A photograph of Amiri Baraka, activist, poet, (Racist?) and the photograph that spurred Abel Meeropol to write the poem "Strange Fruit" which was later song by Billie Holiday.
Notes on "Biography"
Notes on "Biography"
Another look at "Strange Fruit"Below are the lyrics to Billie Holiday’s Strange Fruit, 1939, written by Abel Meeropol, New Yorker, Jewish schoolteacher, American Communist:
Southern trees bear strange fruit
Blood on the leaves and blood at the root
Black bodies swinging in the southern breeze
Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees
Pastoral scene of the gallant south
The bulging eyes and the twisted mouth
The scent of magnolia sweet and fresh
Then the sudden smell of burning flesh
Here is a fruit for the crows to pluck
for the rain to gather, for the wind to suck
for the sun to rot, for the tree to drop
Here is a strange and bitter crop
In Walked Bud
(Listened to CD in-Class)
Audio File of "In Walked Bud"
When you go to Salon type the title of the poem in the search window.
http://www.salon.com/ent/audiofile/index.html?item=/ent/audiofile/2005/10/31/listens/index.html
Backstory on the Theolonius Monk Piece "In walked Bud " "As the musicians were packing up their instruments after the show, the police stormed the club and went after Monk. He refused to show his identification, and was forcibly arrested. A fan barred the door and challenged the officers. They tried to push him aside, but he wouldn't budge. 'Stop,' he yelled. 'You don't know what you're doing. You're mistreating the greatest pianist in the world!' At this point a nightstick came down on his head like a lightening bolt. The young fan was Monk's best friend, Bud Powell. He was dragged along with Monk, and thrown into jail after his injury was superficially treated at the hospital. After his release Powell complained of alarming headaches. He eventually checked into Bellevue Hospital, then spent three months in Creedmore Hospital. There he was treated with various psychoactive drugs and shock therapy. His artistic career had barely started, but henceforth he would be bedeviled by psychological problems. Monk was aware that Powell's intervention had saved him from a similar fate. For his ill-starred protege, he wrote 'In Walked Bud', '52nd Street Theme', and 'Broadway Theme', otherwise simply known as 'The Theme.' The numbers were intended to be Bud's property alone, and Monk never recorded them."
Southern trees bear strange fruit
Blood on the leaves and blood at the root
Black bodies swinging in the southern breeze
Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees
Pastoral scene of the gallant south
The bulging eyes and the twisted mouth
The scent of magnolia sweet and fresh
Then the sudden smell of burning flesh
Here is a fruit for the crows to pluck
for the rain to gather, for the wind to suck
for the sun to rot, for the tree to drop
Here is a strange and bitter crop
In Walked Bud
(Listened to CD in-Class)
Audio File of "In Walked Bud"
When you go to Salon type the title of the poem in the search window.
http://www.salon.com/ent/audiofile/index.html?item=/ent/audiofile/2005/10/31/listens/index.html
Backstory on the Theolonius Monk Piece "In walked Bud " "As the musicians were packing up their instruments after the show, the police stormed the club and went after Monk. He refused to show his identification, and was forcibly arrested. A fan barred the door and challenged the officers. They tried to push him aside, but he wouldn't budge. 'Stop,' he yelled. 'You don't know what you're doing. You're mistreating the greatest pianist in the world!' At this point a nightstick came down on his head like a lightening bolt. The young fan was Monk's best friend, Bud Powell. He was dragged along with Monk, and thrown into jail after his injury was superficially treated at the hospital. After his release Powell complained of alarming headaches. He eventually checked into Bellevue Hospital, then spent three months in Creedmore Hospital. There he was treated with various psychoactive drugs and shock therapy. His artistic career had barely started, but henceforth he would be bedeviled by psychological problems. Monk was aware that Powell's intervention had saved him from a similar fate. For his ill-starred protege, he wrote 'In Walked Bud', '52nd Street Theme', and 'Broadway Theme', otherwise simply known as 'The Theme.' The numbers were intended to be Bud's property alone, and Monk never recorded them."
35 comments:
Author: Amari Baraka (1934- )
Title: "Biography"
Amari Baraka was born in Newark, New Jersy as LeRoi Jones in 1934. At the age of 32 he returned to Newark to serve as a leader for Spirit House as Imamu Amari Baraka. Baraka received a degree in English literature from Howard University. After serving 2 years in the Air Force, he returned to New York where he studied at Columbia University and the New School for Social Research & received his M.A. in German literature. Initially Baraka's writing style was concerned with its relation to the spoken word and a musical flow to fit in with the dominant culture of the time. Later in his career Baraka began to focus more on content - experiences regarding racial issues mainly - but maintaned his own lyrical style.
"Biography" recounts a lynching based on a famous photograph in which a croud of white people are gathered around 2 young black men hanging from a tree. In this photograph the spectators appear to be smiling and having a good time.
Passage: "granddaddy granddaddy, they tore his neck".
This passage shows excitement from a child watching the hanging take place. She doesn't think anything of being excited because everyone seems to be smiling and happy, as though it were just another social function. In reality, however, it was merely an act of social dominance. The spectators believe nothing is wrong with their actions because during the time period in which the photo was taken, it was common for whites to treat black people as though they were animals that were not deserving of humane, never mind equal, treatment.
Tragedy: The young men have to die in order for the others to feel they belong to something.
Comedy: The act of the lynching brings the spectators together as a community and gives them a sense of belonging.
Amari Baraka
"Biography"
Amari Baraka was born in Newark, New Jersey. He was born in 1934 and is still living today. He was born as LeRoi Jones, but changed his name to Amari Baraka when he returned to Newark to serve as a leader for the Spirit House. He was a big supporter of Black Power. Amari's writings focus on reaching people through art and politics.
The poem titled "Biography" was written in 1969. It tells the story of a black man getting lynched or hung from a tree. At the end of the poem the black man is just hanging there and a little girl, full of excitement, tells her grandfather that they "tore his neck". I haven't chosen a passage to discuss because the poem consists of mostly just words not really any short phrases, but the word that stands out the most to me would be "blood". It signifies that the man not only got hung but he gotten beaten in front of everyone. The word blood just stands out because it kind of puts the story into a real perspective to me. The story also tells us that back then people took part in lynching in order to feel a belonging to a society. The crowd acts as if there actions are perfectly human. But it was also common back then to lynch a black slave if they did something wrong.
The tragedy would be the black people dying for probably doing nothing wrong.
The comedy would be the crowd taking part in an event together and having a good time.
Amari Baraka
"Biography"
LeRoi Jones aka Amiri Baraka was born October 7, 1934 in Newark, New Jersey; until 1965 he published under the name LeRoi Jones when Malcom X was assassinated then he changed his pen name to Baraka. His work explores a variety of themes in character, race relations, Black Nationalism, Marxism, and political events. He received a degree from Harvard in literature and then served 2 years in the Air Force.
Why did he choose to title this “Biography?” Was it an account of seeing one of his friends lynched or was it from the words of a person in the crowd. It could also be a kid seeing his grandfather hanging and was an account of what he saw. There are many ways that the passage could be taken and used to anger, shame, or point out the cruelties of human beings. These ideas could show someone living with animosity toward others that even though they were brought up to believe something was right they can also be wrong.
There seems to be no real way to turn this passage in to a comedy cause of the vivid images of death that it gives you. The joy that some of the people are expressing about the lynching is the only source of comedy and the tragedy is that these hangings went on daily with out much thought.
Author: Amiri Baraka-He was born LeRoi Jones in 1934. Not being there on Monday, I was wondering if Mr. Baraka was a Muslim and changed his name; like Cassius Clay to Mohammed Ali. BASIC PASSAGE: "red bleeds drips ground sucks blood hangs life wetting sticky mud". As the title of Barakas' poem is entitled "Biography", perhaps it is the biography, of sorts, of the two men hanging from the tree in front of all the white people. CORRELATE: I'll play devils advocate and say that it is not right for a black man to try to demoralize his own race by writing a poem based on the depiction of two black men being made sport of. In todays society, what is the difference between two gangs killing each other in the name of ones property, such as the white mans feeling as if, the 'blacks' are their property, as in the picture or in the poem that we are reading. This is definitely a tragedy, no comedy at all, but is more of a narcisstic rage against a "minorty" back in the days when white men felt superior towards Afro Americans.
Title:"Biography"
Author: Amari Baraka (1934-)
Baraka was born in Newark, New Jersey where at the age of 32 he would return to be come the leader of Spirit House. He also went to Howard University and recieved a degree in English literature. At the early time he was writing his poetry,was the age of "sex,drugs, and rock and roll" which would show in the flow of his poetry which was songlike. His poetry would maintain this fluidity but would also portray issues in society,especially racism.
Basic Passage: Using the entire poem due to shortness.
Correlate:
"Biography" is a poem about a lynching portrayed in a picture in which all the people witnessing this act are smiling. It is almost as if it is a spectator sport or a party and people are enjoying the event. The lynching may have also provided a way to "belong" in the community and people may have just gone along with it to not be outcasted. I can relate to this in that I have probably done a thing or to in order to "fit in" or "belong". The party-like atmosphere could also be due to their upbringing and they also may not know what they are doing is wrong which we know is not true.
Tragedy: That this death is the enjoyment of others.
Comedy: The death is the comedy of those who are watching in that it is a social time.
Author: Amiri Baraka
Title: "Biography"
Baraka was born LeRoi Jones in Newark, New Hersey in 1934. He became a leader for the Spirit House in 1966 when he returned to Newark. His growing interest in the black revolution has made his poetry nonformal and nontraditional. He is a Black Power advocate and a black visionary writer.
Baraka's poem "Biography" was wrote in 1969. It talks about a black man being hung. He wrote this poem by looking at a picture. In this he describes people all being together smiling, almost like a family gathering or a community event. The people that are all gathered around could have thought that nothing was wrong with lynching and they could have also been brought up by seeing that it was ok.
Amari Baraka
"Biograpy"
Amari Baraka was born Leroi Jones in Newark,New Jersey in 1934. Jones after graduating college put out poems that reflected his influences from William Carlos Williams. His later writings showed his more black revolution side.
As far as a passage I really could not pick out just one. I think how sad this whole entire poem is. I mean the whole fact that the people in the poem make it seem as if it was a party. To which they got there kicks and giggles from hanging two innocent guys. Just the torture alone is crazy.
Tragedy: The tragedy here is obvious. The simple fact that killing two men based on their color is just well retarted. Its like their saying, Oh, your favorite color is green and everyone elses is blue and that because yours is green that makes you different therefore it makes you lower then everyone else.
Turned into a comedy: Maybe giving a better reasoning for killing the guys. Maybe if they were mass murders that would be a reasonable reason. Or to make it even simplier not have anyone killed.
A.Amari Baraka
Biography
The somewhat controversial poet Amari Baraka, born Leroi Jones, wrote many poems focusing on racial topics. His strong ties with the black power movements shows in his poems.
B. ". . .they tore his neck."
Correlation:To me when this is sickening to think a child is raised to see things like this and not feel any remorse. The child along with the rest of the people act like its entertaining to see this man hang. It just goes to show how far our society has come today. Even though there are some racial issues their no where near this extreme.
Tragedy: It's pretty straight forward; a man dies.
Comedy: This would be a hard one to turn into a comedy because its very gruesome and graphic. However, the happiness of the crowd could be considered a comedy.
Title: "Biography"
Author: Amiri Baraka
Amiri Baraka was born in Newark, New Jersey. At the age of 32, he returned to serve as a leader of the Spirit House. In 1961, he published his first collection of poems. He has also written volumes of plays, fiction, and essays. His early peoms showed the influence of William Carlos Williams. His growing interest in the black revolution has made his later poetry increasinglhy nonformed and nontraditional.
Basic Passage: "granddaddy granddaddy, they tore his neck."
Correlate: It seems like this little girl is happy that this happened. Back then they did this just to do it. It brought the community closer together. William Carlos Williams talks about how once you get into the crowd you do what everone else does. Baraka uses this in this poem to show that most people do things just because everyone else is doing it, so why not do it?
Tragedy: The tragedy is the fact that they kill people just to do it.
Comedy: The comedy is the fact that the people all gather together and laugh at the people who are being hung.
Amari Baraka (1934- )
"Biography"
Amari Baraka was born in New Jersey, 1934 as LeRoi Jones. He served as a leader for the Spirit House. Baraka was a Black Power supporter and his writings usually used art and politics to reach people.
Baraka wrote "Biography" in 1969. The poem tells a story of a black man being hung from a tree [lynched], insipired by a photograph. I read the poem, looked at the picture and also read the lyrics to Billie Holiday's "Strange Fruit."
The lyrics used vivid words that painted a picture for the mind. "then the sudden smell of burning flesh," "black bodies swinging in the southern breeze." These words are very much alive. I feel like these things are happening right before my eyes.
PASSAGE: "red bleeds drips ground sucks blood hangs life wetting sticky mud" -
THOUGHTS: Baraka used the words: red, bleeds, blood. In the lyrics, "Strange Fruit" I noticed a repitition of the word blood and references to red and blood and bleeding. I think it's sick that men (in a general sense) can actually smile or enjoy the death of another human. It doesn't matter what color your skin is, where you came from, what you believe in, we all are living breathing human beings. Why should one person get dominance over another. We all breathe the same air.
TRAGEDY: Two black men are hung to the enjoyment of a crowd of gathering people.
COMEDY: You might have to be a sick person to find comedy in this poem. However, you might find comedy in the fact that the people enjoying the lynching should actually be laughed at. HOW IGNORANT.
Author: Amiri Baraka
Title: "Biography"
Baraka changed his name from LeRoi Jones after the assassination of Malcolm X. After moving to Harlem, he married Amina Baraka and founded or served in many organizations, including the Congress of African People and the National Black Political Assembly.
Basic Passage: entire work
Correlation: This poem does a good job of making the reader instantly angry and want to fight for the cause. The graphic and cruel nature of the poem almost seems demonic, inhuman. I hate to reduce it to this, but it reminds me of a child burning an ant hill with a magnifying glass. It may be entertaining, but try it from the ant's point of view. Inescapable, Random, Pointless torture inflicted by a sadistic, barbaric animal.
Tragedy: I hate that this still happens today, although it may not be black and white. Hatred and anger are useless and not worth the time or effort to sustain them.
Comedy: I find no comedy here.
Author: Amiri Baraka
Title: "Somebody Blew Up America"
Background: Born Everett LeRoi Jones in Newark, New Jersey, on October 7, 1934, Amiri Baraka is today a beloved poet, an elder statesman of the African-American community. Presently, politicians in New Jersey are using legislation to remove him from the appointed position of Poet Laureate of New Jersey. He wrote a poem entitled "Somebody Blew Up America" and caused a rather hostile reaction by the Ant-Defamation League (ADL). This right-wing Zionist response is thus being supported by conservative New Jersey senators in order to court the Jewish vote.
Baraka's father, Colt LeRoy Jones, was a postal supervisor; Anna Lois Jones, his mother, was a social worker. He attended Rutgers University for two years, then transferred to Howard University, where in 1954 he earned his B.A. in English. He served in the Air Force from 1954 until 1957, then moved to the Lower East Side of Manhattan. There he joined a loose circle of Greenwich Village artists, musicians, and writers. In 1958 he married Hettie Cohen and began co-editing the avant-garde literary magazine Yugen with her. That year he also founded Totem Press, which first published works by Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac, and others.
This poem to me isn't about placing blame on any one person or culture. By asking "who", Barake makes you think about the evil in man as a whole. Who did this, who did that, there is no one answer. Everyone is capable of terrible things no matter what their nationality or cultural background.
Passage: "Who killed the most niggers Who killed the most Jews Who killed the most Italians Who killed the most Irish Who killed he most Africans Who killed the most Japanese Who killed the most Latinos"
Response: From my point of veiw, just taking into account the history I have been taught, America seems to be the implied answer. However, I do not veiw this passage as racist because who are Americans? Americans are from all cultures. America is the melting pot of the world. We are African, White, Italian, Jewish, Irish etc. This poem was written following the 9/11 attacks. At that time we as a country were stunned, and our government needed someone to blame. I think Barake wrote this to make people think about who to cast that blame on. "Let he who has no sin cast the first stone" comes to mind. Although the government "knows" who is responsible I see this as a warning to not let history repeat itself by being the "who" that killes the most Muslims.
Comment: k-dub
I agree with this response. This poem did evoke anger and hostility. As for the people in the photo They make me feel ashamed and sorry that there was such wide spread stupidity and closemindedness. These people seemed be enjoying themselves and I wonder if it is just the emotion of the mob that makes them feel that it is okay to commit murder. I wonder how it is that people could have no remorse for such an attrosity or if they even thought that what they were doing was wrong.
It is sad to think about this sort of descrimnation and what is really sad is that it still goes on today. Maybe we don't lynch people anymore, but there is still succh a tremendous amount of intolerance but cultural and religious. It really makes me wonder if people will ever learn to accept the differences in one another.
Title:
Biography by Amiri Baraka
Author:
His original name was Leroi Jones. He is from New Jersey which is definatley not the ssouth. A very well educated man Baraka attended Rutgers, Howard university, columbia, and the new school. he spent time in Puerto Rico while in the airforce. He wrote poems, plays, newspaper stories, essays, and fiction. He was quite the revolutionist and was all about African people breaking free from white oppression.
Basic Passage:
"hangs granddaddy granddaddy, they tore his neck"
Correlate:
The poem paints a horrid picture for the reader. A very gorey seen with multiple types of reactions. The word sucks suggests that some people gasp at the terrible sight. There were laughs as well and bonnets whch suggest that this lynching was a social event. Some are disturbed but for the most part it seems that the onlookers are pleased. In the basic passage I chose- a young child makes a seemingly questioning comment to her (for some reason the way I read it I assumed that she was a little girl seems to me it would fit well that way)grandfather. She is asking her grandfather if she sees what has happemed to the man, in a way to say "they should not have done that but im not sure" How did the gradnfather answer, with a hoop and a holler? Or did he answer with a solemn agreement. From the tone of this poem it sounds like he might have hollered in approval. Maybe Baraka is mocking the adults in this poem by the thought of the one voice of reason in the mob being the voice of an innocent little child. While the mob breathes and acts and speaks as one the child is not a part, the child wonders WHY?
Difficulties:
THe descriptive phrase "leather night" makes me wonder. Is the night hard? I guess some leather is hard. Does it smell like leather? Is the night dark like leather?huh weird.
Tragedy:
The tragedy is that mankind could be so courrupt so vile as to do such a despicable thing to ANOTHER HUMAN BEING and not even blink. Oh the atrocities that have occured since the world began just because people's skin is not the same color whne in reality we are all brothers and sisters, children of God...all made in His image!
Comedy:
Well the lynchers are having a grand time laughing and pointing and carrying on it is there comedy but mankinds tragedy.
Daniel Said :
Aouthor Amari BAraka(1934)
Title "Biography",
Author
Abel Meeropol
"Strange Fruit"
In this poem and song lyrics the author Amiri Baraka writes about the escence of time and change of time on objects such as people and nature. He uses figurative language and descriptions to describe a man who has been lynched and is hanging battered and bruised from a tree. He notes how the fruit withers and rots and creates an awfull smell like the body. But is pleased by the sweet smell from the magnolia tree and its white blossoms.
" Strange fruit hanging from the poplar trees"
"The scent of magnolia sweet and fresh"
"Then the sdden smell of burning flesh"
" For the sun to rot, for the tree to drop"
" Here is a strange and bitter crop."
In theses lines he relates how scent of the mahgnolia disguises the bodies odor, and shows us that he hates the rotten fruit in afarmers field. What he thinks is strange in this poem is the burning flesh of the body and the bitter rotten crop that failed and left his family hungry.
A. Title: Someone Blew up America
Author: Amiri Baraka
Amiri Baraka was born in Newark, NJ. He grew up to become a controversial poet, usually focusing on racial issues. His no holds barred style earned him ridicule, as he was accused of racism in his poem, Someone Blew Up America.
Basic Passage: "Who killed the most Irish, who killed the most Africans, who killed the most Japanese."
Correlate: This passage shows who exactly Baraka is blaming for 9/11. He doesn't think that it's a particular race (as no 1 race "killed the most irish, africans and japanese"). Instead he thinks that it's the fact that people hate each other and can't get along that caused 9/11. He says that it is attitude that caused it. I think this is a good answer to why bad things happen to good people. there is always going to be someone out there that hates you or that hates your country. It's important to pay attention to your own attitude to make sure that you aren't the one causing this hate. But even if you are doing nothing to earn hate, it may exist anyway.
Tragedy: That peoples hate each other and do horrible acts in that hate.
Can be turned to a comedy if: the poem was about the good that people did for each other, instead of the bad.
Post for Chiante
A Title – "Somebody Blew Up America"
• Amiri Baraka (LeRoi Jones)
• Amiri Baraka was born Everett LeRoi Jones in Newark, New Jersey, on October 7,
1934. His father was a postal supervisor and his mother was a social worker. He
attended Rutgers University for two years, then transferred to Howard
University, where in 1954 he earned his B.A. in English. He served in the Air
Force from 1954 until 1957, then moved to the Lower East Side of Manhattan.
There he joined a loose circle of Greenwich Village artists, musicians, and
writers. The following year he married Hettie Cohen and began co-editing the
avant-garde literary magazine Yugen with her. That year he also founded Totem
Press, which first published works by Allen Ginsberg, Jack Kerouac, and others.
Basic Passage - "Who bought the slaves, who sold them, Who called you them names, Who say Dahmer wasn't insane"; "Who owned the slave ship, Who run the
army, Who the fake president, Who the ruler, Who the banker
Correlate – The poem underlying theme focuses on how Black Americans have suffered from domestic terrorism since the beginning. Yes it is a subject that we'd like to avoid, but it is reality. Blacks didn't create slavery, and we don't run the country. What race has been in charge since the beginning? I
appreciated this entire poem because Baraka spoke out and rebelled against the
norm. He didn't point fingers at any race in particular.
Identify the cause of human suffering—Tragedy- The cause of human suffering was the terrorist attack itself. The fact that this poem points out all of the
shortcomings of the "perfect" United States.
How can the tragedy be turned into a comedy? I don't think that anything good could come out of this poem. The only thing is that Baraka spoke out about how
most Americans are beginning to feel about the fake president Bush.
I agree with blh405. When people do get in a crowd they do act different than when they are by themselves. I also think this is what he was trying to prove with his poetry.
I also agree with blh405. When people are involved in something they usually just go along with it. This also happened in Germany with the Nazi Party. They were a group of people who were following the crowd and it led to the most violent acts in history. When people get together they can go things with out thinking about the response.
Daniel WISE: POST 5
NATALIE MENA, ON "BIOGRAPHY"
AMIRI BARAKA
i BELIEVE THAT NATALIE WAS RIGHT THAT PEOPLE BEGAN THE RACIAL CURSE OF LYNCHING PEOPLE BECAUSE IT HELPED THEM FIT INTO SOCIETY AND HELPED THEM FEEL BETTER ABOUT THEMSELVES. I ALSO BELIEVE THAT THIS REASON OF TURNING DEATH INTO COMEDY FOR SOCIAL FUN CAUSED THE RIOTS AND ANGER ANDF HOSTILITY OF THE kkk TO BREAK OUT DURING THE TIME OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT WHEN THIS TYPOE OF BEHAVIOR WAS SO PREVALENT. We STILL SEE THIS KIND OF ANIMOSITY TOWARDS PEOPLE TODAY WHEN YOPU READ THE NEWSPAPER YOU ALWAYS READ ABOUT WHO HAS KILLED WHO AND FOR WHAT REASON, OR IN SCHOOLS YOU LEARN WHO BULLIES WHO AND WHY AND WHAT FOR. i THINK WE CAN ALL RELATE TO THIS.
Author: Amiri Baraka
Title: "Biography"
Amiri Bara was in Newwark, New Jersey. Bara graduated from high school and attended Rutgers Univerisity in Newwark, and later transferred to Howard University where he earned his degree in English literature. His growing intrest in the black revolution had made his later poetry noninformal and nontraditional. He quoted about his poetry, "to reach some people, move some people."
Passage:
"Granddaddy granddaddy,they tore his neck"
This passage shows how amused the people were to watch these hangings. It seems these people looked forward to such an event. Sadly, it brings the community together.
Correlate:
I agree with the class discussion how "group think" can carry you far from how you really act and think. If you are at a concert or even at Mardi Gras, people do some pretty crazy things when they are in a crowd of people.
Tragedy:
How the people are watching and enjoying the hangings like it's a celebration.
Comedy:
The community comes together for such an event.
I agree with brook's response:
The people took part in the lynching and thought nothing about it. It was their entertainment and part of their society that brought them together. It's sad that the children experienced it first handed because they probably grew up thinking that is how society is suppose to be.
I really liked Creole's response. The thought of one voice of reason speaking out in the crowd of hate reminds us to stop and think about what we are doing before the mob mentality makes us do something we will regret. Children have frequently been used to show the right and wrong of a situation in writing, and I think it is a good use here.
Comment:
I agree with k-dub & MHavard. The poem does evoke hostility and anger. However, the strongest feeling it evokes is shame at the ability to participate in such a horrible act. No matter how common or "popular" such acts were at the time, I would hope at least one person would have the strength of character and an open enough mind to take a step back and examine the situation before acting. It only takes one person to start others realizing the effects and consequences of acting on emotion and/or without thinking.
I agree with Brett when this person said that Barake believes it is the hate that people carry inside themselves that caused 9/11. If there wasn't so much hate in the work, then the world would be a very peaceful place. But some people just can't let some things go. Instead of trying to talk about their feelings or actually listening to what others have to say, they go and try and blow everyone up.
I also agree with Brett. Hate is not something that can be extinguished immediately or even at all. As long as there is ignorance amongst each other there is always fear of what is different. If people took the time to learn about one another, then positive relationships may develop as a result. I also agree that we must do our part as individuals and not contribute to the problems. This does not necessarily mean that we must resolve the issues on our own but maybe do some learning on our own.
I completely agree with Brett. I also believe that he was not placing the blame on one person for 9-11 he basically was slamming everyone.
I would like to comment on musicman's post. Musicman said, "It just goes to show how far our society has come today. Even though there are some racial issues their no where near this extreme."
I have grown up in the northern states, Missouri. (Although Missouri is not that North, it is by no means the Deep South). I just recently moved down to Mobile, Alabama. I have noticed that there are still many conversations focusing on the black vs. white issue. Those of you native to the South, probably do not notice, but there is still a black vs. white issue that dominates the conversation. So yes, our society has definately come a long way, but we still definately have a long way to go. There are still racial issues that go deep within people, however, a positive is that hate crimes, racial discrimination, etc. are not socially acceptable.
in response to chiante's post i have a few comments. Right away I would like to say it is an absolutely atrocity the way Africans have been treated in this country... particulary during the slavery era our nation expierienced. I praise God when I think about how far our nation has come since then.
But you know white people did not create slavery either. Slavery is human problem that has gone on for thousands of years. Right now as we speak warring African tribes are attacking one another with the conquering tribe taking the other captive and forcing them to be slaves. Who knows who came up with slavery? Was is whites, blacks, middle easterners?
African Americans do absolutely have a part in running the country. We live in a democracy-black, white, asian, hispanic, everyone has a say. We elect representatives and vote on issues. Bush does not run the army, he is not the ruler. Our government is not like ancient Rome where we have an emperor who has absolute authority and we have to worship him and stuff. Our gov is designed in a such away so that one person or group of people can not run away with all the power...Checks and Balances they are a beautiful thing. Our congressmen AUTHORIZED President Bush to go to war in Iraq and it was a good decision hussein was a threat and he commited thousands of crimes agianst humanity... now the way it has been handled we know not the best. i appoved of Baraka's "biography" but in the basic passage posted here BAraka sounds like an absolutley ignorant America hater. The U.S. is certainly not perfect but the nations that enjoy the freedoms we enjoy are few and far between. you know I bet Baraka and Hugo Chavez would get along great... that isn't a good thing.
God Bless President Bush!!!!
Is he perfect nooo but contraary to popular belief being president of a super power nation is HARD. He has more on his plate in one day than most will be able to swallow in a lifetime. A least he is concentrating on doing his job unlike other presidents who were a little more interested in interns than in doing his job...
I am commenting on Pheurbel's post. I agree with you on the gang situation. Its funny how society goes from one extreme to another. Its human nature to kill each other. No matter what excuse people use (war, race, gang relation) it all boils down to human nature.
In class, Professor Alford said that people change in a crowd/group setting. I don't know who said it, but the saying goes 'It is people who are bad, not persons.'; ie, people are the group, and persons are the individuals. Corrie ten Boom, of "The Hiding Place" once met up with a Nazi soldier who had gaurded her and her sister in one of the concentration camps; he asked for her forgiveness and she almost couldn't do it, but she did because she realized that forgiving the Nazi gaurd was like closing and putting away a suitcase. Perhaps, we should not forget the past, but learn to close up more suitcases. She also said, "There is no valley so deep that He is not deeper still.".
Author: Amiri Baraka
Amiri Baraka was born Leroi Jones in 1934 Newark, NJ. He started off trying to be an assimilationist, even marrying a light complected woman. Later he became part of the militant black muslim movement in America.
Basic Passage:who killed the most niggers whokilled the most jews who killed the most italians who killed the most irish who killed the most africans who killed the most japanese who killed the most latinos
Comments: It is comedy to read this guy. I dont so much think of him as being very innovative, creative, racist, racy, or even very artistic. He is capable of being very visual, but for the most part the imagery he gives you is sketchy. Mostly he comes off as just being another ignorant liberal like Rosie O'donnel. The answer to most of the questions posed in the above passage for example...it appears throughout the whole poem he is trying to link every bad deed EVER all to some invisible bunch of white guys who somehow control everything. But the real answer to the question is that they killed each other.
response to knw
Of course people are amused to watch a hanging, ESPECIALLY when the person did something that they knew it would getting them executed. Kind of like I am amused watching the video of the insurgent trying to fire an RPG from an uncovered and unconcealed position at one of our people and then WAM! Somebody with a SAW (The belt fed, 5.56mm light machine gun that I carry when Im dismounted from my Humms) lights him up with at least a 15 shot burst. It never gets old. That moron knew better, and guess whats, its hilarious watching him get what he deserves.
in response to sasuke:
I can see your perspective of why baraka chose this title, but i'm more inclined to believe another answer. So, I respectfully disagree and offer this alternative: Baraka chose "Biography" as his title because, just as the whites in the poem are trying to fit in with each other, he must validate himself as a "black" writer. He tries to identify himself as a "black" author after being a "white" author for some time. And although the poem is certainly not about him, I think the title is. I think this is why he titled the poem "biography".
I definitely agree with natalie mena's response. Back then lynching was like something that everyone did, and everyone can relate to this at least one time in their life. It is called peer pressure. Even if someone didn't agree with lynching they probably took part in it anyways. For example, just like natalie said for us it is like being at a party and being peer pressured to drink or go along with the crowd. Well people could have just gone along with lynching in order to not being lynched themselves because you never know what society would have done to you back then if you didn't agree with them.
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