I see you, @greensborohistory ! I had a quick shoot for the Smithsonian yesterday at the Greensboro History Museum and was shocked to learn that they had an exhibit documenting the 1979 Greensboro Massacre. I am old enough to remember all of this playing out, and at UNC-G was actually lucky to have met some of the organizers of that day’s event and to hear their recollection of the day and subsequent trials. To my knowledge no one has been prosecuted to this day, though there is so much evidence to convict several people. If you don’t know about this story, look it up. If you think LE collusion with the Klan and NeoNazis is new you’re in for some education. Nothing that is happening today is new, we’re just more aware due to the prevalence of so many recording devices. Love you all. Stay safe. Protect your neighbors. FUCK ICE!“
Today was a big day for respect. I couldn’t believe who all was resting near Chet Baker when we visited. I hated we missed Richard Berry, T Bone Walker and Ray Charles but they were locking up. I also hated that I didn’t have something to clean Darby’s grave with as it looked as though it hadn’t been looked after in awhile. Note the plastic fangs on Bela Lugosi’s headstone. I love that someone was clever enough to bring those. Sharon Tate’s grave is just heartbreaking. What a stupid waste. I’m not going to lie though: to see Chet Baker’s grave with nothing more than what’s there and a blank space for who knows who…that kinda wrecked me. I know he didn’t leave a lot of friends behind and I’m sure his family was sick of him, but still…What was it someone said the other day about “great men often not being good men?” Well…sometimes they deserve better.
The whole reason for this trip to LA was specifically to see this piece by Kara Walker in the Monuments exhibition. It was an adventure just finding it today (running to 3 different museums, one of them twice right at closing time) but MAN was it worth the hassle. Having seen the original statue many times over the years to include right after the marches in Charlottesville, not to mention being a son of a very recently “desegregated” south, the piece and others in the show really struck several nerves. I’m a huge fan of Kara Walker and have been moved by what she has to say since I first learned about her accidentally at a small exhibition she was showcased in at MOMA 15 or so years ago. This reimagining of that statue was incredibly powerful. The show comes down very soon. I hope if you’re close you’ll take time to go see it.
“We were fucking corndogs…” When I was in school pretending to be a poet, I (like a lot of men my age at that time) thought I WAS Bukowski, spending many evenings at Twiggy’s Fantasia writing my papers and doing my reading, flirting with the Puerto Rican dancer I was SURE was going to be my wife, all while Mom kept me fed with popcorn and mini pizzas and dollar beers. Some of the other regulars took to calling me “Professor” which I took as high praise, not realizing at the time that everyone in there knew me to be the poser I was; well, everyone but me. Sure, we found out later that he was not the good man we thought he was (“great” men rarely are) and his star shone much duller for me later in my life, but there’s no denying the influence he had on me at the time. There’s also no denying that there was wisdom writ between the lines of drunken misogyny…(Cont. in comments…)
I know Lyla, I’m tired of marching too, marching for what appears to be to no avail, but if we don’t then what does that say about us and what message does that send to those laughing at us from on high? So we’ll march, and continue to march, until that time…
(I didn’t like though how several people turned to look at you when the MC reminded the crowd that the day was a day of peaceful, non-violent protest, as though you were going to rouse some rabble. What kinda dog do they think you are???) March on, lil’ comrade.
Are we great again?!? Follow up question: why is it always a BOP when pumping gas at a Sheetz??? But seriously: f this and f this whole administration.
If you were there at around 2am that morning you already know it was about 30° and the “rain” didn’t help, but man did we have fun! Jake from State Farm was every bit as gracious as you’d hope he’d be. It ain’t always easy, but it’s almost always a good time. #setlife #soundspeeds #sounddepartment
