it takes guts

[jez]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/arts/features/story/0,11710,1094011,00.html

[American Oyaji]

Guts?

No. I would say a steely resolve.

He will have problems because of this. But I salute him.

[Steve Bildermann]

Help us out here and try to post at least a short synopsis of what the story behind the link is about.

Many people are nervous to simply click on a blind link.

Thanks

[Nagged]

Yes, a bit of help would not go astray for us nightowl FG

Just a quick read of the story, I'd say that the writer has a decent set of morals. We all have them, we can all stand up to fight for what we believe.

[japslapper]

Tradition is that when you reject an OBE - it is kept quiet. This chap also seems to feel that the acceptance of an "official" award is the end of a poets creativity - but I cant help thinking this approach is going to get him damnsite more media time than if he just gave a meek yes and a bow. Lets be honest - after this he is gonna be a alot richer - I mean I had never heard of him before....

[Caustic Saint]

Tradition is that when you reject an OBE - it is kept quiet. This chap also seems to feel that the acceptance of an "official" award is the end of a poets creativity....

I think this could apply to most any award in most any creative field. Once a writer/artist/flmmaker/etc. wins that coveted award, they have an excuse to rest on their laurels and not push themselves any farther/harder. Not that all award recipients react this way, but it happens.

"Sure, my new stuff may not be as good as my old stuff, but look! I got this great award for what I did in the past."

[Big Booger]

I started to read that crap, but after I got about 4 sentences in I knew it was just more racial horseshit that I get tired of hearing about daily. Who gives a rats ass if that moron accepts the invitation or not..

I'd rather read a vehicle maintence manual than read that crap that he was spewing from his pie hole.

[cstaylor]

"I am not one of those who are obsessed with their roots"

[Taro Toporific]

I'd rather read a vehicle maintence manual than read that crap that he was spewing from his pie hole.

He's got bigger balls than a J-suck-up like me.

Benjamin Zephaniah won't be going. Here he explains why
Thursday November 27, 2003 / The Guardian
"... the occasion of the forthcoming list of New Year's honours to submit your name to the Queen with a recommendation that Her Majesty may be graciously pleased to approve that you be appointed an officer of the Order of the British Empire."

Me? I thought, OBE me? Up yours, I thought. I get angry when I hear that word "empire"...What continues to be my biggest deal with the establishment must be my work with the British Council, of which, ironically, the Queen is patron....
.
.
.
Take your prize, now write more,
Faster,
Fuck the truth
Now you're an actor do not fault your benefactor
Write, publish and review,
You look like a dreadlocks Rasta,
You look like a ghetto blaster,
But you can't diss your paymaster
And bite the hand that feeds you.

[Robato]

I started to read that crap, but after I got about 4 sentences in I knew it was just more racial horseshit that I get tired of hearing about daily. Who gives a rats ass if that moron accepts the invitation or not..

yeah I am a bit sick of hearing the repression racial complaining from rich famous people who are loved (and paid) by the very same people they are bitching about being repressed by.

His poem even says "dont bite the hand that feeds you" (sarcastically) as if that is a bad thing and you should bite the hand that feeds you. Shit, I would be happy and friendly to someone that gives me millions and applaudes what I do. I hate the hippy metality of fuck the machine.

"I am not one of those who are obsessed with their roots"

One more thing about this statement....I honestly dont have any idea what I am!!! I mean, I am white...but I have no idea what my bloodline is at all. He was complaining about being stripped of his culture and history because of the empire....yet I have no idea if I am french, german, english, irish, swedish or what....nobody stripped it from me, its just that "I am not one of those who are obsessed with their roots" so to speak. Fuck him, the Empire, His empire and his opinion.

[NeoNecroNomiCron]

Robato and other doubters. Dont be so hard on this guy. His is not here to defend himself but i am sure he is the kind of person that if you asked. He would defend himself and face critics. If you take some time and looking at his profile you will find out that he didnt have such an easy life.

Termed a 'born failure' by one teacher, Benjamin had a difficult school life, he later found out that he was dyslexic, and after being sent to an approved school he spent some time at Her Majesty's Pleasure.

profile from http://www.jubileebooks.co.uk

Benjamin is actively involved in numerous organisations, including the Hackney Empire Theatre, Umoja Housing Co-op, the Are Dance Company, VIVA (Vegetarians International Voice for Animals), Newham Young People's Theatre Scheme, the Chinese Women's Refuge Group, Musicworks - Brixton, SARI (Soccer Against Racism in Ireland), and SHOP (Self-Help Organisation for ex-Prisoners). When asked how he finds the time for all this, he says, "I care about all these things passionately."

Notice a lot of these organisations are not based on race. Race is a big issue and is often exploited by the media. Newspapers dont give a shit about reporting the facts. They know it they put race in it will sell even more. Benjamin may be using this to his advantage and fights for a high profile so his message an be heard. Enivitably race will be drawn into it as he is black and the media loves black at the moment, i.e. blacksploitation.

But look at any of his profiles and you will find that he campaings for a lot of causes. What to you campain for ROBATO? I am no hippy (but i am a hippy's child he he) and i have had to fight for everything I have done in my life. I dont give to charities but if I see somebody in need and I can help them I will. I have volintered for different things. I am very antiestablishment and where i can change something for teh better I will try.

I agree the black card is used all to often. I am pretty angry at some black activists as they are often rasist against whites. Where they should be active against all forms of racism including their own.

Fuck him, the Empire, His empire and his opinion.

ROBATO nice. It show how good and thinking person you are. Which redneck state did you say you where from? Which FUcked up religion do you belive in? You obivously hold people right to have an opinion highly.

[jez]

Lets be honest - after this he is gonna be a alot richer :? - I mean I had never heard of him before....

What's that got to do with anything? What's the alternative? Keep quiet-make no money-make no difference?

[jez]

"I am not one of those who are obsessed with their roots"

Care to elaborate? Do you actually have anything interesting to say?

[jez]

One more thing about this statement....I honestly dont have any idea what I am!!! I mean, I am white...but I have no idea what my bloodline is at all. He was complaining about being stripped of his culture and history because of the empire....yet I have no idea if I am french, german, english, irish, swedish or what....nobody stripped it from me, its just that "I am not one of those who are obsessed with their roots" so to speak. Fuck him, the Empire, His empire and his opinion.

Perhaps you ought to find out more then. It's alright for us priviledged white folk to be all happy about our mixed background, but some people are all to sure of their background as an oppressed people. Maybe you are sick of hearing it, but would you say the same about the jewish holocaust? Being tired of hearing something doesn't make it a 'pile of shit'. If it's true, it's true, and you better face up to it.
One more thing. We of mixed backgrounds still have roots. Roots are important even if they lie in different regions of the world. Even if I don't particularly want to live in the countries I was brought up in, I know that's where my roots lie. And I know my family background. Even if I don't feel Italian or Austrian(grandparent's native countries), I know that those countries are part of my heritage, and part of who I am(I wouldn't be here if my grandparents hadn't emigrated).

[GomiGirl]

Robato and other doubters. Dont be so hard on this guy. His is not here to defend himself but i am sure he is the kind of person that if you asked. He would defend himself and face critics. If you take some time and looking at his profile you will find out that he didnt have such an easy life.

No actually it seems that he is there to get some self-promotion. Like somebody above says, if you accept the award or don't accept the award then it needs to be confidential until it is announced.

This guy is a cheap publicity hound. He is using this as a way to forward his own soap box - whether his arguments have merit or not is not for me to say as I need to read more but I don't have the time at present, but going public like this before an event is just tacky.

[jez]

No actually it seems that he is there to get some self-promotion. Like somebody above says, if you accept the award or don't accept the award then it needs to be confidential until it is announced.

This guy is a cheap publicity hound. He is using this as a way to forward his own soap box - whether his arguments have merit or not is not for me to say as I need to read more but I don't have the time at present, but going public like this before an event is just tacky.

Yes GG, read some more b4 making up your mind. The unwritten rule is reject it quietly, but perhaps he has more guts than most. If you're gonna reject an OBE, there's no point in doing so quietly. BZ makes more difference than you or me. He probably makes more money too, but he uses his money in a more fruitful way than you or me, I suspect.

[cstaylor]

"I am not one of those who are obsessed with their roots"

Care to elaborate? Do you actually have anything interesting to say?

Yeah, the guy is a hypocrite, or at least in self-denial. Like the bigot that drools, "I ain't a racist! I own at least one Jackson 5 eight-track". Or from Hamlet: "Methinks the lady doth protest too much".

From the article of your poet:

Me? I thought, OBE me? Up yours, I thought. I get angry when I hear that word "empire"]It is because of this idea of empire that black people like myself don't even know our true names or our true historical culture.[/b] I am not one of those who are obsessed with their roots, and I'm certainly not suffering from a crisis of identity

Hypocrite. Doesn't get any simpler than that.

[cstaylor]

Jez: do you have anything interesting to say about Japan? If I want to go to the whiney whitebread chat board, I'll do so, but don't bring that crap here.

[jez]

You fail to show why he is obsessed with his roots. I care about the jewish holocaust, and I think people should remember it, and I am angry when I see real acts of anti-semitism. That does not make me obsessed with my roots, does it?

[NeoNecroNomiCron]

Robato and other doubters. Dont be so hard on this guy. His is not here to defend himself but i am sure he is the kind of person that if you asked. He would defend himself and face critics. If you take some time and looking at his profile you will find out that he didnt have such an easy life.

No actually it seems that he is there to get some self-promotion. Like somebody above says, if you accept the award or don't accept the award then it needs to be confidential until it is announced.

Does it really need to be kept confidential? It seems that you thinking is just the same as everybody that belives that the way of things is right. As it concerns him he should be bloody able to do what he wants with it. Refuse it quitley, be like the rest, slip under the floorboards. HE took an opertunity and used it how he sees fix, and for a good cause. The only thing that gets damaged is a few people in power's ego. and the result will benifit people that really need help. If he did accept/refuse it quitely. I would just be a sell out and his cause would mean nothing. So it is almost faith that had to do this. What would you have done in the same position?

[jez]

Jez: do you have anything interesting to say about Japan? If I want to go to the whiney whitebread chat board, I'll do so, but don't bring that crap here.

I was under the impression this board was open to various discussions, not just ones regarding Japan. If you don't like my posts, tell me: why do you respond?

[cstaylor]

You fail to show why he is obsessed with his roots. I care about the jewish holocaust, and I think people should remember it, and I am angry when I see real acts of anti-semitism. That does not make me obsessed with my roots, does it?

(from m-w.com): obsession - compelling motivation
Read his poetry at the bottom of the article. An entire poem dedicated to this? Where has artistic subtley gone? Well, I guess they're starting to scrape the bottom of the barrel for these awards.

Here's a far better poem, from a far better poet, with subtlety:

Fire and Ice
Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if I had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To know that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.

[jez]

From the article of your poet:

This shows the level of your reasoning. mypoet? Come on, man, give yourself a little more respect: at least try and appear more immaginative.

[jez]

Here's a far better poem, from a far better poet, with subtlety:

Fire and Ice
Some say the world will end in fire,
Some say in ice.
From what I've tasted of desire
I hold with those who favor fire.
But if I had to perish twice,
I think I know enough of hate
To know that for destruction ice
Is also great
And would suffice.

Is this relevant? Perhaps it is too subtle for me. Maybe not everyone thinks artistic subtelty is necessary. Perhaps you need to get out more, and discover that the world of art is more varied than you were taught at school.

[cstaylor]

Guess they don't teach poetry in school like they used to.

I'm not going to help you analyze one of the most famous works from one of the great American poets, but I would think a person who reads as much as you do could handle nine lines.

The difference between the great poets and slacker wannabes is subtlety. Does the reader really need everything spelled out for them? Where is the subtlety in:

Smart big awards and prize money
Is killing off black poetry
It's not censors or dictators that are cutting up our art.
The lure of meeting royalty
And touching high society
Is damping creativity and eating at our heart.

And this part sounds straight off a Metallica CD:

Take your prize, now write more,
Faster,
Fuck the truth
Now you're an actor do not fault your benefactor
Write, publish and review,
You look like a dreadlocks Rasta,
You look like a ghetto blaster,
But you can't diss your paymaster
And bite the hand that feeds you.

[jez]

Guess they don't teach poetry in school like they used to. :roll:

I'm not going to help you analyze one of the most famous works from one of the great American poets, but I would think a person who reads as much as you do could handle nine lines.

The difference between the great poets and slacker wannabes is subtlety. Does the reader really need everything spelled out for them?

You and I may be able to analyse a poem by R.Frost(though there are several possible interpretations) because we were lucky enough to be taught about 'classical' poetry. Others either don't have that education, or want more direct approach. BZ isn't just a poet, but also an activist. If you don't like activists, come out and say so. The activist, however, is doing something with his/her life, beyond simply making money.

[jez]

[Too cool for the Queen"]

I see you are getting more and more subtle with every post

[cstaylor]

All I was saying is that the guy comes off as a hypocrite in the paragraph that I listed in my previous post. He rants about his genetic ancestors, then states (with a straight face?) that he's not obsessed with his roots.

I have no problem with activists, unless they put people's lives in danger. If he had left off the part about obsession, I would have refrained from posting, but that just irked me. Take a position, but don't waffle on it by turning truth on its head.

[cstaylor]

[Too cool for the Queen"]

I see you are getting more and more subtle with every post

I never claimed to be great or a poet.

[jez]

All I was saying is that the guy comes off as a hypocrite in the paragraph that I listed in my previous post. He rants about his genetic ancestors, then states (with a straight face?) that he's not obsessed with his roots.

I have no problem with activists, unless they put people's lives in danger. If he had left off the part about obsession, I would have refrained from posting, but that just irked me. Take a position, but don't waffle on it by turning truth on its head. :roll:

again I fail to see how talking about one's roots, makes one obsessedwith roots. Obsession is an exagerated interest. Taking an interest and talking about a topic does not make one obsessed, surely. Just because he writes an article about the subject of imperial oppression, does not mean he is ranting. The subject is real, and not enough people talk about it. Again, I will ask you: what would you say to organisations that fight to keep the memory of the jewish holocaust alive?