This blog features several essays that attempt to explain the destructive nature of the “positive” and “progressive” and “educational” movements which are populated by the majority of First World “activists” and “aware” citizens:
Organizing, Coalition Building, Education… as Self-Cooptation?
The Activist Wars
Need To Embrace Hatred
Against Chomsky
More Against Chomsky
Global Warming: Truth or Dare?
These essays attempt to discover the mechanisms by which First World “responsible” lifestyle choices, consumer choices, educational efforts, dialogue initiatives, etc., are counter to authentic anti-oppression efforts.
But a poem can be worth a thousand essays…:
The Ocean of Wisdom *
Ignore the checkpoints and the chains
Sail the rivers of tears
Praise a dream that has given birth
to a million nightmares
We resist from our slums
You resist from the podium
Beloved of Hollywood,
Ocean of Wisdom:
Can liberated celebrities
bring freedom to a people?
David you embrace or Mao
The aboriginals were subjugated
In Hebrew or in Mandarin
The land was appropriated
They’ll hide the sun under your crimson robe
Drown the truth in your words of hope
Go!
Leave my aching land alone!
To Lhasa,
I support your right of return
--
Ehab Lotayef
Montreal, January 23, 2006
* Welcoming the Dalai Lama to the Holy Land. The Dalai Lama is planned to visit Israel in the middle of February to participate in the launch of ceremonies marking 100 years since David Ben Gurion immigrated to Israel.
** We thank poet and activist Ehab Lotayef for allowing the use of his poem.
i have done a lot of reading into this 'awakened' culture that east asian philosophy within their poems likes to promote. however, i do find a lot of areas problematic. for example, their overemphasis to accept the world as already perfect and not being changed in order to gain 'peace'. i would rather not gain any peace if that means turning a blind eye to opression and injustices just so i can gain some "peace"....
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