Perspective?

Lest we forget, the Christian right platform would just as readily eliminate many of our human freedoms (and, subsequently, our lives) with their imposed laws and gun liberties. Almost all belief structures bend the wills of their followers toward some kind of hatred. Even Buddhism has its hideous examples. Abhorrent beliefs and acts are not beyond our understandings – they live with us outwardly and inwardly and unless you live alone in a hole in Wyoming, you know them, see them, experience them – but some of us experience them more vehemently than others. What happened in Nice is beyond horrendous; what happens in the U.S. of A. every day is beyond terrible. It’s what we know; it’s how we act; it’s what we worship; it’s humans acting like humans, full to the brim with their corrupted beliefs that they explode (literally) onto others… and they (humans with their faiths), unfortunately, happen to be everywhere.

America: Where Your Only Choices Are Your Worst Ones

There is no question that I will vote for Hillary, but it should be noted that she is the second most unpopular major party nominee in history, next to the Donald. This is the post-new-nuAmerican standard: No longer is it the most popular person who wins the day; it’s either the most reviled or the second least popular (which, if you think about it, might be worse than having the distinction of being the ipso facto “most disliked”).

What does this say about us? As the Donald parades his “Let’s Make America Great Again” campaign, what he’s really saying is “Let’s Make America Hate Again”: Hate immigrants, hate other countries, hate our differences, hate each other, hate our leaders (who we vote into office)… Hate!

We used to dislike the “unpopular” ones, rightly or wrongly; now we hate everyone and are about to raise the worst among us to the highest office.

The Rare Rejection Correction

It's 3:01 a.m. and I'm still at it:

I've been receiving rejection letters for about 30 years now. Journals, magazines, galleries, book publishers, festivals -- "Not right," "No thank you," "Doesn't fit," "Almost," "Huh?"... every kind of rejection possible, some crushing. I have no idea what my success to failure rate is -- as a teenager, I started burning my "Declined" notices; now I immediately, permanently delete them -- but it has been a life of rejections (even more than art). Every now and again, however, I receive a note and think to myself, "That's gotta be a mistake," and I may even follow up with a doe-eyed, "Are you sure?" letter. If I ever field a response it's usually, "Oh, we're sure." But once a decade (for a grand total of three times ever) I receive a follow-up that all but says, "We made a mistake. Congratulations." Sure, Errare humanum est, perseverare autem diabolicum,... but these fortune changes seem to come from a wholly divine place. Shifts happen. Who am I to question Apollo, Xochipilli, Saraswati, and/or Pan?

"My Protest Poem Is a Protest Poem in the End"

In solidarity with my CUNY sisters and brothers:



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GzX7W2yilmo

The “Women of Rap You Should Know" (Almost in Order) List

 This is going to get me into some trouble.

With my students’ help, I’ve compiled a list (in a kind of order that may change) for future discussions on the topic of “Women in Hip Hop.”

I know what you’re wondering, “Where is L’Trimm?” and “How about Iggy Azalea?” or “Doesn’t Fergie count?” The answers: “I don’t know,” “No,” and “Not sure.” [Send your hate mail (in general, of all kinds) to the reallyrealdonaldtrump@gmail.com. He’ll answer. I swear.]

Who am I missing?

1. Sha Rock

2. Jean Grae

3. Lauren Hill

4. Queen Latifa

5. Tanya “Sweet Tee” Winley

6. MC Lyte

7. Missy Elliot

8. Rapsody

9. Salt n Pepa

10. Bahamadia

11. M.I.A.

12. Lady of Rage

13. Nicki Minaj

14. Monie Love

15. Azalea Banks

16. Ms. Jade

17. Eve

18. Queen Pen

19. Lady B

20. Angel Haze
21. Roxanne Shante

22. Boss

23. Heather B

24. Sparky D

25. Lisa “Left Eye” Lopes

26. Antoinette

27. Rah Digga
28. JJ Fad
29. Cookie Crew

30. Nikki D
31. Neneh Cherry
32. The Conscious Daughters
33. Ladybug Mecca

34. Foxy Brown

35. Lil Kim

36. Da Brat

37. Remy Ma

38. Vita

39. The Real Roxanne

40. Lady Sovereign

41. Keys

42.___________________________

Raising Rockers

I'm raising a classic rocker.

Aleda, my daughter, got her start listening to reggae. When she was an infant, I would play Marley and Cliff (and a little Tosh) and dance with her folded in my arms. She would fall right to sleep. As a toddler she had her Laurie Berkner spell, which is kinda okay, but it was supplemented with a lot of the Police and the Clash and, yup, a little PJ Harvey. At around seven-years-old she discovered me listening to Judas Priest and soon leapt from choosing to play the Monkees to listening to BRITISH STEEL... and then Joan Jett... and more Police and Clash on her own. I would douse her in music nightly and she absorbed it all – the alt. (Pavement, Neutral Milk), the pop (Feist), the Led and the prog. (Genesis... all of it). And now she's on her own. I built a Spotify playlist that she navigates for only the classic rock, skipping all my rap selections (unless Run DMC), all my attempts to connect to currently hip bands (does Dr. Dogg count?), for Foreigner, Queen, Nirvana (in her world, they’re “classic rock”) and the King of 'em all, Bowie. She's becoming that kid with the denim jacket and the buttons. If I could just tear 

https://open.spotify.com/user/cartknocker/playlist/4Oryk5EDZMKKIJ3Jvuu0Y3