I am so thankful that I got to meet him in person and personally hear him read several of his poems at Georgetown University about 7 years ago. God bless him.
When i was young living in newark, nj i just knew that the people next door were the Barakas and they always had loud ass boys playing basketball in their backyard. now that ive grown up i cant believe i lived next door to the Amiri Baraka. Oh well, I was too young to understand who he was or his significance. Hopefully one day I run into Mr. Baraka n drop my old address n he'll remember seeing he like wee high lol.
AND ANOTHER THING: in his final years Amiri Baraka was, like many other Marxists, wrong in his understanding of the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, and made the mistake ( which many others have done ) of feeling greater empathy for the Palestinians than for the Israelis! The real serious and cautious-minded, adequately informed Peace-Seeker, like myself, is truly a supporter of OneVoice Movement for Peace and efforts to arrive at a Two States Peace Agreement, based on the Historical Legitimacy of Israel's right to exist, and also the right of people, many of whom have ancestors who were forced to convert away from Judaism, to have their own nation-state, at peace with Israel.
Israel doesn’t have any real moral right to exist. Although it's true that historically there was a Jewish presence in that region, it was really very small and they themselves were the minority in Arab lands (no evidence to indicate that it was ever any different). The only reason we are discussing this is because 100+ years of interference by western powers has left us with the situation where Israel DOES exist, but this does not legitimize it in any way. Furthermore, since its inception Israel has continued to encroach on Palestinian lands and suppress the Palestinian people on their own territory. A two state solution thus cannot exist on such unequal terms; the only solution is a ONE STATE solution where everyone is treated equally based on citizenship and not ethnicity/religion
I was in Greenwich Village in the 1960s and sat in a cafe with Amiri Baraka when he was known as LeRoi Jones. He had his three-ring notebook on the table that had a full cover drawing of an erect phallus. Ask him for his early notebooks and you will find that and perhaps worse or more of the same. His sadistic, sexual, hedonistic mindset is still the same as well as his anti-Semitic poetry and pronouncements. He deserves to be stripped of any honorary awards he has ever received.
Soul without a Heaven Evermore, Amiri’s spirit is a disobeyer, Fighting all oppositional visions. On Newark’s numerous walls, He smears odes to Marxist contrarians. Evermore, Amiri’s spirit is a disobeyer, Whose rancor for imperialists Could torch their needs To ashen nothingness. Evermore, Amiri’s spirit is a disobeyer, Whose right hand manages a pen, Whose left banks on its shank, And both will shiv contention givers. Evermore, Amiri’s spirit is a disobeyer. Delighting anti-Semites and homophobes, His published pressure cooker bomb explodes. Such shaitan ire never erodes. Shaitan: an evil spirit in Islamic countries by Bob McNeil Copyright 2014
THE Tragedy is that Amiri Baraka, someone I used to know ( back in the 80s ) when he was not just alive but was arguing with me about what is truly Progressive Politics ( he a Neo-Marxist and I a non-Marxist Social Democrat ), undermines the many correct things he states in this poem by mixing them with some very incorrect things! The thing about Israelis not coming to work on 9-11 is rubbish! That 9-11 happened a week before the Jewish New Year ( Hebrew Calendar for 2001/ ) means nothing! Between 10 to 15% ( depending on how one defines 'Jewish' ) of the victims of the murderous mass-terror attacks of 9-11 were Jewish! Including 5 Israeli nationals at the WTC. Amiri Baraka clearly was not being antisemitic when he wrote this rather rhetorical quasi-poem ( I prefer his real poetic poems to those which are clearly political rhetoric ). But he was buying into a pack of false rumours and outright lies; which he mixed in with a greater number of truths! Sad! Because without those few lies this rhetorical quasi-poem would have become quite popular. In any case: the man who was given the name Leroy Jones at birth, deserves respect for the many great things he wrote and did in his lifetime.
When you spend your entire life playing the victim-of-racism-card and then write poems where the implied "answer" to your questions is racist in itself. Hypocrisy made career.
@@kormynsims9506 You're not debating anything I said 3 years ago. Dude's a racist. These poems are racist. Dispute it or leave, I really don't need a stranger deciding if I'm racist or not.
I am so thankful that I got to meet him in person and personally hear him read several of his poems at Georgetown University about 7 years ago. God bless him.
Whats crazy is he couldve made this poem 60 minutes long and still not finished asking you know who questions
ND7652 hecca peace!!!
Thank you Amiri for sharing your gifts. Rest in Power ✊✊✊
Absolutely brilliant. RIP, Amiri Baraka.
RIP Amiri Baraka. Thanks for your language and your words.
All Power to the People
We will miss him...
I LOVE THIS!!! Thank you so much AMRIRI!!!!! thank you for giving us truth, for giving us your wonderful, powerful voice, for your heart!!!
RIP Sir and thank you for your insights, words or wisdom and truth.
RIP- a tremendous loss today
Peace to the God. Rest In Paradise
Ending gives me chills every time
Thank you!, so important!
When i was young living in newark, nj i just knew that the people next door were the Barakas and they always had loud ass boys playing basketball in their backyard. now that ive grown up i cant believe i lived next door to the Amiri Baraka. Oh well, I was too young to understand who he was or his significance. Hopefully one day I run into Mr. Baraka n drop my old address n he'll remember seeing he like wee high lol.
Rest in power.
Good healing energy coming your way Mr Baraka -- get well soon
Thanks to Amiri Baraka for continuing to write and continuing to live his life!
LJPhilp
lo amo
I do like this poem...
this clip is one second too short- how could you ?
I'm looking for that book.......
8 people are asleep or are in denial. Great poem!
Give thanks for the trip to the Congressional Truthbury, stand for something or fall for anything.
Just what I needed.
Something many don't think about.
Who?
'WOW' WELL DONE, WELL SAID
👑👑👑❤🖤💚✊🏿✊🏿✊🏿
Go head brother
Wow all i have to say
damn WASPs...they're most likely to sting when they're on the way to the floor
Who, Who, Who, Who, Who...
AND ANOTHER THING: in his final years Amiri Baraka was, like many other Marxists, wrong in his understanding of the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, and made the mistake ( which many others have done ) of feeling greater empathy for the Palestinians than for the Israelis! The real serious and cautious-minded, adequately informed Peace-Seeker, like myself, is truly a supporter of OneVoice Movement for Peace and efforts to arrive at a Two States Peace Agreement, based on the Historical Legitimacy of Israel's right to exist, and also the right of people, many of whom have ancestors who were forced to convert away from Judaism, to have their own nation-state, at peace with Israel.
Israel doesn’t have any real moral right to exist.
Although it's true that historically there was a Jewish presence in that region, it was really very small and they themselves were the minority in Arab lands (no evidence to indicate that it was ever any different).
The only reason we are discussing this is because 100+ years of interference by western powers has left us with the situation where Israel DOES exist, but this does not legitimize it in any way.
Furthermore, since its inception Israel has continued to encroach on Palestinian lands and suppress the Palestinian people on their own territory. A two state solution thus cannot exist on such unequal terms; the only solution is a ONE STATE solution where everyone is treated equally based on citizenship and not ethnicity/religion
me*
I was in Greenwich Village in the 1960s and sat in a cafe with Amiri Baraka when he was known as LeRoi Jones. He had his three-ring notebook on the table that had a full cover drawing of an erect phallus. Ask him for his early notebooks and you will find that and perhaps worse or more of the same.
His sadistic, sexual, hedonistic mindset is still the same as well as his anti-Semitic poetry and pronouncements.
He deserves to be stripped of any honorary awards he has ever received.
Who? Whit(e)man Corporation.
Soul without a Heaven
Evermore, Amiri’s spirit is a disobeyer,
Fighting all oppositional visions.
On Newark’s numerous walls,
He smears odes to Marxist contrarians.
Evermore, Amiri’s spirit is a disobeyer,
Whose rancor for imperialists
Could torch their needs
To ashen nothingness.
Evermore, Amiri’s spirit is a disobeyer,
Whose right hand manages a pen,
Whose left banks on its shank,
And both will shiv contention givers.
Evermore, Amiri’s spirit is a disobeyer.
Delighting anti-Semites and homophobes,
His published pressure cooker bomb explodes.
Such shaitan ire never erodes.
Shaitan: an evil spirit in Islamic countries
by Bob McNeil
Copyright 2014
THE Tragedy is that Amiri Baraka, someone I used to know ( back in the 80s ) when he was not just alive but was arguing with me about what is truly Progressive Politics ( he a Neo-Marxist and I a non-Marxist Social Democrat ), undermines the many correct things he states in this poem by mixing them with some very incorrect things! The thing about Israelis not coming to work on 9-11 is rubbish! That 9-11 happened a week before the Jewish New Year ( Hebrew Calendar for 2001/ ) means nothing! Between 10 to 15% ( depending on how one defines 'Jewish' ) of the victims of the murderous mass-terror attacks of 9-11 were Jewish! Including 5 Israeli nationals at the WTC. Amiri Baraka clearly was not being antisemitic when he wrote this rather rhetorical quasi-poem ( I prefer his real poetic poems to those which are clearly political rhetoric ). But he was buying into a pack of false rumours and outright lies; which he mixed in with a greater number of truths! Sad! Because without those few lies this rhetorical quasi-poem would have become quite popular. In any case: the man who was given the name Leroy Jones at birth, deserves respect for the many great things he wrote and did in his lifetime.
The most beautifully wrought racist rant I’ve ever heard.
When you spend your entire life playing the victim-of-racism-card and then write poems where the implied "answer" to your questions is racist in itself. Hypocrisy made career.
You sound like you’re in a guilty place. But who would have known you were there if you didn’t remain silent?
@@kormynsims9506 You're not debating anything I said 3 years ago. Dude's a racist. These poems are racist. Dispute it or leave, I really don't need a stranger deciding if I'm racist or not.
@@Azqalihm I think the implied answer in the poem is Western power, not people with white skin