Join or DIE!!!

            “THE DOOR is everything!  All that once was and all that will be!  THE DOOR controls time and space, love and death!  THE DOOR can see into your mind!  THE DOOR can see into your SOOUULLL!” (Courtesy of Charlie the Unicorn 3).

            In this case, THE DOOR is Wikipedia.  Really, where would high school students be without Wikipedia?  But, on to the topic.

            As defined by Wikipedia (see, there was a reason for my tribute), propaganda is “a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position”.  And I have an example that might not be very important but just might be perfect.

            High School open houses.  They are the definition of propaganda.  High schools invite prospective students into their midst and try to persuade them to apply (come to the dark side; we have cookies).  I’ll use Whitney Young as an example, not that I’m condemning the dolphin habitation.

            So.  We wait for about an hour until the doors are opened.  We walk through the school to either the orange-n-blue bedazzled gym or the orange-n-blue bedazzled auditorium.  We hear a speech.  And the basics of that speech are “Join us!  We’re super awesome! We’ve won AAALLLL these competitions.  We have qualified teachers!  Etc., continuations, and blah blahs”.  Admittedly, we are kinda awesome.  But at open houses, you don’t hear about the BAD.  You don’t hear about gross lunches, crazy teachers, and any bullying going on.  And why would the bad be told?  That’s no way to attract buyers- excuse me - students.

            Again, I’m not disagreeing with the way that open houses are run.  I’m just saying there’s some propaganda-nizing going on.

Charlie the Unicorn 3 @ Yahoo! Video

Black Boy or Black Breaking?

            Black Boy or

Beat Street

?  Black Boy… Beat Street…  I’ll take Black Boy for 200, Alex.

            Black Boy, that ancient book that was so appropriately named, tells the story of a black boy by the name of Richard Wright.  The novel recounts his supposedly true life of Wright as an African American in the South in the 1910s and 1920s.  And as far as I have read, Wright didn’t have it easy AT ALL.

            (I don’t know how far we were supposed to read but I’m pretty far into the book, so [SPOILER ALERT])

            First, he sets the house on fire. Yes, as in flames.  (He wanted to watch the pretty curtains burn).  As ♪ Burn, baby, burn ♪ plays in the background, Richard’s family rush out and Richard is eventually beaten to within an inch of his life.  After beginning the book with an event as… EVENTFUL as this, it is to be expected that this novel is gonna be one trippy ride.

            Next he kills a kitten. A kitten.  A poor, defenseless little kitty cat.  THE MONSTERRRRRR!!!!! But he only did it because he wanted attention, right?

            Then blah blah, his life is even more messed up, he’s hungry, he gets separated from his brother, his mommy gets sick, etc., etc.  You know what, I’m just going to stop right here.  That’s enough meat for this blog stew.

            What do I think of this “autobiography”? Well, for one thing, it is ridunkulous.  It’s just sad that people actually had to live like this.  And, forgive if what I’m about to say is wrong, but one part of the book amused me when it probably shouldn’t have.  It’s the part when Richard was working for a white family and he said that they treated each other so badly.  I just found it funny how the family members were treating each other.

            So, as pity-producing and generally emotion-provoking “Black Boy” is, the book isn’t really half bad.

Young, Gifted, and Black, yes?

            Surprisingly, I can relate to Lorraine Hansberry, the author of “To Be Young, Black, and Gifted”.  Because, well, I am all those things.  That’s what I like to think anyway.  Maybe I’m not that young.  But going beyond the title, my childhood was somewhat similar to Hansberry’s.

            Children playing on the sidewalk, girls jumping rope, boys shooting marbles...  This was sort of how my childhood was (is?).  When I was younger, I played outside sometimes with my cousins.  What we played, I really have no recollection whatsoever.  Jump rope: I hated it.  Always did, still do, never won’t.  So there’s a difference right there.  And although I didn’t play marbles in the open air, an uncle of mine taught me how to play (don’t ask me what I learned;  I don’t remember). 

            Even though I grew up on a different side of the city than Hansberry, there was still that sense of the children of the neighborhood coming together to play.  I amused myself with the next door neighbors, people across the street, etc.

            Of course, I can relate to the wonder of the trains in Chicago.  Taking the train, maybe the red line, it is possible to see all the different parts of the city.  Admittedly, I’ve never taken the red line.  But I do take the blue line all the time and have taken the green line.  Just watching the people that enter those metal doors can delineate the diversity of Chicago.

             What does this have to do with being American?  Well, you can’t get much more American than Chicago.  Except for maybe New York, where things and people are busier and more expensive.

           

Marching or Saggin'?

            Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday is approaching us very quickly (I don’t know what day but I’m sure it is approaching quickly).  Hence, the prompt for this blog: “King Still King?”.  There’s no need to go into background information on MLK Jr., seeing as how everyone American child learns about him in 2^nd grade, or even before then.  But what difference did he really make?  (Forgive me if I don’t write as I usually do; too tired to be my characteristically witty self).

            Back when gas prices were low and my oldest aunt was just a wee little lass, African Americans were still not equal with the rest of the pale skinned Americans.  So there were marches for civil rights.  And more marches.  And maybe a few MORE marches.  All to fight the power, fight the man, and be equal.  Martin Luther King Jr. fought the power.  And he won, too.

            But what difference does that make now?  African Americans are free and equal to whites. We (may I say we?) can go to any hotel or restaurant we want.  Have the same jobs as “the man”.  Yes, we CAN do all that.  But do we?

            Sometimes, it seems as if some Blacks don’t appreciate the freedom that MLK Jr. and other protesters achieved.  We have succeeded in some careers (President Obama).  But others seem to not want to take advantage of the opportunities made available by marchers.  The children do poorly in school and fight.  The boys’ pants hang off their knees (♪ Pants on the ground…♪).  Civil rights leaders did not fight for us to regress and act/look like slaves. 

            I am only speaking of some of the African American race.  I know there are plenty that don’t fit these descriptions.  But for those who do, please stop enforcing stereotypes. 

Quel est Un Américain ? (Numero Uno)

            So we’re back to the topic of “What is an American?”  Again.  Most likely, if you’re reading this, you’re an American.  If you’re not, why are you on this blog?  Unless you are Mexican or a Mississippian or something like that… But anyway, Americans.  I’m going to discuss Americans.

            Since we came back from winter vacation, we have been loaded down with reading assignments and the like (don’t worry, Mr. McCarthy; you’re not the only teacher doing it).  So far, we’ve had to read “Children of the Sea”, “To Be Young Gifted and Black”, “I Hear America Singing”, “There Was a Child Went Forth”, and “This Sacred Soil”. 

            These are all readings about Americans or a non-American’s views of America (Although I don’t understand what “There Was a Child Went Forth” had to do with America). 

            It is no secret that people view the U.S. as a land of freedom where opportunities abound.  Foreigners migrate here all the time for work or to escape the tragedies of their homelands.  They all truly believe and believed that North America has something better to offer.  And in my opinion, we do.  We may be in a recession, but I believe there are still some jobs out there.  At the very least, our land isn’t being completely ravaged by war and natural disasters.  Or the Native Americans’ past land, as Chief Seattle would be likely to correct me if he were alive.

            The author of “Children of the Sea” seems to be saying that really anywhere else would be better than Haiti.  And, hey, look at that!  The Unites States is anywhere else!

            Lorraine Hansberry of “To Be Young, Gifted and Black” gives her view of the country from a local perspective.  Born and raised on the South side of Chicago, she knows the down sides to living in this “great land”.  The land was not as racially tolerant as it is now.  Racism was practiced and Hansberry and her family personally witnessed it.

            My opinion of these readings: at least most of them were about America.

My Eyes on Brand New Eyes (A Paramore Album)

            Ok, so it's probably no secret by now that I love the band Paramore.  And not just the lead singer Hayley Williams.  I'm a fan of Josh Farro (lead guitarist), Zac Farro (drummer, brother of Josh), Jeremy Davis (bassist), and Taylor York (rhythm guitarist).  But how do I feel about their latest album "Brand New Eyes"?

            "Brand New Eyes" is Paramore's third album, the first two being "All We Know is Falling" and "Riot!".  This CD is definitely deeper than the previous ones.

            Spoken by Hayley, "I was like, 'This isn't a feel-good song, because I'm writing about something I'm going through right now, and it's still painful. And I confused that with actually not liking the songs, when actually I was prouder of them than I've ever been before. They're heavier emotions for me... I'm still going through some of this stuff, and these songs are really healing to me."

            As a big fan of Paramore, I know to be true the fact that these songs have a deeper meaning that the others.  "Riot!" and "All We Know is Falling" were made when the band was still knew and just starting out.  By the time recording of the new album started (January 2009), the band had gotten some experience and knew better what they were doing.

            Concerning the lyrics, they obviously were words that came from the heart.  "Playing God" is a song about some unnamed person, well, playing God; pretending that he/she isn't doing anything wrong and putting all the blame on the singer.  Goes the chorus:

"You don't have to believe me

But the way I, way I see it

Next time you point a finger I might have to bend it back

And break it, break it off

Next time you point a finger I'll point you to the mirror"

            I thought this a clever way to say that the blame-er is the real blame-ee. (and I can play it on guitar now!)

"Feeling Sorry" is one of the lesser known songs on the CD. The bridge goes:

"And all the best lies,

They are told with fingers tied

So cross them tight,

Won't you promise me tonight

If it's the last thing you do, you'll get out."

            An upbeat sounding song about a person that just didn't try hard enough to make it (hey, whattaya know, I can play this song too!)

            What about the actual instrumentals of the album, you may be wondering? 

            The sounds of the songs, the skill with the instruments being played, are just AMAZING.  The songs are very catchy without being too pop-ish.  The direction that the rhythm goes is sometimes foreseeable but nowhere near cliché.  Paramore comes up with their own guitar parts, bass parts, everything.  And I'm no expert drummer, but even I can recognize that Zac Farro is good at keeping time and performing complicated fills and bass drum rhythms.  I even enjoy the parts of the bass guitarist, who is also good at what he does.

            Most of the songs are up-tempo, rock songs.  "Brick By Boring Brick" and "Ignorance" are sure to get you head-banging by the chorus.  There are solos galore (what's a Paramore album without a plentitude of guitar solos?).  There are also the slower songs. 

            "Misguided Ghosts" is played with only two acoustic guitars and a steady beat on the bass drum (if my ears are informing me correctly).  "The Only Exception" is faster yet is still a slow song that many of you might have heard before (it was sung on "Glee").  "All I Wanted" is faster still, with a display of vocal skill evident enough to give Beyonce the chills.

            I realize that I haven't said one bad thing about the CD.  That's because I have nothing bad to say.  Honestly, I don't, and I'm not being willingly blind to any faults.  I just don't see anything wrong with the album.  But that's just my opinion.  I am URGING you to give the songs a listen.  I promise you won't regret it.

Paramore - Brick by Boring Brick (Live Acoustic) from James Crusher on Vimeo.

Poème de l’Hiver

Snow
It drifts slowly and silently
Like a Tokugawa ninja
Lights
They twinkle
Like mischievous eyes
Trees
They sway, bare
Like Adam and Eve, ashamed of their nakedness
Schools
They sit gloomy and dark
Like forlorn and forgotten pets
Children
They cavort and prance
Like reindeer in the sky
And I
I sit alone and wonder
How to make a snowman