My earlier post dwelt mostly on the politically motivated demagoguery during the Women's Peace Conference that put me in mind of the contemporary devaluing of authentic criticism. This post attempts to range more widely and tell more of my experience of the event as a whole.
The event began with a ritual in which dozens of women (and men) carried a flag from each of the entities with U.N. recognized sovereignty and led the group antiphonally intoning "May Peace prevail in _______" for each. My mother represented the Maldives and was a bit mortified at not knowing how the country's name is pronounced. Everyone followed her lead loyally, however, wishing that Peace might prevail in Mald~..*_s. Despite the conspicuous absence of the Duchy of Grand Fenwick, the whole thing was rather moving.
Dr. Nia MacKay buslted about being a most effective Director of Communications for the Conference, and took care of everyone in grand style. At one point I had the pleasure of saving the day for an Israeli delegate named Hagit who had not brought her laptop and could therefore not show her presentation. I overheard an advocate for her telling the story of her dilemma and finally offered to provide my laptop for the length of her presentation. Later she came by and graciously thanked me, after which we entered a conversation about the Conference and it's worth, during which she insisted on teaching me that there is no need for teachers. This oft repeated lesson is almost always appreciated.
Dr. Patricia Dodd from Brookhaven Community College found herself hanging out at the CRS table and blowing off steam on the first day. She had submitted a paper for consideration to present and had been sandbagged, she believes, because it made no bones about the ethnic cleansing in progress in Palestine. The Conference organizers decided in advance that they would exclude and discourage talk about the war against the people of Iraq and the current activities of Israel. This they couched in terms of being "non-partisan" which, of course, makes her irate, as she spend time in the middle east on a semi-regular basis and feels pretty alone among folks who talk about peace and then stay home.
After Betty Williams expressed her ire (see previous post) several women in the power structure stomped around as though they had received a personal affront. I suggest that nobody involved is stupid. A significant quantity of the middle aged, white, wealthy women at the helm (it is Dallas after all, and that is how moderately "progressive" things most often get done) are more and less aware of strategy and tactics, and more and less identified as activists. They knew, as they chose to be "non-partisan" and quash certain voices that every laureate would speak against the atrocities the U.S. is committing under the banner of the agenda abbreviated as "BUSH." Betty Williams was followed by Jody Williams who beat that drum as well, not till the skin was peeling back but sufficiently to let everyone know where she stands. I don't agree with where they drew their line but I'm certain it was consciously scribed.
One of the highlights in my experience of the conference was my interview with Sharon Welch, who outlined several of the more vital points of my dissertation during her keynote. If you'd like to hear it click "POSTS" on the Gcast player on the right and chose "In the Midst with Integrity"
Here is a list of authors mentioned:
The Moral Imagination: The Art and Soul of Building Peace by John Paul Lederach
The Truth About Stories: A Native Narrative (Indigenous Americas) by Thomas King
Manifest Manners: Narratives on Postindian Survivance by Gerald Vizenor
Also my mother introduced me to Pumla Gobodo-Madikizela, from the South African Peace and Reconciliation process. Lovely woman with whom I'd love to speak more about her take on the psychologies of conflict currently in vogue.
Peace laureate and candidate for the Presidency of Guatemala, Rigoberta Menchú Tum, was a pleasure to hear, if done a profound disservice by mistranslation during her keynote.
Local guitarist, Christopher McGuire, presented an amazingly virtuosic classical guitar concert, in beautiful counterpoint with the next evening's performance by Sara Hickman who has always been a favorite of mine. In the "Blast From The Past" category, I ran into two regional theater actors from my past at the Dallas Theater Center, including Pam Hoffman who directed Tall Texas Tales and was one of my children's theater instructors even before that adolescent success.
Finally, it was my pleasure to speak with and videotape Lucy Mashua. A Kenyan who "has worked for African women throughout her life on the issues of female genital mutilation, early childhood marriage, forced abortions, human rights abuses, and the abuse of women...has worked with the International Somalia Rehabilitation Association and is a member of the United Nations Association Dallas. I will post the video to YouTube and here as well so she can use it to appeal for greater attention for her work and the women and men she wants to reach. I'll bring this post back to the top of the blog when that happens.
This post took some time to complete and is out of chronological order as a result. After the time it needs to be the lead post I will return it to it's original place in the vicinity of 7/17/07
Labels: acting, activism, audio, conference, CRS, Dallas, peace, video, walkabout
| posted by Unknown @ 7/22/2007 10:25:00 PM
True criticism
We have a dilemma that is so obvious as to be almost past the point of mentioning. This necessitates mention because that kind of obvious is a next door neighbor to "that's just the way things are". I worry lest the other ways that have made us who we are (free speech, open dialogue, etc.) fade mostly into the past and personal attacks, which once upon a time marked a public figure as a desperate lightweight and not worthy of attention, fall into the place of everything that once was reserved for public and foreign policy.
It is Wikipedia which notes that "A pundit is, in contemporary English, someone who offers mass-media opinion, analysis or commentary on a particular subject area, (most typically political analysis, the social sciences or sport), on which they are presumed to be knowledgeable. As the term has been increasingly applied to popular media personalities lacking special expertise, however, it can be used in a derogative manner. Pundit is also a slang term for politically biased people pretending to be neutral."
According to Richard Page, when he was recording a massive gathering for peace in Berlin during the 1980s, Huston Smith was reported as being a Moonie because he had defended their right to practice their faith. He was invited to go on the air in East Germany to respond and said that their right to practice their faith is guaranteed in our Constitution (implying he was just being a faithful American) and to construe from his statements that he is a Moonie would be like saying the Dalai Lama is a Communist because he supports communist people's right to govern themselves as they wish, while objecting as strongly as possible to their attempts to govern his people in spite of their wishes. The next day's headlines read
"The Dalai Lama is a Communist!" - Huston Smith
I'll ask him about this next time we are together because I'd love to hear the story from his lips. I'll post a recording here if I remember to take my gear.Last night at the 3rd International Womens Peace Conference in Dallas, where we (Assoc. Building Community) are audio and video recording "progressives" in progress (thanks to continuing work with Conference Recording Service), Nobel Laureate Betty Williams allowed as how violence is a choice. She lamented every pointless and horrible death on 9/11 - all 3,000+ who perished so needlessly in the Twin Towers, and the 35, 615 children around the world who died that day without notice or remark. She then talked about the responsibilities of a Nobel Laureate to stand up and tell the truth and to live with other folks' expectations. She drinks, smokes, and swears a bit and so tends to shock people who hear "Laureate" and expect Mother Theresa. It seems to her that it is easy to talk about Peace when, if you mean what you say, you should rather be living it. She is so frustrated with President Bush she'd like to kill him but obviously hasn't and made quite clear she doesn't mean literally. "How do you kill somebody non-violently?", she asked, to clarify the dilemma of keeping the natural response toward violence in check.
For a clip from my original source of what Betty Williams actually said please click on the Gcast player to your right. If you can't see it right away click on POSTS.
For a complete CD of the original recordings - audio CD or video DVD - visit conferencerecording.com and search "betty williams"
So, most of our (Richard, Lisa, and myself) today was dominated by tense running around by the more conservative upper-middle class white women who were very put out that Betty might say such a thing. One, on an errand to get a copy of the recording from us to deliver to the media, decided her time was better spent elsewhere and demanded "just give me the damn tape" when it became clear we didn't agree with her. Her main error was moving to dominate us before she actually had the recording in her hand. Later we spent hours working with Chris Salcedo (http://cbs11tv.com/topstories/local_story_193220448.html) of Channel 11, the Dallas NBC affiliate, to dig out some footage from our raw video masters. The video of the newscast from our footage is here. http://cbs11tv.com/video If it is not immediately apparent search the (if it bleeds, it leads) headline "I could kill Bush"
The issue is both honesty and flexibility of thought. Instead of talking about any of the very newsworthy things Ms. Williams said, which continue to escape coverage in most corporate media outlets, those whose power and income flourish in the presence of fear literalize and thereby purposefully misquote an obviously metaphorical but nonetheless weighty comment. This condescends both to an international public and our domestic body, dulling the potential for further authentically critical thought in the future out of habitual exposure to obvious spin for its own sake. This has ever been one of the most egregious of crimes on the part of public figures from Greece to our contemporary Capitol. Flim-flam doesn't have to be the rule. It can be the exception. Only We the People can insist on it. Call and write your purveyors of media.
Again wikipedia...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Demagogy
Demagogy (Demagoguery) (from Greek δῆμος, "people", and ἄγειν, "to lead") refers to a political strategy for obtaining and gaining political power by appealing to the popular prejudices, fears and expectations of the public — typically via impassioned rhetoric and propaganda, and often using nationalist or populist themes.
Labels: audio, conference, conflict, daily, peace, polis, politics
| posted by Unknown @ 7/12/2007 09:35:00 PM
Big D in June
I write, we train at North Texas Aikido, I write, we hang with family, I write, I walk the dog, I sleep...I write,
I walk with Francisco every evening, jo (staff) in hand to clear the spider webs everywhere, and became rather irritated by the quantity of mosquitoes showing an interest again in my person. Sensing the need, as instructed, for more yondan demonstrating, I decided to act. You try not to use your powers for the dark side but sometimes you just gotta demonstrate your rank and
Where was I?
Oh, yeah, I write. I wax ironically metaphorical. I write,...
We went to a Brave Combo concert at the Dallas Arboretum...
As usual, it ROCKED! PolkandRoll! I thrashed, we cumbia'd, waltzed, polka'd again and again with fans of all ages. Ya gotta love that band.
Carl Finch gave me permission to record and share these. Please reward this kind of generosity with attendance and CD purchases and the like. Tell them it matters.
powered by ODEO
The first set was my mike and distorted a bit.
powered by ODEO
The second was off the board and distorted more. I'll do better at Ashkenaz in Berkeley in August.
I write and go to free Tai Chi at the DMA, I write, we hang with friends, I write, ...
Chris and Tatiana Wicke came to the Lion's Club Fish Fry Fundraiser
(say that 5 times fast - ok, now in Swahili). We played Frisbee with abandon (one of my other acquaintances from my time in the asylum), and went home to play Apples to Apples, a most excellent and highly recommended game. I've missed Chris since we were roommates. Now I'll miss Tatiana too. Dang it.Lisa has begun taking dictation to help me out when only talking it through helps. You gotta know that takes serious patience and no little humor.
powered by ODEO
Even so I can't seem to get this dissertation to any place near where it needs to be.
I write, I struggle to not be too depressed, I write, I fear failure, I write, ..
The rain is pouring down again and I should turn on some lights. I can't see, you see. It's dark.
Labels: audio, daily, diss, kith
| posted by Unknown @ 6/26/2007 11:37:00 AM
A core tension underlying this trip is the need to spend time with precious people juxtaposed with the need to imbue an authorial hermitage with impregnable solitude and make Headway. At the moment the work seems like dry flats, an endless expanse of scattered textual crumbs, punctuated by very infrequent shrubs of meaningful progress. I feel a bit desperate in the face of struggles with my own will and distractions from without which, most often, are done a disservice by being labeled as such.
Against that emotional background I went to Kessler Park United Methodist Church for Father's Day. I facilitated the Sojourners Sunday School class, suggesting more conscious work with the consequences of ideas, myth as lens, delaying true/false determinations, holding ambiguity, religion as martial art, working with scripture as a weaving of voices within which some whispers of the divine may be found. I didn't have time to mic everybody so this recording (below) is an edit mostly restricted to what I said, with a couple of contributions by participants to give context.
powered by ODEO
After class I sat between my Mom and Lisa through the service in which the children were sent to pass out a boutonnière to their Papa. Intellectually I know I fit in the criteria "all those who are, or have been a father, or like a father to someone", but I couldn't manage to strap on a red carnation. Then I got up to solo while they passed the plate.
Then we were taken to a lovely lunch at La Aldea by a friend and benefactor, Marvin Harkins.
In the afternoon, a call from Russ Alvey (Sensei, Dojo Cho at North Texas Aikido) gave us the delightful opportunity to down a pint at Trinity Hall Irish Pub at Mockingbird Station while hearing him, and several equally accomplished others, deliver some excellent Celtic folk. This recording is just a snippet with no attributions, thereby bowing to the preference of a performer, as it should be. His son, Ian, previously featured in my life's simulcast as a squat, pudgy pre-teen, now a 6'4" male model, came to hear him play and promised to join us for training at North Texas Aikido sometime soon.
powered by ODEO
Then we went to see my Dad and step-mom, Julie for dinner. All photos of Lisa and I, and of Aidan, have been removed from the surfaces crowded by family photographs of children and their babies. The food was fabulous. As always, we listened to some of the best music ever recorded. When I asked to rip a CD Dad felt moved to condescend and take me to task for stealing software and music. The game does belong to the Lord, after all. Feeling beyond tired of modeling conflict skills I did my best to fade from view for the remainder of the evening as we heard how a 21 day water fast can teach that the point of yoga is to learn that, where the body is concerned, the Mind is boss. Heady stuff. Then got blamed on the way home for the tension in the evening.
Happy Daddy Day.
End of rant.
Today will certainly be better. If I don't write for several hours I may jump out the window and Up onto street level. That'll show 'em.
In other news...
Joannie sent me a great story about the way Aikido helped her work with an uncomfortable situation "out there" in the "Real" world. Click here to find it on the AiBerk blog.
Gilead as it should probably sound.
The church newsletter report on the Sunday's Sojourner class I facilitated, written by an entirely objective reporter - my Mother...
Against that emotional background I went to Kessler Park United Methodist Church for Father's Day. I facilitated the Sojourners Sunday School class, suggesting more conscious work with the consequences of ideas, myth as lens, delaying true/false determinations, holding ambiguity, religion as martial art, working with scripture as a weaving of voices within which some whispers of the divine may be found. I didn't have time to mic everybody so this recording (below) is an edit mostly restricted to what I said, with a couple of contributions by participants to give context.
powered by ODEO
After class I sat between my Mom and Lisa through the service in which the children were sent to pass out a boutonnière to their Papa. Intellectually I know I fit in the criteria "all those who are, or have been a father, or like a father to someone", but I couldn't manage to strap on a red carnation. Then I got up to solo while they passed the plate.
Refrain
There is a balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole;
There is a balm in Gilead to heal the sin sicksoul.
1. Sometimes I feel discouraged, and think my work's in vain, but then the Holy Spirit revives my soul again. Refrain
2. Don't ever feel discouraged, for Jesus is your friend, and if you look for knowledge he'll ne'er refuse to lend. Refrain
Then we were taken to a lovely lunch at La Aldea by a friend and benefactor, Marvin Harkins.
In the afternoon, a call from Russ Alvey (Sensei, Dojo Cho at North Texas Aikido) gave us the delightful opportunity to down a pint at Trinity Hall Irish Pub at Mockingbird Station while hearing him, and several equally accomplished others, deliver some excellent Celtic folk. This recording is just a snippet with no attributions, thereby bowing to the preference of a performer, as it should be. His son, Ian, previously featured in my life's simulcast as a squat, pudgy pre-teen, now a 6'4" male model, came to hear him play and promised to join us for training at North Texas Aikido sometime soon.
powered by ODEO
Then we went to see my Dad and step-mom, Julie for dinner. All photos of Lisa and I, and of Aidan, have been removed from the surfaces crowded by family photographs of children and their babies. The food was fabulous. As always, we listened to some of the best music ever recorded. When I asked to rip a CD Dad felt moved to condescend and take me to task for stealing software and music. The game does belong to the Lord, after all. Feeling beyond tired of modeling conflict skills I did my best to fade from view for the remainder of the evening as we heard how a 21 day water fast can teach that the point of yoga is to learn that, where the body is concerned, the Mind is boss. Heady stuff. Then got blamed on the way home for the tension in the evening.
Happy Daddy Day.
End of rant.
Today will certainly be better. If I don't write for several hours I may jump out the window and Up onto street level. That'll show 'em.
In other news...
Joannie sent me a great story about the way Aikido helped her work with an uncomfortable situation "out there" in the "Real" world. Click here to find it on the AiBerk blog.
Gilead as it should probably sound.
The church newsletter report on the Sunday's Sojourner class I facilitated, written by an entirely objective reporter - my Mother...
Sunday was brimful of blessings. Laurel brought her friend, Marcie, and she promised to return. Stephanie was in town and Pamela was back. We missed Nan, Helen Francis, Mike and the Bernards---Tom was with his mother and the Wagenbachs are up east. Our guest teacher was Brandon WilliamsCraig, child of Oak Cliff and resident of Berkeley, Ca. We sprang off the block with our lesson writer's statement, "Unlike the Israelites of Hosea's day, we generally do not view national tragedies as God's judgment." Our teacher said what we were thinking, "We don't??" What IS our story about judgment? We can't leave Lesson Two in this series. It's purpose is "to examine how divine judgment is neither punishment nor vengeance but an expression of God's faithfulness and truth" --- in 45 minutes? He challenged us ---Do we have a working 'shared narrative'? Who is 'we'? There is no question that our "narratives" shape us --our thoughts, actions, our culture. Brandon gave us a tiny taste of how the thinking martial artist waits before an ideation of God, alert and open to wonder; how little we are tolerating the ambiguity or considering the quality of our practice of dialogue - the authentic conflict of ideas. He led us into a sparkling forest of ideas. We even got silent; asked him to teach next week; held onto him with our need and made him late to worship. Oh, delicious sojourning!
Labels: AiBerk, Aikido, audio, Father, grief, student, teach
| posted by Unknown @ 6/18/2007 11:36:00 AM
In this video Guardians of Peace from Aikido of Berkeley, Kayla Feder Sensei and Brandon WilliamsCraig join with and Eric Winters to demonstrate fluid responses to physical attack during the Aiki Expo 2002 in front of an international audience of professional martial artists.
Labels: audio, bdwc, demo, video
| posted by Unknown @ 2/01/2002 08:36:00 AM
