Greetings,
It is a good thing when young people take the responsibility to seek out employment for the summertime, generate their own source of income,gain some vital work experience and it is wonderful that corporations, such as Six Flags offer them to opportunity do so. For the youth it is an act of responsibility, for Six flags, it is an act of civil responsibility by being offering corporate leadership to society, thereby enriching us all. So it came as a distinct surprise when I was told that my daughter would not be hired because of her locks and because she refused to exercise the option of seeking religious accommodation. Several issues emerge here, the main kind of defense is that Six Flags claims, it does not discriminate because you can get the job if you have a religious exemption. Nice but my position, grounded in constitutional and International Human rights, that Six Flags is a Signatory to, is that this policy is a violation of the basic human rights to choice, that is nit a health and safety violation. That the real reason for the discrimination is strictly economic, a marketing posture that is driven by the perception that people with locks are not good for business. Six Flags has every right to do that, but it violates this right by talk about religious accommodation a mere fig leaf to deter people that they deem unattractive form equal opportunity. Here are a few exapmles of corporations that hire people with locs. It would also be nice if the millions of patrons, many with locks themselves were aware of this apartheid policy
Friday, May 9, 2008
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Working & Living the Beloved Community
Greetings Fellow Travelers,
I hope that this weekend was as enriching for you as it was for me. Still basking in the glow of the wonderful family/community celebration for my daughter the prior weekend, I was replenished by the commemoration of International Workers Day on May 1st. Then this weekend healing/liberating energy was released by the sacred gathering of African people in Atlanta, to commune with, honor and most of all take direction from the ancestors. That energy was indeed palpable for me and I am sure many others, who might not have been physically present at the two day ceremony. Loving appreciation is due to those devoted to offering these forums of honor.
But it was the sunrise grounding with beloved comrades, who hold a most special space of healing, liberation, restoration and creativity, that allowed me to fully appreciate the essence and scope, the functional meaning and value of these uplifting events of celebration. This work has the impact of facilitating in my life the pursuit of the sacred. The wisdom of love offered so generously by this collective, is for me an expression of our historic mission, it is the way we work and live, not only to honor the ancestors, but to hold that as permanent state of being. For us honor and love, our quest to increase good and be guided by our highest and most sacred aspirations is not a promise, or a struggle, it is our lifestyle, our way of being with each other and the world. We strive, without reservation to enrich our lives and make no apologies for the beautiful results that issue forth from our work and comradery.
Recalling the beautiful wisdom that allowed our wise sister, to offer that we ourselves are the "walking shrines" of our ancestors, such profound clarity. Even as we work to attain these lofty heights, I note that in our humble circle and I am sure so many others, the results of this consciousness is already in effect. I am proud and simultaneously humbled, by the expression of this dynamic. It is evident in the integrity of our relationships, the care, concern and tenderness that underscores our friendship with each other. There is the acceptance that allows us to be vulnerable with each other and the honesty that permits us to offer objective and principled support for each other.
In all this, we are guided by our historic mission to free ourselves from all forms of oppression, to heal from the trauma of the ongoing MAAFA and do our part to reconnect with and restore the circle. This is the legacy of our beloved ancestors, who liberated the space needed for us to come forth. This is in recognition that the first order of duty is to simply, attend to the immediate needs of our friends and family in struggle. We work as comrades, to create the world we envision and that our ancestors fought for, in the irrepressible quest for freedom.
I am sure that by now you are familiar with the theme of our struggle, and the underlying principles that guide this work.
For us the endgame, the strategic objective, is not the defeat of the oppressor. That is but an inevitable condition on our journey to our ultimate goal of freedom. Much like the surgeon, demolition worker, the soldier etc, our work as healers and freedom fighters, is to create the conditions for the liberation of the artist, the "freeing up" of our infinite creative potential.
The experience of this past weekend is just another example, that when we choose our agenda, when we are clear about who we are and our purpose, we can attain that victory, we can achieve our vision. Far from burying our heads in the sand as imperialism crumbles around us, we remain aware but not overly engaged in dealing with it's demise. We appreciate the observation by El Hajj Malik el Shabazz, about what the appropriate response of the slave when the master's house catches fire.
Even now we recognize and are committed to constructing the type of principled committed relationships amongst family and community, that must survive the end of imperialism. Drawing on the vital lessons of the Arusha Declaration, the Beloved Community, the principles of Ubuntu, Maroon Communities and even of course the Toltec we seek and are bringing forth a nourishing and enriching world.Our collective offers us the ever present opportunity to do just that, but at one higher dimension, we are about being, about living in the present, the world we envision. It is possible because we offer that world, that affirmation through the sacred connection we have with each other and the world. As Peter Tosh and so many others offered "the word is, as it always was...love". Not a concept, a promise, a dream or a vision, love is our lifestyle, our life's work.
I hope that this weekend was as enriching for you as it was for me. Still basking in the glow of the wonderful family/community celebration for my daughter the prior weekend, I was replenished by the commemoration of International Workers Day on May 1st. Then this weekend healing/liberating energy was released by the sacred gathering of African people in Atlanta, to commune with, honor and most of all take direction from the ancestors. That energy was indeed palpable for me and I am sure many others, who might not have been physically present at the two day ceremony. Loving appreciation is due to those devoted to offering these forums of honor.
But it was the sunrise grounding with beloved comrades, who hold a most special space of healing, liberation, restoration and creativity, that allowed me to fully appreciate the essence and scope, the functional meaning and value of these uplifting events of celebration. This work has the impact of facilitating in my life the pursuit of the sacred. The wisdom of love offered so generously by this collective, is for me an expression of our historic mission, it is the way we work and live, not only to honor the ancestors, but to hold that as permanent state of being. For us honor and love, our quest to increase good and be guided by our highest and most sacred aspirations is not a promise, or a struggle, it is our lifestyle, our way of being with each other and the world. We strive, without reservation to enrich our lives and make no apologies for the beautiful results that issue forth from our work and comradery.
Recalling the beautiful wisdom that allowed our wise sister, to offer that we ourselves are the "walking shrines" of our ancestors, such profound clarity. Even as we work to attain these lofty heights, I note that in our humble circle and I am sure so many others, the results of this consciousness is already in effect. I am proud and simultaneously humbled, by the expression of this dynamic. It is evident in the integrity of our relationships, the care, concern and tenderness that underscores our friendship with each other. There is the acceptance that allows us to be vulnerable with each other and the honesty that permits us to offer objective and principled support for each other.
In all this, we are guided by our historic mission to free ourselves from all forms of oppression, to heal from the trauma of the ongoing MAAFA and do our part to reconnect with and restore the circle. This is the legacy of our beloved ancestors, who liberated the space needed for us to come forth. This is in recognition that the first order of duty is to simply, attend to the immediate needs of our friends and family in struggle. We work as comrades, to create the world we envision and that our ancestors fought for, in the irrepressible quest for freedom.
I am sure that by now you are familiar with the theme of our struggle, and the underlying principles that guide this work.
For us the endgame, the strategic objective, is not the defeat of the oppressor. That is but an inevitable condition on our journey to our ultimate goal of freedom. Much like the surgeon, demolition worker, the soldier etc, our work as healers and freedom fighters, is to create the conditions for the liberation of the artist, the "freeing up" of our infinite creative potential.
The experience of this past weekend is just another example, that when we choose our agenda, when we are clear about who we are and our purpose, we can attain that victory, we can achieve our vision. Far from burying our heads in the sand as imperialism crumbles around us, we remain aware but not overly engaged in dealing with it's demise. We appreciate the observation by El Hajj Malik el Shabazz, about what the appropriate response of the slave when the master's house catches fire.
Even now we recognize and are committed to constructing the type of principled committed relationships amongst family and community, that must survive the end of imperialism. Drawing on the vital lessons of the Arusha Declaration, the Beloved Community, the principles of Ubuntu, Maroon Communities and even of course the Toltec we seek and are bringing forth a nourishing and enriching world.Our collective offers us the ever present opportunity to do just that, but at one higher dimension, we are about being, about living in the present, the world we envision. It is possible because we offer that world, that affirmation through the sacred connection we have with each other and the world. As Peter Tosh and so many others offered "the word is, as it always was...love". Not a concept, a promise, a dream or a vision, love is our lifestyle, our life's work.
Friday, May 2, 2008
Labor Day Greetings
Greetings To All,
Thursday, May 1st, was the celebration of International Workers Day, initiated by international workers to commemorate the Haymarket Massacre, 1886 in Chicago.
Today, I would like to extend warm and fraternal greetings to all who struggle, toil to feed, house and clothe their families and the rest of the world. In this increasingly challenging, for some overwhelming, global community the vital role of the working class comes into stark relief. If any practical solution to the issues of the international and domestic economies, global warming, the chaos of war etc, thenworking people will remain as we always have the crucial ingredient for winning peace, justice and integrity for all.
Indeed working people are increasingly being forced to bear the brunt of the devastating rise in food prices, the dislocation as a result of war and climate change. Compliments to the valiant visionary action of the Longshore Workers on the West Coast of the USA, who stood tall on Thursday against the tyranny of war.
Too often workers forced to endure the in your face arrogance, of the super rich, whose tainted fortunes, often produced or stolen from the said communities, continue to rise on the backs of the working poor. Witness the chronic oppression of the poor communities in Nigeria, who had the misfortune to be born/located upon the black gold that Chevron, Shell and others seem to claim as their birthright. This predicament is cause for much frustration and even anger, but could also give direction to the permanent struggle to for justice and freedom, in effect to remain on the upward trend of the human experience.
One dimension of this observation relates to the question of relationships, what nature of relationships does the prevailing conditions dictate.
To me it is about unity and solidarity among working people, built not only around the acknowledgement of our common plight, but of equal importance, the fact that we are stronger together, and can create the world we desire only if the fruits of our labor and knowledge are organised to meet our needs and goals.
So on this labor day, I offer wishes for the best of times for you and your loved ones. But I really hope that we work for a common agenda, that the outcome be to build a global and local community, where individual workers, on the job or in the home, become friends and friends become comrades in the universal struggle for a better world, a more humane culture as the ultimate goal of our labor.
Check out indymedia and allafrica.com for some labor day coverage.
Thursday, May 1st, was the celebration of International Workers Day, initiated by international workers to commemorate the Haymarket Massacre, 1886 in Chicago.
Today, I would like to extend warm and fraternal greetings to all who struggle, toil to feed, house and clothe their families and the rest of the world. In this increasingly challenging, for some overwhelming, global community the vital role of the working class comes into stark relief. If any practical solution to the issues of the international and domestic economies, global warming, the chaos of war etc, thenworking people will remain as we always have the crucial ingredient for winning peace, justice and integrity for all.
Indeed working people are increasingly being forced to bear the brunt of the devastating rise in food prices, the dislocation as a result of war and climate change. Compliments to the valiant visionary action of the Longshore Workers on the West Coast of the USA, who stood tall on Thursday against the tyranny of war.
Too often workers forced to endure the in your face arrogance, of the super rich, whose tainted fortunes, often produced or stolen from the said communities, continue to rise on the backs of the working poor. Witness the chronic oppression of the poor communities in Nigeria, who had the misfortune to be born/located upon the black gold that Chevron, Shell and others seem to claim as their birthright. This predicament is cause for much frustration and even anger, but could also give direction to the permanent struggle to for justice and freedom, in effect to remain on the upward trend of the human experience.
One dimension of this observation relates to the question of relationships, what nature of relationships does the prevailing conditions dictate.
To me it is about unity and solidarity among working people, built not only around the acknowledgement of our common plight, but of equal importance, the fact that we are stronger together, and can create the world we desire only if the fruits of our labor and knowledge are organised to meet our needs and goals.
So on this labor day, I offer wishes for the best of times for you and your loved ones. But I really hope that we work for a common agenda, that the outcome be to build a global and local community, where individual workers, on the job or in the home, become friends and friends become comrades in the universal struggle for a better world, a more humane culture as the ultimate goal of our labor.
Check out indymedia and allafrica.com for some labor day coverage.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)