out scenarios, sometimes over…and over….and over…again. These distract me the most I think. They seem to be triggered directly and sometimes indirectly from real events. Events in which, if I had to guess (I am thinking this through as I am writing) gave rise to unfavorable outcomes or outcomes which I question. I then play out scenarios I guess to try to appease my inquisitive nature, my innate desire to understand. I am curious about the what if? Almost more than I am about the what now?

A blurb on peace

Tue, 22 Nov 2011 02:39:00 -0500

And so it seems that I have reached down deep, or maybe not so deep, and have found that place of peace inside of me. Peace. It seems to be a truly internal thing. The world is still chaotic. The things that brought me tears and anger and fear, even, they are still looming. Near. But I am different. Yet the same. The cosmic alignment has not changed, well maybe it has but it is not the force behind my shift. It is I. Me. In finding my internal peace place. Choosing to stay there. And when it moves, committing to finding it again.

Untitled Poem (1/24/2011 9:20 PM)

Sun, 20 Nov 2011 14:50:00 -0500

It is at times like these that I think I’ll never lift a brush

Or pen again in the name of art,

because these things remind me of you,

and you remind me of how happy I should be….

But then I remember how happy I was

I smile

Choosing to never trade

Beautiful memories

For bitter ones

"I am not of this place. I am a foreigner. Of a lost tribe. constantly tormented by the fact they..."

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 19:16:00 -0500

“

I am not of this place. I am a foreigner. Of a lost tribe. constantly tormented by the fact they call me by my oppressors name. It is my burden, I must bear everyday, with great sorrow, that my privilege comes from my own oppression, me as an individual and me as a collective, both literally and figuratively.

-WL

”

"Home" Lyrics (Jutty)

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 18:50:00 -0500

(voice of Fred Hampton)

“If you ever think about me, and if you ever think about me niggers and you ain’t gon’ do no revolutionary act, forget about me. I don’t want myself on your mind if you’re not gonna work for the people. Like we always said, if you are asked to make a commitment at the age of 20 and you say that I don’t want to make that commitment only because of the simple reason that I’m too young to die, I wanna live little bit longer…What you did is…you’re dead already.”

(verse 1)

Terminally ill flow Get the coffin

I Kick that hard shit, steel toe

But they bombarding My Subconscious

So I’m just tryn’a stay conscious

Turn off the box tune my ear to the Goddess

She turned me on to the concept

Mod day Maafa these niggas is heartless

In they ocular we just objects

In they pursuit of the all mighty dollar

The mighty turn to cowards

Instead fighting Niggas just sit and cower

While they stuffing they pockets

Profiting off of the impoverished

Fuck recession economics

These niggas gon’ eat regardless

So,

Fuck if you starving

It’s alarming, that they call themselves

Christian,

Bunch a hypocrite Bitches

Pardon my François

Reading Ellie’s night

Feeling like

Damn

The hood and the concentration camp

Got a lot of analogs

Plus Obama got a lot of niggas gassed

Still millions getting offed in the

Invisible Auschwitz

(voice of Dave Chappelle)

“Name your price…In the beginning. And if it ever gets more expensive than that price you named…Get out of there.”

(verse 2)

The American

Gestapo, stop those

Who oppose the

Colossus

Fear of the aforementioned

can halt thoughts

of becoming conscious

We had heroes

but they shot those

COINTELPRO

Got ‘em popped in front they snot-noses

Yeah we conscious

But they aint got those

Say it not so

Bombs,

On city blocks they drop those

Fuck a cage

Point blank range

You get ya top blown

That’s why we don’t got trust

for them foes in cop clothes

Kill the revolutionaries

Or give ‘em cell block codes

But Assata,

She broke the lock tho

(voice of Assata Shakur)

“The government perceived us as a threat because they understood that we were serious, that we were telling the truth. And they understood also that we were becoming a much more sophisticated opposition. We were not just the piece of pie opposition, but that we wanted a real structural change in the United States.”

(verse 3)

Terminally Ill flow

Get the coffin

Bitch I’m on hospice

Kill beat, murder sheet

So think cautious

Food for thought I’m droppin’

And I know u starving

So u better 5 second rule

kiss it up to god quick

Make no distinction

Not a conscious rapper

Or artist

Just a brother that be thinkin’

Still try not to take in too

much nonsense

that way I spit up that real shit

Whenever I feel nauseous

Walter

(voice of Fred Hampton)

“You’ve got to understand that people have to pay the price for peace. If you dare to struggle you dare to win, if you dare not to struggle then got damnit you don’t deserve to win. Let me say peace to you, if you are willing to fight for it.”

(voice of Assata Shakur)

“And, you know, we just decided that we were gonna live. We were gonna live we were gonna struggle and we are not going to kill our own hopes. We are not going to kill our own life. We are not going to kill our right to live. So we just decided to be human beings—to be people. In spite of all of the people that were trying to squash us down, and all of the forces that were trying to dehumanize us, we decided to be HUMAN.”

You're beautiful.

Fri, 18 Nov 2011 18:25:00 -0500

lol. Thank you. I’ve only been called beautiful twice (including now) and It is still one of the highest compliments I’ve ever been paid. I find you to be quite beautiful as well, from both an intellectual and a physical perspective. I look forward to building with you. Peace.

You should change the font of your quotes for better readability. ?

Wed, 16 Nov 2011 03:07:26 -0500

I’ve changed it. Thanks for the suggestion. Peace.

"Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways."

Sat, 12 Nov 2011 09:14:00 -0500

“Envy thou not the oppressor, and choose none of his ways.”

- Proverbs 3:31 (KJV)

I got #MW3 too…gotta love #gamefly. DISCLAIMER: despite the...

Tue, 08 Nov 2011 20:29:00 -0500

I got #MW3 too…gotta love #gamefly. DISCLAIMER: despite the terrible towel lurking in the background, I am a die hard Ravens fan.

This song, entitled “Home,” was written and...

Mon, 07 Nov 2011 20:47:00 -0500

This song, entitled “Home,” was written and produced by me in 2010 and features the voices of Fred Hampton, Dave Chappelle and Assata Shakur. It is the first of a collection of songs I’ve been sitting on that I will be posting over the next month or so.

"We think we are divided because we are different, but we are divided mostly because someone told us..."

Fri, 04 Nov 2011 08:39:00 -0400

“We think we are divided because we are different, but we are divided mostly because someone told us that we should be.”

- WL

A Love Lost...

Mon, 31 Oct 2011 10:38:44 -0400

I knew i didn’t hate her. That was always clear, I never doubted for an instant that I still loved her (and probably always will). What I never understood was the pain and the feelings of anger, the something that was broken beyond repair. All I had were questions. Questions unanswered, left to time and space to sort out solutions until I had the courage, wisdom and frankly the desire to search into self.

I was sitting in church yesterday when it hit me. I married her, and she divorced me. No, I did not put a ring on her finger, we did not walk down any isles, there were no witnesses, no preacher. However, in every sense of what marriage actually means (outside of the ceremony, ring and legal status) I had married this woman—committed my life to her. ‘Til death do us part, I felt that way. I saw us ultimately as one, or growing closer to one with each passing moment.

She was never there, and who can blame her? She wasn’t ready for that. I misunderstood her and took for granted the notion of forever. Perhaps it is me who was most gravely at fault. But, the blame game matters not, only that something was lost back there, something was broken. I thought for so long it was my heart that suffered the most. I was wrong, in fact it was the commitment that was destroyed, shattered, and I just decided not to search for the pieces.

So, blame me.

#ALoveLost

Who Are You, if not an Afrikan?

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 14:39:36 -0400

Why are we the only people who don’t want to be associated with where we came from. African-American but NOT African? How does that even make sense? Do Japanese people who live in America stop calling themselves Japanese? I don’t know any of them. Same with a Korean or an Indian. How many years does it take to lose your heritage? 100 years? If i’ve been here 100 years then now I am not an Afrikan anymore? The quest for definition becomes more muddy when placed against the notion of Nationality. I am an American by definition, because I live/was born here. Citizenship. I am an African regardless of where I am, where I was born. Irrespective to how long I’ve been here, there anywhere. I admit it is confusing, so no shots at people who see it differently, but at the same time it seems as though we are the only people who choose to disassociate ourselves with our motherland. Why is that? And why is it that we are okay with this? Especially considering the historical treatment of our people in these new places we prefer to associate ourselves with. I live in America, I may die here, this is my home, physically. But, If I move out of America today and go live somewhere else for the next 40 years, would people still call me American?. What is certain, however, is that I am African, will always be African and I will die an African. My Nation is not simply physical, it spans across the physical (state and continental boundaries) as well as the metaphysical (i.e. time/space and being). My people are everywhere, and thus where we are, that is our nation. They say home is where the heart is, mine belongs with the people.

love the emory douglas background. and the danny glover post. peace to you.

Fri, 21 Oct 2011 02:34:44 -0400

Much thanks, peace to you as well. I look forward to building with you.

complex-brown: BLACK OUT! At Occupy Philadelphia We had a...

Wed, 12 Oct 2011 13:54:20 -0400

complex-brown:

BLACK OUT! At Occupy Philadelphia

We had a Black Out! at Occupy Philadelphia. Why?

Saturday, two sisters were called Niggers by two of the volunteers at Occupy Philadelphia at the cell-phone charging stations. They were also told to go back to Africa, and that each white man should own a slave. When the sista’s called security, security asked them to leave the premises because they thought they were apart of the UHURU movement. Even if they were a part of that movement, they should not have been asked to leave. Especially without any mention of their verbal and spiritual abuse.

So a small collective formed a drummer’s circle on Sunday and started a rally, only to be met with on-lookers who didn’t understand why there was a Pan-African flag at an “American” event. We were called racist. Many of the people there to support Occupy Philadelphia came to us to tell us that all of us are people and that race is behind us! They told us that we were being divisive.

Bullshit.

When we circled up to come up with a constructive way to address the people, we were constantly interrupted by white people who could not respect our safe space. These people said that it was a public space, and we couldn’t have a group that excuded them. Why is it when black people want to get together to work out our issues in our community we are called out? Sadly, one of the black women who came up to our group suggested we move to another location away from city hall, since we were having a private group. What?!!

When we wanted to address the people at the people’s assembly, we had to beg to get a spot on the program. They wanted us to wait until afterwards and get on the open mic. Also, we had two people come up to the group and ask if we were going to be violent. Why would be violent?? Because we are black? We eventually told the gate-keepers that we were going to be given the mic, or we were going to take the mic. We eventually got our spot.

As the sister was talking about her experience, there were some members in support, and there were even members who came up to us afterwards to show support. But many of the people were asking us to hurry up, calm down and finish. One white guy used signals to get us to hurry up.

We spoke out about RACISM IN THE 99 percent.

We spoke out about how nobody was talking about the racist foundation of corporate greed.

How do we talk about classim without taking about racism?

American wealth can not be discussed without mention of free African slave labor, the rice, tobacco, sugar and cotton industry.

We were called racist because we empowered ourselves and stood up for what was right.

Policing the People: who/what are you protecting? (Retro-Post:July,2011)

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 01:49:00 -0400

People-Police relations in America have historically been problematic, to say the least.

The major problem lies in the fact that while certain criminal elements within the black community do pose a great threat to officers, the majority of black people do not, and are yet and still treated just as criminals. This is the issue. So what happens is you always have tension present. Innocent people sweat when cops come around. Who wants to be the next victim of a police beating or shooting? Nobody. Everybody runs. Cops shoot brothers in the back tho. Damn. In the community it is often unclear as to what the purpose is of the officers. We commonly think about protecting and serving, but in the hood, who do they protect and who do they serve?

There is a very thin line between protection and intrusion, one minute you are half glad that they are present then the next you are angry as hell that they are here. Newsflash. They didn’t quite come to rescue you anyway. Maybe officer “such and such” and her partner, “officer so and so,” did come for righteous reasons, but the fact still remains that the badge they wear and what they represent has inherently conflicting reasons for being present—especially if you are a person of color.

The Thin Line Between Comedy and Coonery Pt. 1 (Retro-Post:July,2011)

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 01:48:00 -0400

At some point we just have to do. We can’t NOT tell jokes, NOT dance, NOT rap, NOT express ourselves simply because there exist bigots who will laugh at us purely for their entertainment. FUck them. We have to remember that our audience is bigger than that. We can’t let that kill our expression. Then we become them, indoctrinated and conformed into them out of fear for being made fun of? That sounds dumb when I say it like that, right? Yet we do it.

Man I believe you just have to make sure that you are more than 1 dimensional. Don’t be flat. Show a more complete person. Don’t be a cartoon. Nobody in real life has a wardrobe with only the one exact same outfit. Wear your other clothes, hats, shirts, sneakers, socks, faces. Be yourself. Look in the mirror and ask “Am I being a cartoon?” If your answer is no, then do what you do brother…sister.

Comedy for one has been too important to us. Its a survival tactic. “Laugh to keep from crying” is what I always heard. I mean think about how we joke about the hardest topics. This is a incredible way to deal with really hardcore issues in a penetrating way. If it wasn’t for the humor many of us couldn’t swallow (or wouldn’t want to) certain harsh realities of our existence. We again, just have to move beyond the joke, beyond the dance…to the issues at hand…continuing to be our COMPLETE selves.

I’m going to commit to posting more. It’s not that I don’t have anything to say,...

Wed, 21 Sep 2011 01:41:32 -0400

I’m going to commit to posting more. It’s not that I don’t have anything to say, rather I just am not used to posting it for the world to see. Still not quite comfortable with my opinions being public domain. The moment when someone pulls up something I posted 6 months ago and quotes me verbatim to prove some point. That moment, that idea I think is what keeps me from clicking the little post button. Ultimately, though I hate to admit it, I believe it to be rooted in fear. We are not to operate based off of fear, it is a low state of being. As of now, when I have an idea, a thought, I will post.