The Right To Express Your Opinions (POET)

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D.Lester Young
Senior Member

since 2001-12-08

Posts 1219
Austin, Tx

0 posted 2002-10-05 01:01 PM

(In defense of a poet right of self expression.)

A poet writes from his personal feelings and questions things, as they have done since man has been able to communicate. They are not always right or wrong, but a voice questioning history. So when Amiri Baraka recites one of his works which was written before he was appointed Poet Laureate, it becomes a crime. Is this a serious enough crime for expulsion from an honorary position? The facts need to be addressed and discussed before the mad hysteria of book burning happens. Let us remember those artists and intellectuals that were accused as being Communist sympathizer in the red scare of the McCarthey years. Let us not have the terror scare of the Bush years. Let us not silence the artists and intellectuals for questioning things. If their opinions are wrong, debate them in the open, in the truth of the light.

From what I saw, he questioned what Israel knew about the attack, just as we question what our government knew about it. In no way did I see it as anti Jewish. In this same reasoning, we could say someone attacking the Vatican is anti Catholic. Israel is a country of mostly Jewish citizens but also is represented by other religions that should have the same rights as ever citizen there does. If a country denies it diversity then it loses its strength. When Hitler attacked the Jewish religion, he made a fatal mistake, costing the lives of millions of Jews who could have made a difference. I am on tender waters here. If you take the intelligence and will power of the Jewish people in the entire world out of commission, the loss would be felt. But if I question a country’s policies like Israel’s, it does not make me anti Semitic; just like it does not make me anti Catholic, for questioning the views of the Vatican. If this was the case then as an American, I would have to declare myself a traitor, an anti American for questioning the values this country was founded on and what is evident today.

In Watergate we learned that President Nixon denied any part of it and came down heavy handed to threaten those that exposed it. Thank goodness for a free press back then, that was willing to take the gamble. Today we tremble in the power of groups who speak for us. Some of us, like me, fear the consequences of talking out; we stand too much to lose. But with Enron policies are overpowering our future retirements, I am starting to question things in a louder and clearer voice. In creative accounting which survived because of the fear of retribution by the groups in power. Questions come to mind like were the abusers almost all Republicans and how much of a kick back was their along the way? Why even now some politicians are interfering with the changes needed to correct the massive wrong. No war should distract the public eye from the practice of creative accounting, for we need to do an individual accounting of ourselves

Democrats do not line up with me, for maybe you were not as guilty but you where on the other side of the mirror. Just hope I do not run for political office, for I have nothing to prove to anyone else except believing in the red, white, and blue.

So now I that have alienated everyone, my friends have departed for peaceful grounds, and my imprisonment is in my own words. I sentence myself to the obscurity of a lonely poet talking from his heart, hoping once in awhile someone will be willing to take the chance of saying something and leave it open to discussion.

D.Lester Young 10/5/2002

In the faiths of all of humanity I give you one of my heartfelt poems.

What Color Is Your Mind

Should your mind migrate into another body
And find your self a Jew in an Arab body
An Irish Catholic in the Protestant skin
A fascist with pacifist blood
An angel in sheep’s clothing
Fighting the war against your reflection

If you could go into each soul
Seeing the love hate relationship
Then you would have a vision like God’s
And have tears coming down your cheeks
On how humanity treats each other

So as the battle rages on
Seeing yourself as a white woman
With the darkest tan
A black man
With white virtues
Should I not be blinded to the fact
It just should not matter

In my frailties as a poet to picture things
Within a receptive mind of readers
In a way humanities soft face is rewarded
In the picture at rest in a garden of delight
Where the gardeners have as much color
As the roses

In the love of God
In the form of the world’s religions
Let us become rainbow children
Praying for enlightenment
During our existence on earth
Until that same earth
Fades us into the same color

Thought: This is a tribute to my brother Jack recovering in a VA hospital in Miami from brain surgery.

D.Lester Young 10/4/2002
Tuscaloosa, AL
Copyright © D.Lester Young (White Eagle poetry)

God bless the world’s children for they are the one to carry us into the future. God bless America the land that lets my words fly free in the faith of our fore fathers.

[This message has been edited by D.Lester Young (10-05-2002 03:57 PM).]

VAS
Member Rara Avis

since 2000-11-16

Posts 7450
Oregon

1 posted 2002-10-06 11:39 AM

The premise of your opening paragraph seems right on, however, I'm in the dark about the main subject of your prose, so therefore, can not make a sound response to the mean of your post. Sorry.

Whether on the shoal or on the shore,
I'll seek the lighthouse evermore.

brian madden
Member Elite

since 2000-05-06

Posts 4374
ireland

2 posted 2002-10-06 01:18 PM

D.Lester, your introductory paragraph reminds me of the McCarty era where writer's were blacklisted, World War 2 where book were burned.
I thought about replying in-depth to this, but I am not American nor am I politically minded.
I can however connect to line three and to the basic theme of the poet, it is the right and duty of the poet to speak his/her belief and to question and provoke thought. You have done this with this piece.

Powerfully spoken and I pray that your brother makes a swift recovery.

El riesgo vive siempre!

Gentle Spirit
Member Patricius

since 2000-10-09

Posts 13989

3 posted 2002-10-06 01:21 PM

Wonderful write and prayers are on wing for your brother. May God hold him closely. HUGS

If I have touched one heart through my words, then I have acheived my dream...

SimplyGold
Senior Member

since 2002-07-10

Posts 1453

4 posted 2002-10-06 03:03 PM

D.L.

I'm not sure of what to think about your comments except to say:

l. Propoganda and deliberate intention to dessemiate misinformation is detestable on any level, especially when spewed out by one who has been honored and is supported with public money.

2. However, to be fair to you making your political statement and in defense of the right to express opinion. The words of Baraka should be posted so that all may see and judge for themselves whether he is questioning or inciting. I find making false statements, as he has done, to be distasteful. Here, here to expressing one's opinion, we can at least then be aware of the wolves that wear sheeps clothing. Here, here to the right of the Klu Kux Klan to speak their ill gotten words as well. How else can one know thy enemy.
I cherish my ability to discern right and wrong, good and evil, my right as well to speak out against false prophets and to reject support of people and things that I find offensive. As far as I'm concerned Baraka owes the American people and the Jewish community an apology.

Respectfully,

SG

[This message has been edited by SimplyGold (10-06-2002 03:05 PM).]

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