I’ve written before about the fact that I am not begging for an apology from Britain and the other slave trading countries.  An apology should be something they offer sincerely, and not something that I should have to beg for.  That said, the disdain in which they continue to trample on the reality that is the legacy of the slave trade as if it is meaningless disgusts me.

This morning I woke up to news that Gordon Brown said “the time is now right for the UK government to apologise for the actions of previous governments.”  This was quoted from a letter in which he has agreed to apologise for the UK’s role in sending thousands children to former colonies.  According to the story on the BBC News website:

“Under the Child Migrants Programme – which ended just 40 years ago – poor children were sent to a “better life” in Australia, Canada and elsewhere. But many were abused and ended up in institutions or as labourers on farms.”

The  Child Migrants Programme dates back to 1618 “when a hundred children were sent from London to Richmond, Virginia which is now one of the United States of America. The final group arrived in Australia in 1967.”  (see here for history.)   I am pleased that Gordon Brown is apologising for this terrible state-sanctioned policy by a former UK government, as it was an abuse of power that has led to generations of physical, psychological and emotional abuse and damage. 

The apology for the Child Migrants Programme is long overdue, and has been the result of much campaigning from individuals and organisations such as the Child Migrants Trust. 

This then leads to an obvious question.  I am sure you can see it coming.  What about an apology for slavery, to the descendents of slavery?

I am not concerned with reparations in a financial settlement, but rather reparations of an emotional settlement.

The UKs involvement in the slave trade began at much the same time as the Child Migrants Programme in the early 1600s. (see here for history).  Abolition of slavery across the British Empire did not happen until August 1st 1834.  In many ways the Child Migrants Programme was the slavery it imposed on it’s own people (children) in parallel with the transatlantic trade, sending white children to live in the colonies to prop up the emerging ideology of white supremacy across the world.  It is good that the UK is now apologising for its turning its own children into slaves.  It is estimated that over 130,000 children were stolen and shipped away from their mothers and families over the 4 centuries.  So how about an apology for over 6 million African that the UK enslaved over the same period?

In recent days there have been questions in the UK press asking if West African leaders should apologise for their part in the slave trade.  I think that is a valid question as it is no use ignoring the fact Africans also exploited their own people, though the benefits of that trade were all manipulatingly weighed in the Europeans benefit, and the cruelty inflicted on the enslaved Africans in the middle passage and beyond were not known to the African people who captured their own and sold them to the white men.  But in the spirit of the emotional reparations and honesty needed to learn from slavery in any meaningful way, yes it is still a valid question about whether African leaders should apologise. 

This honesty however is not helped by the closed minded defensiveness that happens when the issue of an apology is discussed in the UK mainstream.  For example, see here for a mind-boggingly blinkered article in the Telegraph from “journalist” Ed West, in which he suggests that the descendents of enslaved Africans were done an ironic favour by being enslaved, as they are now doing “better” than their ancestors that still remain on the African continent.  He says this with no acknowledgment that if the Europeans had not exploited their presence on Africa in the first place in the 1600s through to today, under the various guises of Empire, slave trade, colonisation, commonwealth and free trade, then the continent would be doing just fine today by itself. 

The confusion, turmoil and brutality that Africa finds itself in today is due to the systematic exploitation from European countries over the past 500 years.  It is no wonder that some African countries are in such a mess today with its depressing news of eye watering cruelty that some Africans are now inflicting on themselves.  It is a continent that has not been allowed to know itself for the past 400 years.  In the mid to later 1900s when the European carved invented African countries were given “independence”, it was like telling a child that has never been allowed to go outside his/her house  or think for themselves, to leave home forever at the age of 18 and fend for themselves.

Europeans conquest for Empire has caused a blanket of confusion over the entire world that is still being felt to this day as witnessed in the political turmoils of countries such as Afghanistan, Israel/Palestine, Iraq, Iran, South America, Pakistan, India and nearly every country in Africa.  But as Nneka sings in the post below, simply blaming European oppressors will get us nowhere.  We have to pick ourselves up, dust ourselves off, tell them to go f*** themselves and get on with our own lives.  That is easier said than done if you are a five year old dying of Aids in Malawi, but African leaders need to step up and do the right thing.  So far they have not, and many have only depressingly served in their own interests.  Though they have had good teachers.  If the recent expenses controversy in UK government had happened in any African country you can imagine the headlines.  Many African leaders today are leading countries based on antiquated European laws, laws that have long since been revised in their ‘mother countries’, (see this BBC article from Zambia as an example.)

If there is anything that many African leaders can do today, that they can learn from this present UK government, it would be to apologise to their people for their own failings and for the corruption and exploitation of past regimes.  African leaders need to move forward and do the right thing in the spirit of emotional and honest reparations.  Though for that to have any effect, African people ourselves, on the continent and in the diaspora, need to want to move forward in an honest way.  A body needs to want to heal, in order for wounds to actually begin healing.  No amount of bandaids or kind words will help.

U keep pushing the blame on our colonial fathers
U say they came and they took all we had pocessed
They have to take the abuse that they have caused our present state with their intruding history
Use our goodness and nourishment in the Name of missionary
Lied to us,blinded slaved us,misplaced us,strengthen us,hardened us then
they replaced us now we got to learn from pain
Now it is up to us to gain some recognition
If we stopp blaming we could get a better condition
Wake up world!!
Wake up and stop sleeping
Wake up africa!!
Wake up and stop blaming
Open ur eyes!!
Stand up and rise
Road block oh life penalty

Why do we want to remain where we started
And how long do we want to stop ourselves from thinking
We should learn from experience that what we are here for this existence
But now we decide to use the same hatred to oppress our own brothers
It is so comfortable to say racism is the cause
but this time it is the same colour chasing and biting us
Knowledge and selfishness that they gave to us,this is what we use to abuse us
Wake up world!!
Wake up and stop sleeping
Wake up africa!!
Wake up and stop blaming
Open ur eyes!!
Stand up and rise
Road block oh life penalty

Those who have ears let them hear
Brothers who are not brainwashed takt ruins and rest
Pick them up and stick them back together
This is the only way we can change this african weather
Lied to us,blinded slaved us,misplaced us,strengthen us,hardened us then
they replaced us now we got to learn from pain

Wake up world!!
Wake up and stop sleeping
Wake up africa!!
Wake up and stop blaming
Open ur eyes!!
Stand up and rise
Road block oh life penalty

you got to wake up please
youuuuu got tooo
(wake up africa wake up and stop blaming)
blaming ha ha ha
open yours eyes your eyes
stand up and riise
road block oh life penalty
wake up…

I was lucky enough to attend the slavery trail in Bristol, with only a small group we embarked on this journey where we would learn about slavery and its past. The four of us walked through Queen Square and heard all about the things that had taken place there and the people who were involved. There was so much information to recieve but none of it stuck in my mind, there was nothing within the trail or that was heard that made me feel the need to challenge what I had heard or make me listen more attentively to what was being said.

We learned who the statue was situated in the middle of Queen Square, walked across Pero’s bridge, looked at the plaque situated on the front of the Shakespere public house, stood outside  Merchants House, saw a few other places and ended at the Redcliffe caves. The Redcliffe caves were said to have stored slaves over night when they came off of the slave ships, it was at this point that I felt something,  like I was actually at a place were black people were kept captive, locked up unable to walk freely as I am today. Then to hear that black slaves were never kept in Bristol is a total contradiction to what stories I have been told in my lifetime. I mean no black slaves what do you mean? after speaking with my mum she informed me that slaves were sold on corn street and i know that i’ve been told that before, so now how am I  supposed to feel. Why is the truth being hidden,  I mean its already happened but why try to deny it.

My feeling towards the myth that black people were not kept captive is anger and annoyance why is there a trail about slavery in Bristol then. Going on the walk did’nt help me at all, I dont feel that I got anything from it and would not go again, for me this chapter is done its about time we made a new trail which shows the rise of black people , where it all started, who was the first black person to fight for their rights, what did they achieve and continue from there.

 I am not a slave I am free but my mind is not free from thinking like a slave . When will I decide to take responsibility for my own history? Embracing my african carribbean ancestry and making it a positive aspect of my life?  I believe that only then will I be able to share my awareness with my siblings, nieces and newphews, family and friends.

A good question to ask is where am I going with this? what results am I looking for?, what will happen differently when the results are in? As a child I never celebrated black history, I dont remember much about any historical figures, I dont remember my mum, dad or granparents telling me about role models or heroes that were black, where I want to go from here is to re-establish the fact that black people will and can rise up, they can work together within their communities for their communities. 

From here I want  to celebrate my people together, enabling them to share their perspective of the theory and its effects in todays society but also giving them a chance to commemorate all that young, old, light, dark black  people have achieved.

My name is Salama and i am 24 years old i am the fourth child of  nine from my father and the first of two from my  mother.  As a child growing up i always felt that i didn’t recieve the black history i needed to support me with who i wanted to be, I am on a quest to find out the positives in black history. I want to know where black people have lived and what black people have done for up and coming black people today.

Personally i am aware of what black history can be but I have been overcasted because whenever it is mentioned we only ever hear about slavery. I am not interested in slavery, I want to know what has happened to the legacies of the black people who died to make things right for us. I want to know about the facts about our black leaders and heroes, recieve information about our culture, past and present victories and aspirations.

With this project i want to open eyes and ears but for this to happen i need to be involved with people in Bristol to gather information.

Where should i begin?

a Timeline on Port Cities website (click pic to go there)

This timeline is pretty useful. For history in an British school or education system. They are right of course, those who would argue it’s Eurocentric. Though no reason to dismiss it. It’s good for passing history exams in this country true enough! And it gives good references points for orienting our heads around annals of history even if it is on the Gregorian Calendar. Part of living in a multicultural world should be being able to navigate such things no? This is a time of World History.

Reading History – Coules vs. Dresser   – Two Books :

The Trade (Victoria Coules)

and

Slavery Obscured. (Madge Dresser)

Recently we’ve been reading some books The Trade by Victoria Coules and Slavery Obscured by Madge Dresser.  They are both excellent ways into the subject of Bristol and its role in transatlantic slavery. The Trade is a nice  easy read. It begins by acknowledging the roaring passions that were ignited with whole 2007 Abolition thing recently. It then flows through the story from the making of Brigstowe (Bristol) through to…well chapter 8 at the moment. Coules draws on a number of sources in recent writing and research including Madge Dresser. That’s the other book. Madge’s is much more academic in its historiography and prides itself on getting close to the sources. Madge is an academic historian. Victoria is a film maker. Victoria wants to share a story that fascinates us, researched it and shared it with us in like an easy but informative documentary film. Madge wants to push back the frontiers of knowledge on the subject and assert new a position.  One thing Slavery Obscured looks to do is clarify the exact nature of the impact of the Africa business on Bristol’s rise in ‘Gentility’ (ironic notion) .  The language of the Slavery Obscured is much more academic – with its research, many images and ploughing of new research sources and directions.  It asserts a certain authority in research in this field.  The Trade is a much easier read since  the language targets a much wider  audience.  It could be read by older primary school children.  Both bring Bristol into the mix giving a much better of picture of exactly what we mean by ‘Bristol had something to do with the slavery’.

Both are reading well so far, and backing each other up about Bristol, Cabot, Colston, the ‘white slave trade’, (Which Derek Robinson mentioned back in 1973 with his very readable Shocking History of Bristol and giving dates and names to Bristol’s involvment in the ‘Africa trade’.   The Coules and Dresser books  complement each other well. So  more Coules AND Dresser rather than VERSUS. They are useful to bounce back and forth between and feture lots of knowledge there for us to better our understanding of the nature, impact and legacy of Bristol’s involvement.

Monarchs and Merchants

What happened to the wealth people featured on this BBC site?

What’s quite enjoyable about reading books about history is the references to English history. A bit like school.  With Henry VII and VIII, Mary, Elizabeth I, James, Charles, Cromwell and so forth. They are all there. Though some of it also reads like any page of the Financial Times today. Then there’s Colstons and Canynges and Cabots -  Investors in (ad)-ventures, traders and protectors of UK GDP.  New Worlds, New Markets.

But now. New Identities. For those transported and..

…for many of those companies, banks, insurance companies, big corporations have changed their names. And business interests.  Well maybe not Tate and Lyle. Like those after the Nazi Holocaust that became safe names like BASF. [as Wikipedia would say - needs citation]

There are a few institutions that are still evident very strongly today. The Monarchy, Bristol City Council and The Society of Merchant Venturers. Others have changed evolved in identity as well as markets. The monarchy were clearly key investors in licenses and laws to trade and colonise. Though when the whole busines proved proved lucrative, the intested cash.

Bristol City Council.

Many of the Society of Merchant Venturers were also members of Bristol Corporation, the council that ran the city. They were powerful men. The setting up of the Society transformed a loose network of traders into a formal organisation to promote trade..

The members of the Society were the leading merchants of the city and they had asked King Edward VI for a charter (a licence) allowing them to oversee foreign trade. They complained that the city�s trade was being ruined by untrained merchants. The King�s charter gave control of overseas trade to the Society and the rules governing membership stated that members should have been through a proper apprenticeship or training in the �Arte of Merchaunts� (the Art of the Merchant).
quotes above from Port Cities website

All the big Bristol names carved into the walls, the streets, the monuments, the houses, the parks and public places are there in this story. It’s impossible to separate from any aspect of English life of the time. A bit like trying to separate the arms trade from other strands of the global economy including our pensions funds and saving accounts.

The story of the (white) Bristol poor is another thing and they could have been shipped to ‘Barbadoes’ for liberating  a loaf of bread to feed their starving families.  Barbados was not the tourist hotspot we know today (that’s a later market!) but a growing colony in a hostile climate, hungry for labour on sugar plantations.

From British Library

The books refer to the time when one notorious Judge Jeffreys comes to Bristol to get the ‘great’ and the ‘good’ back for support the Monmouth Rebellion . This guy is notorious for enjoying cruelty and using his power as a judge to revel in it. But then even he comes to Bristol in the 1680’s to tell the Bristol rich and powerful off for their their cruel habits. The Bristol courts (where the judiciary were also planters and investors in the colonisation project) were conning unfortunate Bristolians who found themselves up for trial for the most meagre of offences,  into taking an alternative sentence in the West Indies .

But then, Jeffreys telling them off was really a politically motivated thing because the Bristol rich were supporting the rebels against the current monarchy. Because clearly he didn’t care either. Those same bloody assizes (courts / trials)  he held did exactly the same thing.

The subsequent Bloody Assizes of Judge Jeffreys were a series of trials of Monmouth’s supporters in which 320 people were condemned to death and around 800 sentenced to be transported to the West Indies.
Wikipedia (Monmouth Rebellion)

However the times were thus. Those new and emerging colonies not, yet 150 years after Columbus and Cabot, needed labour to generate the wealth required for those investors back home in empire-building ventures.  So as the Taino, Caribs, Arawaks and Native Americans, Amerindians as we know them began to die , from European diseases and just pure genocide, the transported European convicts and ‘volunteers’  also withered in the tropical sun.  With the whole UK /European investment and venture under threat there was a voracious demand for labour.  Hence the Africans were increasingly captured, transported, worked, tortured, bred and belitted for the wealth of Great Britain and Bristol. This was already happening with Portugal and Spain but the British streamlined it.

Africentric timelines?

Guardian – Black History Timeline – at least it doesn’t start at 1619… see next…

biography.com – Black History Timeline -  ‘coca-cola’ version that starts in 1619 with Obama prominent in the present.

Smithsonian Institute – Timeline – Mali, Ethiopia, Nile Valley

Paul Obinna’s Timeline

Being able to talk about slavery and Bristol made me really have to think about what i knew about the town i have been brought up in. I mentioned before that learning about Willie Lynch was the beginning of any understanding for me around why we as black people live the way we do. The self destruction we bring to each others lives, putting people down, not wanting the best for one another, I can finally see the reasons behind this behavior, but at the same time i am concerned with the fact that now this information is out there what can be done to change the stereotypical views of Black people. Who am i in Bristol im yet to find out but as i travel on this journey to see the effects of slavery in Bristol i am interested to see who i can become.

Myths and Facts

or

Facts and Feelings?

This working title for this book project is a bit problematic.

The idea of myths suggests something that is not ‘true’. Something that is a part of folklore, usually involving supernatural and celestial beings.  The kind of ‘myth’ we are supposed to be dealing with here though is like:

Slaves were kept in caves in Redcliffe.

or

Blacks were sold on Blackboy Hill.

Blackboy Hill on Port Cities website

While I could not say that this is absolutely untrue, I am aware that established historical orthodoxy on the subjects suggest that such things were certainly not the norm.

The other kind of ‘myth’ we are dealing with is

‘That’s such a long time ago, let’s move on’.

Usually that comes from a feeling that we should change the subject and not talk about this anymore.  We’ve learned over the last few years that it’s important to acknowledge these feelings. It’s not a ‘myth’, it’s an opinion and since it’s accompanied by an emotional charge, then there is a reality to it.   Any book on Bristol and transatlantic slavery,  published now, addressing popular prominent ideas about the subject should touch on such common feelings and ideas too we feel.

How long is ‘too long’ and what is meant my ‘move on’ are some arguable points right there. But such ideas are common. It’s difficult for people not get agitated or uncomfortable when exploring this subject.  Is it like talking about the Nazi implemented Holocaust in Germany?   It would be great to see our capacity for such conversation in Bristol to mature. And it is completely possible But first there is the need for the alleviation of much ignorance.

Knowledge will lead to understanding and hopefully some shifts in feeling. Like it or not our thoughts and feelings do impact on our realities today. Even when something has come out of nothing like Tracy thought that Brian said some stuff about her.  It’s still going to affect how Tracy and Brian relate to each other.

This book, if anything is to be added to the dialogue in the city must address FEELINGS.  It must enhance the dialogue. Especially after all the fireworks from the Abolition 200 moment has long sizzled out, gone soggy and got stamped into the streets of yesterday.

The task is to make a book with community input into the process. The first part of this input was to go away for what one collaborator called a ‘co-creation’ exercise. A residential in Devon to and get immersed in the subject. Watched a film, wore our wellies, had some chats, ate some food, explored the aims of the project, addressed some questions, raised a whole lot more and came up with some starters for these. and…

the project page was started.

The Culture Clash franchise rolls on.  Jamaicans in Bristol in the latest in the line of films that begin circa 2005. The first film was commissioned to look at conflicts between Somali and Caribbean heritage young men in the area. (An issue that has had history though does not prove to be a endemic problem. )

The first film (itself in 3 parts on youtube – this links to part one of that only)  produced back in 2006, worked with local young music talent to make an extended music video. Though there was always more wanted from a cinematic outlet. The people taking part were hungy to say more, to express their ideas, dreams and frustrations in music, drama and more filmmaking opportunities.

Culture Clash II – On the front line is more about Jamaican’s in Bristol The mantle was taken up by another St Pauls’ based company who have now built on ther story. Culture Clash II – On the front line now as a first part/trailer  published on myspace. This looks like intersting study and film, featuring some people who go back a long way into life in Bristol for African-Caribbeans.

Were enslaved Africans kept in caves under Redcliffe in Bristol?

…Feelings and Opinions. Well however it goes, there is a book being published by the Bristol Race Forum that will try to address the myths and facts of the city and transatlantic slavery.

Slaves in Caves; Whiteladies Road; Blackboy Hill; “It’s all too long ago”; Cabot only traded pineapples… and a mix of prominent views and urban lore that usually gets attributed to Bristol’s maritime history will be addressed in this creative publication.

We have the brief on this site and will play a role in it’s making. Alongside Imayla, we aim to publish an accessible and enlightening piece of work that anyone can access.

We are also looking for your input.

So for Bristol this aspeect of its history lives on in a healthy way and can be addressed openly like many other aspects of the city’s past.

This is something I wrote for another purpose a few days before Obama became president . I’ve tweaked it slightly just to make it self-contained so it can be read as a stand alone article. I was going to write a new article now Obama has won but decided not to. All I’ll write is; ‘Congratulations Barak. But now time to keep our feet on the ground and deal with the next day. We can’t look for qualities in Barak that we cannot also find in ourselves. Barak is not our saviour. I am my own saviour. Why look for others, when we have ourselves?’

Anyway, here is the article…..

=====================

Hotep

There are a collection of Chinese curses that spring to mind.

- May you live in interesting times.
- May you come to the attention of those in authority.
- May you find what you are looking for.

Anything peddled directly to/at the ‘black communities’ needs to be questioned, whether they are perceived to be bad, (like crack, guns and liquor stores), or perceived to be “”good”” things (like community/spiritual/political leaders, fashion, or affirmative action). They are all still products that someone else wants to sell to us, and we pay either by giving hard cash, pay with accepting the ideology, or pay with our freedom, or all three as they connected anyway. Not to say we should never trust another Brother or Sister with a message, but we still need to question.

Interesting what some more critical of the Obamamania are saying, that when a black person votes for an elected political official they are accepting the authority of the white system. I Overstand that, but also think that battles have to be fought on many levels, from the inside and outside of establishment. Both strategies together makes for a fuller chance of real change, (my word not Obama’s!), rather than only the freedom fighters on the outside. Not either/or, but both.

That is why if I had to make a decision I would say go for it Obama and prove yourself, and let’s see if you are a SoulJAH working on the inside, or a House Negro polishing the table. We been denied a voice for so long I say give him the platform and let’s see what action follows. But at same time iron sharpens iron so the sharp-eye criteria for questioning Obama will be even more valid after he wins. I am my brother’s keeper and it takes a village to raise a child, so if Obama messes up I have to be prepared to rebuke him, though with that same sense of responsibility I have to be prepared to also rebuke the drug dealer for being on my door step and rebuke my child for being rude to teacher. And with that same sense of justice, I have to be prepared to give credit to Obama when he has done good, to the drug dealer when refuses to sell to a child, and to my child when says please and thank you. It’s an idealist thought, but we are all Obama/McCain or whoever, and we are all Guevara/Tubman and other revolutionaries. Just depends on what we have to do on any given day, and if we are diplomatic to adjust to different situations. That’s another lesson to take from the Chinese. The Art of War.

No matter who wins out of Obama and McCain, that needs to be largely ignored by Guevara and Tubman as they have their Works to do, without distraction. The presidential campaign is not an irrelevant distraction, but it is proportionally insignificant in the global scheme of European White Supremacist Male downpression. When they vote for a black president in Italy, that will truly be The Day.

Bless up!

There’s something in the air

On Obama day.

Something shifted in the ether

between I and I, you and me.

There’s something in the air today

here in the UK,

as across the globe

Black folk exchange glances with new scopes

Audacious hope

They now hold,

feeling bold.

There’s something,

New self-love?

Shared knowing?

New Pride is tangible for sure.

Maybe Love for their new white sisters and brothers,

emanates from those

once slave-traded to

Ameri-Carib shores.

Fighting to be emancipated, humanised, enfranchised.

Now accommodated in the still-White house.

But no dousing their ecstatic fires today.

Can they kick it?…

Yes they think they can today.

There’s something in the Ether.

Something Historic.

A media wet-dream.

The liberal Anchor-folk on NBC, BBC, CBC gushing

while watching

The expectant youth rushing

to the bullet-proof glass to see their new

Black president,

in the White house.

(Each reporter taking tongue to accent

The colour gag each and every time in that line they so favoured)

There is something in the African air

where villagers drape,

what US citizens today re-shaped.

That ensign the American flag.

Now owned by them and their son.

But Wait!

There’s something in the air of Time,

That African son

was long groomed for this victory.

Bred by a powerful bloodline,

With much,much money

and poor opposition.

I mean, come on – McCain and Palin!?

I daresay, Obama must be the Bankers’ boy

in Blackface.

Powerfully fed and bred

for their Imperial purpose.

The popular biographicals only tell

of one-side.

Fractured family trees.

Isn’t it magical!?

His Kenyan father had three families says daytime TV,

As they draw out the Obama-extendeds

for their fickle studio couches

from all corners of the globe.

The Pauper done good they say but…

There’s something not on the air,

in mainstream media.

No tracing of Obamic cousins

in the presidential and palatial bloodlines throughout the globe

These Princely connections

get no mention

on real television.

Only Youtube types upload, and try to connect the

Bush-Cheney-Powell-Roosevelt-Churchill-Obama ancestral links.

Like Glucksburg-Battenburg-Windsor methinks

And other such regal lines as kept by Burkes’

Carefully mapped.

There’s something in the blood, the DNA

Of these Leaders in the still-white house.

Who like leaders before them always knew

that colour was not a true differentiation

As they expanded in incestuous circles to run the world’s nations.

Descendents of those Leaders from the leading continent.

Egypt’s powerful dynasties.

There’s always something in the air

When a Real leader emerges.

The Weightiest of Expectations.

After reviving, in this case, the people’s love of the notion

And illusion – of Democracy.

What is in the air this 5th of November 2008?

We have to wait and see.

While we stand proud of our cousins in the states. The humble

Feeling united today, unaware of the swindle.
Their young and beautiful hope,

and world-changing aspirations.

43 years after the colored got the vote.

There’s something,

On this Guy Fawkes day, before bonfire night,

Where that foiled Regicidal terrorist is still celebrated with gunpowder games.

While booted-suited soldiers and sandaled-salwar kameezed Taliban warriors

Slug it out for real, under saltpetre skies.

With no True sense of why.

(Where only Montell Williams remembers them

And gets the sack for his patriotic showing.)

There’s something in this.

Though we have to wait to see

Where this audacious move leads.

To land a charismatic black to head the bunch

Of bankers getting bonuses & bailouts while the poor get crunched

And swindled once again.

The cynical, conspiratorially minded say…

There’s something.

While wondering what move ‘they’ are masking.

With this change, where there is

No substative change.

Though, undeniably,

a Symbolically charged motion

Since Dr. King shared his dream

in front of Eqypt’s borrowed Obelisk.

Before BO today makes history.

Being the pretty face to front the city-state of DC.

To charm away the final freedoms, maybe,

of the beautiful, hopeful, rainbow people.

2008-2012…

The term starts here.

Breathe careful.

As the tinderbox of this personality cult takes hold.

And this great man holds a great nation in his palm.

On this great day,

We wish you America,

and pray for all Earth

that it is and can be

a Happy Obama day.

And see if he is allowed to do as he say

because…

We know there’s something afoot

but what?

We will soon see.

Something.

5th November 2008

Story from BBC.

Morrissey saves anti-racism gig

Morrissey recently sued two magazines for suggesting he was racist Singer Morrissey has stepped in to save an anti-racism music festival from possible financial ruin. The Rock Against Racism concert is taking place in London on Sunday and organisers said it was facing a £75,000 deficit after a main sponsor withdrew. But the former Smiths singer has made a personal donation and rallied together his management, promoters and booking agency to help make up the shortfall. The star said it was a “historic event” that “must be allowed to go ahead”. He hailed the free event’s “important, anti-racist, message”. ‘Generous contribution’ “This is something I am committed to and we appreciate everyone coming together so quickly to make it happen,” he said. Organisers Martin Smith and Lee Billingham said they contacted Morrissey and other artists after the sponsorship fell through. “We’re extremely grateful for Morrissey’s generous financial contribution,” they said. Headliners at the concert in Victoria Park include The Good The Bad & The Queen, Jay Sean, Hard-Fi, The View and Get Cape Wear Cape Fly. Morrissey recently won an apology from Word magazine for suggesting he was a racist and a hypocrite. He is also suing the NME after it quoted him as saying Britain had lost its identity due to high levels of immigration.