Comments
Writing for Change: What’s at Stake!!!
By John Burl Smith, author of “Archangel: A Hip Hop Vision of Love and the Battle of Good Verses Evil!!!
“Archangel’s plot line is drawn from the last days of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s efforts to breathe life into his “Poor People’s Campaign.” He came to Memphis in support of its striking garbage workers (1968), “the poorest of the poor!” However, most commentators point to the “March on Washington (1963) and his “I Have A Dream” speech, as his most iconic Memphis. I believe this is a result of their avoidance of the implications of his coming together with black powers advocates—the Invaders—until minutes before he was assassinated. The iconic battle between police and the Invaders on Beale Street (3-28-1968), I project as part of “Archangel’s climax.” The idea is to present Archangel” as an alternative future, projected to show young people today the level of focus, determination, persistence, and political savvy that will be required of them to defeat the old white men working to kill their future hopes.
More directly, “Writing for Change” is about saving America from itself, which is why the task may seem so daunting to high school seniors. However, high schoolers were the foot soldiers supporting the Invaders’ during the tough time, when no one else would join us. The older generation of slavery’s descendants back then, as today, were “too afraid of losing their “good jobs” to fight for the poor, as Dr. King. Today, young Americans are gazing into a similar void, as we faced when the older generation believed every word that came out of Richard Nixon’s mouth, and not what they saw with their own eyes!!! So, the Invaders and other young progressives rolled the dice for American democracy and began pushing the “26th Amendment,” rather than guns and violence.
“Archangel” and writing for change reflect my efforts over the years to point out the glaring disparities descendants of American slavery endured daily, which most white people disregard as factual. White people substitute their made-up beliefs (anti-wokism), which are based on their slave master’s mindset. Continuing to perpetuate their racism is the aim of America’s Judeo-Christian white man’s made-up history. Young Americans must confront and defeat the rising culture that seeks to make them. “Archangel’s” storyline places corporate America squarely on the side of the insurrectionists that trying to kill American democracy, which sets up the dichotomy of today. However, like the 26th Amendment, Amazon through its Publishing arm, which will release the third book in the “Archangel” 4-book-box set, can become a beacon of opportunity by charting a new and different course of inclusion that fully incentivizes partnering with a Black entrepreneurial effort. My point here is highlighted by an article, “HBCUs Look to Use March on Washington’s Anniversary to Highlight New Threats!” by Colbert I. King. HBCU students are taking on the role activists played in the 1960s and white college students would do well to follow their example. I find there are two issues young “wannabe” entrepreneurs are most concerned about, are education and a lifestyle that includes work but does not dominate their lives to the detriment of their social and life at home. Young Americans want to be successful but have a life too!!
During my young Invader days, “Blowing in the wind!” Bob Dylan, the iconic “Sound of Silence!” by Paul Simon echoed through the 1960s and by the mid-2000s “My President Sang Amazing Grace!” by Join Biez brought flashed the future. Once there, their beats were picked up by Stevie Wonder, and Aretha Franklin, while new voices like Queen Latifah called for “Unity,” followed by Alicia Keys’ “Perfect Way to Die!” Activists rode these beats and arrived in 2020 facing a new reality, where the 26th Amendment became the beacon that put Joe Biden in the spotlight, as the only Presidential candidate willing to strap on the helmet of defiance, pick up the shield of determination, while banishing the sword of righteousness and holding high the scale of justice. But back in the real world, “old” Joe Biden’s name was the only one on the ballot in 2020 when Trump’s image loomed like Godzilla. Had “old” Joe not faced down Donald Trump, he would still be President of the United States, today maybe for life!!!
This reality gets lost or ignored by pollsters, and treated as though anyone could have stopped Trump and saved American democracy. The thing “Writing for Change” wants young voters to gain here is that “one can never beat something with nothing,” and that will be what voters will have as choices in the 2024 presidential election. Voters will decide between the worst President in US history, who fermented a coup by sending his followers to attack this Nation’s Capitol. Once there, they erected a gallows on which to hang VP Mike Pence and other leaders of the US government to stop the peaceful transfer of power!!! While on the other hand, the last man standing is “old Joe!” Tough as nails, he may stumble now and then, but they can never get him off his feet, whether facing Putin, Kim Jong Un, or Xi Jinping! It’s your choice. That’s what’s at stake!!!
Here's a little tune I wrote thinking about a couple things regarding where me and Swmbo hung out for many years starting in the late 80's till around 2018. I wish Michael was still there to do the music.
Lying on the fore deck with a cold beer in hand,
Watching the sunset glow in a band.
In Key West Bight I’ll make my stand.
The weather is turning it ain’t gonna be grand.
Michael McCloud on Schooner Wharf stage
Amongst people and big dogs with the Key West sage.
Carl Peachy on lead and Pete Peterson’s keys
The music is great when played by those three
Whata ya gonna do when the Hurricane come
says Michael’s sultry tone
We gonna run or we hang tight on our home
Listen to the wind screech and moan
Or we gonna run from our fair boat home.
Old Jesse is tied down firm and secure
He’ll bob in the surge
Of that I’m so sure.
Forty feet of old houseboat
Can surely endure.
Whata ya gonna do when the hurricane come
Says Michaels sultry tone
We gonna run or we hang tight on our home
Listen to the wind screech and moan
Or we gonna run from our fair boat home.
The sky begins churning so dark and so wild
Crazy and monstrous like an insane child
The peace it fractures and boils and defiles
The wind picks up and begins to get wild
We hope for the best and pray it’ll be mild
Whata ya gonna do when the hurricane come
Whata ya gonna do when the hurricane come
