I think the answer pretty much has to be a resounding yes!!! Since I have no pre-existing cultural connection to the fragrance. And since my introduction to it has something to do with a Phish Concert and some nuggets from British Columbia (a former life; sorry, geez). But as I am informed by Wikipedia, it seems that Nag Champa, a fragrance developed from the Champa flower, is used in Hindu temples known as Ashrams. So I doubt those same people are than going and washing their dog with the same fragrance. But truth be told I have no idea. And that's the point. Being a hippie means many things but one of those things is... taking beatiful aspects of various cultures and utilizing them without sufficient background or possibly permission from the people whose culture is being used. I think I opened a can of worms there. I'm just gonna leave it sitting there open...
Now for the record... I do know how to properly tune a Conga drum as I was taught by my dad. I was once told at a Phish Head Drum Cirlce that "you don't need to tune your conga man, you just need to let it get broken in so you can listen to the natural groove dude, You have to let it speak to you..."
I may use Nag Champa Soap on my dog but at least when I play my Conga, with the Bob Marley sticker on it, I know how to tune it.
As far as whether or not I am a hippie, no need to respond. I already know the answer.
Thursday, February 12, 2009
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
procrastination, a leftist analysis
So. I'm a blogger and a procrastinator. So this means I procrastinate on writing blogs. This is problematic. So now I have one more thing on my never ending list to put off... What am I going to do... The world's closing in... someone please help...
Sorry I was just being melodramatic. Seriously though has anyone ever written a radical leftist perspective on procrastination. A good friend in college was a professional procrastinator. He didn't get paid to do it, he was just really good at it. Anyway he had a film due that he couldn't get together to save his life. So he decided to make it about procrastinating on his film. It was genius...
So instead of writing my blog about how we're all going to be disappointed by Barack Obama, or my blog about the racism in the Societal Conviction of Michael Vick, or the blog about the tragedy that is Domestic Violence in our society and more specifically in the Black and Latino Community as evidenced by the Chris Brown and Rihanna story. Instead of writing any of those entries, I will do something even better...
I will write about procrastinating from writing this blog...
So what is a leftist analysis of procrastination. Well I think there is the obvious answer. You know that us procrastinators are just rebels resisting the oppressive results driven capitalist society that measure us based on bs quantifiable outcomes that disregard our true worth and substantive essence. I have no idea what I just said. But don't we kind of all think of ourselves as little Che Guevara's. Putting off that paper, or writing that report for work, or washing the dishes. I think most of us would like to think that we are noble warriors taking a stand against unnecessary rules about what we should accomplish. And you know what I'm not about to take that away from us. We are rebels and we should continue to rebel whenever we see fit. I will however offer some additional analysis...
I have no idea what I'm about to write but I'm sure something will come to mind...
OK procrastination is a way in which we sometimes harm ourselves. A way in which we don't accomplish tasks that we deem important and helpful to our productive existence. Going to the gym, doing our laundry, writing that book. I am in no way saying that all procrastination is harmful, quite the contrary. As I said earlier most procrastination is honorable rebellion. But truth be told. Sometimes it's not the best thing. And once in awhile it can even hurt. We can't wait forever to accomplish these important feats in our lives.
So. What does all of this mean. It means stop procrastinating if it isn't in the name of revolution. If you aren't getting out of bed because your job is nothing but a miserable experience designed to make you a pawn for the Capitalist Power Structure, than by all means stay in bed. But if you're procrastination is self-inflicted punishment, designed to prevent you from reaching your full potential. Than goddammit get your ass in the gym and on that treadmill ASAP.
Sorry I was just being melodramatic. Seriously though has anyone ever written a radical leftist perspective on procrastination. A good friend in college was a professional procrastinator. He didn't get paid to do it, he was just really good at it. Anyway he had a film due that he couldn't get together to save his life. So he decided to make it about procrastinating on his film. It was genius...
So instead of writing my blog about how we're all going to be disappointed by Barack Obama, or my blog about the racism in the Societal Conviction of Michael Vick, or the blog about the tragedy that is Domestic Violence in our society and more specifically in the Black and Latino Community as evidenced by the Chris Brown and Rihanna story. Instead of writing any of those entries, I will do something even better...
I will write about procrastinating from writing this blog...
So what is a leftist analysis of procrastination. Well I think there is the obvious answer. You know that us procrastinators are just rebels resisting the oppressive results driven capitalist society that measure us based on bs quantifiable outcomes that disregard our true worth and substantive essence. I have no idea what I just said. But don't we kind of all think of ourselves as little Che Guevara's. Putting off that paper, or writing that report for work, or washing the dishes. I think most of us would like to think that we are noble warriors taking a stand against unnecessary rules about what we should accomplish. And you know what I'm not about to take that away from us. We are rebels and we should continue to rebel whenever we see fit. I will however offer some additional analysis...
I have no idea what I'm about to write but I'm sure something will come to mind...
OK procrastination is a way in which we sometimes harm ourselves. A way in which we don't accomplish tasks that we deem important and helpful to our productive existence. Going to the gym, doing our laundry, writing that book. I am in no way saying that all procrastination is harmful, quite the contrary. As I said earlier most procrastination is honorable rebellion. But truth be told. Sometimes it's not the best thing. And once in awhile it can even hurt. We can't wait forever to accomplish these important feats in our lives.
So. What does all of this mean. It means stop procrastinating if it isn't in the name of revolution. If you aren't getting out of bed because your job is nothing but a miserable experience designed to make you a pawn for the Capitalist Power Structure, than by all means stay in bed. But if you're procrastination is self-inflicted punishment, designed to prevent you from reaching your full potential. Than goddammit get your ass in the gym and on that treadmill ASAP.
Sunday, January 18, 2009
What makes a terrorist?
Yeah I know it's been awhile. Sorry...
"One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter." Ronald Reagan
I think this an interesting point made by Ronny. George Washington and Tommy J were definitely terrorists to the British Government. It's not really debatable. So what do "they" mean when they refer to people as terrorists. You know "they" the media, government, your next door neighbor. To be honest I don't know. What I do know is that some people are called terrorists at one point and considered heroes later on. Nelson Mandela was considered a terrorist. Yasser Arafat was considered a terrorist and went on to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
I think this is a lengthy conversation that perhaps we can could continue it in another segment but today I want to talk about a specific group of so-called terrorists.
On March 1, 1954 Lolita Lebrón, Irving Flores, Rafael Cancel Miranda, and Andrés Figueroa Cordero entered the chambers of the US House of Representatives and opened fire. For real. 30 bullets were fired and 6 people wounded. Lebrón, the leader of the mission declared: "I did not come to kill anyone, I came to die for Puerto Rico!"
Now for those who don't know. Puerto Rico is the oldest colony in the world. It has been a colony since 1492. Many of us believe that Puerto Rico should become a free and independent nation. As a kid I remember endless conversations about the independence of Puerto Rico. Those of us that believe in the Puerto Rican Independance are called Independentistas. I'm very proud supporter of Independance.
So were the four people I mentioned earlier. In this modern age of terrorism and counter-terrorism it's hard to imagine such a brazen attack. Also the way surveillance has progressed it seems almost impossible...
Here's my point. In 1979, Jimmy Carter pardoned Lolita Lebrón, Irving Flores and Rafael Cancel Miranda (Andrés Figueroa Cordero had been released earlier for medical reasons). Did you read what I just said. Four people entered US Congress and opened fire and they were eventually pardoned by the President of the United States. Pardoned people. Pardoned!
To this day Lolita Lebron and Rafael Cancel Miranda are heroes in Puerto Rico. Several years ago Lebron was arrested for protesting the US Naval Occupation of Vieques Puerto Rico. She was arrested with many famous people including Al Sharpton and Robert Kennedy Jr. While locked up Robert Kennedy Jr. asked to meet Lolita. He was given the opportunity and was honored. That's right the son of a former US Attorney General and nephew of a former President of the United States was honored to meet Lolita Lebron! Lebron failed to appear for her trial as she did not recognize the legitimacy of the US Federal Court in Puerto Rico and to everyone's surprise, the Federal Judge (a Puerto Rican) refused to send US Marshall's to go get her and instead went on to talk about how much his father admired Ms. Lebron.
I met Cancel Miranda in Albany, NY when I came to speak. He heard me read a poem that I wrote for my father where I say my name is Felix Reyes in his honor. I hear Cancel Miranda in the crowd say "Is that Felix?". He knew my father and remembered him even though they hadn't spoken in 20 years. Several years ago a friend of my family presented Lolita Lebron with a copy of my book and she took a photo with it. These two Puerto Rican Patriots are heroes to me as they are to many Puerto Ricans of many different political philosophies. So does that make me a terrorist? I don't think so.
But maybe Ronny said it best...
"One man's terrorist is another man's freedom fighter." Ronald Reagan
I think this an interesting point made by Ronny. George Washington and Tommy J were definitely terrorists to the British Government. It's not really debatable. So what do "they" mean when they refer to people as terrorists. You know "they" the media, government, your next door neighbor. To be honest I don't know. What I do know is that some people are called terrorists at one point and considered heroes later on. Nelson Mandela was considered a terrorist. Yasser Arafat was considered a terrorist and went on to win the Nobel Peace Prize.
I think this is a lengthy conversation that perhaps we can could continue it in another segment but today I want to talk about a specific group of so-called terrorists.
On March 1, 1954 Lolita Lebrón, Irving Flores, Rafael Cancel Miranda, and Andrés Figueroa Cordero entered the chambers of the US House of Representatives and opened fire. For real. 30 bullets were fired and 6 people wounded. Lebrón, the leader of the mission declared: "I did not come to kill anyone, I came to die for Puerto Rico!"
Now for those who don't know. Puerto Rico is the oldest colony in the world. It has been a colony since 1492. Many of us believe that Puerto Rico should become a free and independent nation. As a kid I remember endless conversations about the independence of Puerto Rico. Those of us that believe in the Puerto Rican Independance are called Independentistas. I'm very proud supporter of Independance.
So were the four people I mentioned earlier. In this modern age of terrorism and counter-terrorism it's hard to imagine such a brazen attack. Also the way surveillance has progressed it seems almost impossible...
Here's my point. In 1979, Jimmy Carter pardoned Lolita Lebrón, Irving Flores and Rafael Cancel Miranda (Andrés Figueroa Cordero had been released earlier for medical reasons). Did you read what I just said. Four people entered US Congress and opened fire and they were eventually pardoned by the President of the United States. Pardoned people. Pardoned!
To this day Lolita Lebron and Rafael Cancel Miranda are heroes in Puerto Rico. Several years ago Lebron was arrested for protesting the US Naval Occupation of Vieques Puerto Rico. She was arrested with many famous people including Al Sharpton and Robert Kennedy Jr. While locked up Robert Kennedy Jr. asked to meet Lolita. He was given the opportunity and was honored. That's right the son of a former US Attorney General and nephew of a former President of the United States was honored to meet Lolita Lebron! Lebron failed to appear for her trial as she did not recognize the legitimacy of the US Federal Court in Puerto Rico and to everyone's surprise, the Federal Judge (a Puerto Rican) refused to send US Marshall's to go get her and instead went on to talk about how much his father admired Ms. Lebron.
I met Cancel Miranda in Albany, NY when I came to speak. He heard me read a poem that I wrote for my father where I say my name is Felix Reyes in his honor. I hear Cancel Miranda in the crowd say "Is that Felix?". He knew my father and remembered him even though they hadn't spoken in 20 years. Several years ago a friend of my family presented Lolita Lebron with a copy of my book and she took a photo with it. These two Puerto Rican Patriots are heroes to me as they are to many Puerto Ricans of many different political philosophies. So does that make me a terrorist? I don't think so.
But maybe Ronny said it best...
Monday, December 8, 2008
Bring me to you
Victorio Reyes has travelled the country, offering workshops, readings and presentations.
For information on how to bring Victorio to your spot, shoot him an email:
victorio(at)sunstillrising.com
For information on how to bring Victorio to your spot, shoot him an email:
victorio(at)sunstillrising.com
Bio
Victorio Reyes is an activist and artist living in Albany, NY. Reyes was featured in the anthology of emerging writers: Chorus, published by MTV Books and edited by Saul Williams. He holds an MFA degree from The Vermont College of Fine Arts and teaches poetry classes at Siena College. His poems are forthcoming or have been published in the Acentos Review, Mobius, Word Riot, The Pine Hills Review, The Homework Project and the anthology It Was Written: Poetry Inspired by Hip Hop. In 2014, Reyes served on a panel entitled "Uncovering Hip Hop Poetry" at the AWP Conference. Reyes also explores the role of activism in art evidenced in his essay “A Personal Journey for Justice”, published by the feminist blog She Breathes. Blending his writing and activism, Reyes has also been the executive director of The Social Justice Center of Albany (SJC) for the past 10 years.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Slaves and the White House
Sorry I haven't been around for awhile but...
This just in:
Slaves helped build the white house:
www.cnn.com/2008/US/12/02/slaves.white.house/index.html
If you read the article you will find out that slaves built the white house. You will also find a few tidbits about "our" presidents that used to own slaves. Anyway the article essentially explains how we are at a historical turning point because Barack Obama and more importantly in this case Michelle Obama will be living in the White House. I mention Michelle because she is the ancestor of slaves from South Carolina. I know we should be proud that America has grown sooo much. But...
This sort of gets to the crux as to why I'm not terribly excited about Barack Obama becoming president.
On one of the many occasions that Malcolm X was chosing to criticize civil rights leaders he said something to the affect of: why would you beg to sit on the toilet next to someone who doesn't want to sit next to you? I keep hearing that over and over in my head. I feel like we have been beggin' America for Political representation and now we've got it. But it doesn't feel good to me.
That's because the building was still built by slaves and Obama's election doesn't erase that. But more importantly The papers that govern that building were written by slaveowners. The entire political system was created by slave owners. The basic fundamental aspects of governing in the United States were created by slave owners that didn't recognize the humanity of black people, native people, and women. Imagine that the Israeli constitution was written by Hitler. The situation I'm describing is absolutely at that level and never analyzed from that prism by Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Keith Olberman, John Stewart or Barack Obama.
I look at the injustice in our world and more specifically our country. And I say of course. We are functioning in a society that is run by pieces of paper that were written by psychotic, sadistic, evil men. How the hell can we be surprised? None of this changed on November 4th. And that's why I'm not happy.
Eliminate the glorification of these slave masters from our currency, our buildings, cities, counties, and schools. Tear up the papers that they wrote and develop a new concept of governance that is generated by people of all backgrounds. At that point than I will feel that progress has been made. But the truth is I don't believe we are any closer to that than we were 8 years ago.
The Zapatistas, revolutionaries from southern Mexico, said we are not looking to climb the stairs, we are looking to eliminate them.
That's what I'm talking about.
This just in:
Slaves helped build the white house:
www.cnn.com/2008/US/12/02/slaves.white.house/index.html
If you read the article you will find out that slaves built the white house. You will also find a few tidbits about "our" presidents that used to own slaves. Anyway the article essentially explains how we are at a historical turning point because Barack Obama and more importantly in this case Michelle Obama will be living in the White House. I mention Michelle because she is the ancestor of slaves from South Carolina. I know we should be proud that America has grown sooo much. But...
This sort of gets to the crux as to why I'm not terribly excited about Barack Obama becoming president.
On one of the many occasions that Malcolm X was chosing to criticize civil rights leaders he said something to the affect of: why would you beg to sit on the toilet next to someone who doesn't want to sit next to you? I keep hearing that over and over in my head. I feel like we have been beggin' America for Political representation and now we've got it. But it doesn't feel good to me.
That's because the building was still built by slaves and Obama's election doesn't erase that. But more importantly The papers that govern that building were written by slaveowners. The entire political system was created by slave owners. The basic fundamental aspects of governing in the United States were created by slave owners that didn't recognize the humanity of black people, native people, and women. Imagine that the Israeli constitution was written by Hitler. The situation I'm describing is absolutely at that level and never analyzed from that prism by Rush Limbaugh, Sean Hannity, Keith Olberman, John Stewart or Barack Obama.
I look at the injustice in our world and more specifically our country. And I say of course. We are functioning in a society that is run by pieces of paper that were written by psychotic, sadistic, evil men. How the hell can we be surprised? None of this changed on November 4th. And that's why I'm not happy.
Eliminate the glorification of these slave masters from our currency, our buildings, cities, counties, and schools. Tear up the papers that they wrote and develop a new concept of governance that is generated by people of all backgrounds. At that point than I will feel that progress has been made. But the truth is I don't believe we are any closer to that than we were 8 years ago.
The Zapatistas, revolutionaries from southern Mexico, said we are not looking to climb the stairs, we are looking to eliminate them.
That's what I'm talking about.
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