Commentary by Val: Friday Quote: Staceyann Chin

Friday, September 24, 2010

Friday Quote: Staceyann Chin

"Every day I get better at knowing that it is not a choice to be an activist; rather, it is the only way to hold on to the better parts of my human self. It is the only way I can live and laugh without guilt." - Staceyann Chin

8 comments:

Daij said...: Love that quote; September 24, 2010 at 12:15 AM
jae october said...: I love Staceyann Chin!

Her poem "Feminist or a Womanist" is one of my favorite poems. I saw her on the Def Poetry Jam tour a few years ago, and was mesmerized by her stage presence and the conviction in which she delivered her messages.

She is definitely a powerful voice that should be heard more.; September 24, 2010 at 5:10 AM
Val said...: @Daij

It's great isn't it!; September 24, 2010 at 9:29 PM
Val said...: @Jason

If you get the chance check out her memoir; The Other Side of Paradise. It's a very interesting read.; September 24, 2010 at 9:30 PM
Francis Holland said...: There are a lot of people who would like to run our lives and take what little economic security we have. They never sleep in their efforts to do so. Some of these people are in power, some support those in power, and some long for this power.

And so, if we're not active in efforts to stop them and to implement a different vision, then we'll just end up living the lives designed for us by those who want to exploit us.

Sure action takes effort, and escaping slavery took more effort still. But the alternative to action is considerably worse than the effort it takes to act.

I can't remember who wrote that "activism" can involve doing the same actions over and over again, without critically analyzing whether what we are doing is achieving the desired results, or is instead just a behavioral tick. Circumstances change, and we have to change our strategies and action steps as the world changes around us and our adversaries adjust to the challenges we present.

We have to continuously engage in action, reflect on what we have achieved and not achieved, look at our strategies critically and adjust them, and then engage in action some more, so that we can see where our reflection has helped us to engage in more successful action.

Thank God that the word and concept of "race" have served us unerringly for the last four hundred years, even as it has remained basically unchanged. While other concepts and the science of genetics have made dramatic leaps forward, yet "race" remains unchanged. The "white race", the "Black race", the "races", "race relations"... Just imagine how empoverished we would be if we had to accept the new genetic evidence that "race" simply doesn't exist. All "race" ever was comprised of was skin color and skin color-associated superficial morphological differences.

All of our organs are interchangeable and we can mate with each other regardless of skin color because "race" simply doesn't exist. What exists is skin-color associated ideation, emotion and behavior, which we refer to as racial, when "race" is really just another kind of delusional cognitive-behavioral syndrome.

All of our "activism" is in vain unless we reflect on what we learn from our action and change our beliefs and actions accordingly, empirically. That's why I fear that as long as we are bound to the concept of "race", we will not take one step forward for which we do not also take three steps sideways and one half step backwards.

That's what I keep in mind as I go about taking action and reflecting on its success or lack thereof.; September 24, 2010 at 11:48 PM
Antonia - Beauty Health Finance and Green Issues Editor said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; September 25, 2010 at 3:30 PM
Val said...: @Francis

"There are a lot of people who would like to run our lives and take what little economic security we have. They never sleep in their efforts to do so..."

So true. So we can't afford to sleep either.; September 25, 2010 at 8:44 PM
Val said...: @Beauty and Health Editor

I love Staceyann's hair too.

Google her name and a bunch of stuff will come up. She's a poet as well as an activist.

She was born and raised in Jamaica and lives here in the States now.

"You can kill a man, but you can't kill his spirit."

I love it. So true.; September 25, 2010 at 8:47 PM

Soldier Of Love

I've lost the use of my heart
But I'm still alive
Still looking for the life
The endless pool on the other side
It's a wild wild west
I'm doing my best

I'm at the borderline of my faith,
I'm at the hinterland of my devotion
In the frontline of this battle of mine
But I'm still alive

I'm a soldier of love.
Every day and night
I'm soldier of love
All the days of my life

I've been torn up inside (oh!)
I've been left behind (oh!)
So I ride
I have the will to survive

In the wild wild west,
Trying my hardest
Doing my best
To stay alive

I am love's soldier!

I wait for the sound
(oooh oohhh)

I know that love will come (that love will come)
Turn it all around

I'm a soldier of love (soldier of love)
Every day and night
I'm a soldier of love
All the days of my life

I am lost
But I don't doubt (oh!)
So I ride
I have the will to survive

In the wild wild west,
Trying my hardest
Doing my best
To stay alive

I am love's soldier!

I wait for the sound

I know that love will come
I know that love will come
Turn it all around

I'm a soldier of love
I'm a soldier

Still waiting for love to come
Turn it all around
(4x)

I'm a soldier of love
I'm a soldier

Still waiting for love to come
Turn it all around
(3x)

Still waiting for love to come