[Reader-list] Public Enemy vs Arizona: Sonic Immigration

Paul D. Miller anansi1 at earthlink.net
Sat May 8 19:42:31 IST 2010 

Hello to Josh and the Sarai list. I apologize about the delay in communication, but I had a concert in Khartoum, Sudan, and there were thousands of people at the show, and it was a demonstration of some of the unique qualities of why reaching out past the norms of the kind of paranoid scenarios Josh has been spouting on the list is exactly what I think the world needs more of.

To those on the list that haven't heard the track I did with Public Enemy, you can hear it here:

http://www.djspooky.com/music_download_form.html

And yo Josh - screw your crappy music taste...

Josh - why do you think that the Phoenix Suns has changed their name to "Los Suns":
Team owner Robert Sarver says the Spanish jersey is meant to, quote, "honor our Latino community and the diversity of our league, the state of Arizona and our nation."

The Arizona reactionary stance towards immigration is what I think is a betrayal of the country, and I believe that naive people like the right wing types who espouse it have no idea about the economics of what they're talking about. The trouble is that as a larger political ideology, its hateful and divisive message is encouraging ever more misguided madness.

Some examples:

Read more: http://newsbusters.org/blogs/scott-whitlock/2010/05/05/msnbcs-dylan-ratigan-gives-kudos-arizona-basketball-team-protesting-#ixzz0nLQzAkyL

The problem is this: you can't argue with right wing lunatics like Josh - facts don't matter. We learned this during the Bush era, and we've seen the Tea Party idiots doing the same thing. I belong in what I like to call, ironically, after Bush, "the reality based community." Interdependence in a hyper globalized economy is a basic economic fact. You cannot shut it down without massive consequences, and amusingly enough, I bet you'd be hard pressed to find even a right wing economist who would disagree with that basic assumption. Because I cannot argue with Josh (even politely), without being called as he has called me a "racist (!!!???)" and a "betrayer of my country" (sound like Fox News stupidity!?), I can only say - in this forum focused on South Asia, that the kind of anti-immigrant stupidity that he espouses is so dumb as to be beyond the range of coherent dialog.

I cannot believe that reactionary people like Josh have no sense of history, or even a willingness to get to facts, but hey, in the America of Fox News and idiots like Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh, I'd encounter a moron like Josh on the Sarai reader list (one could argue that he's a digital immigrant on this list, but the irony is too much...) ... nothing is shocking I guess.

I have to admit - I am so disgusted by my fellow Arizona American's reactionary and ultimately idiotic legislation about immigration. It boggles the mind - where do you think they came from? They are all immigrants. Anyway, not that these kinds of links matter to Josh, but hey... I'm just an African American racist who betrays my country and despises Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, Fox News Zombies, and right wing idiots like Sarah Palin.

The Left needs to push back on this kind of stuff. HARD. And, hopefully, it will.


Supporting links:
http://www.truthout.org/david-sirota-i-want-my-country-back-the-motto-mad-men59256

Why the Left has no Response to the Right Wing Lie Machine:
http://www.crisispapers.org/essays10p/nolocontendere.htm

Why Arizona isn't Crazy, Just wrong:
http://www.alternet.org/immigration/146736/why_arizona_isn't_crazy,_just_wrong

Arizona Immigration Law Divides Law Enforcement:
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/22/us/22immig.html

This is my last comment on this thread.
Paul



-----Original Message-----
>From: Joshua Zeidner <jjzeidner at gmail.com>
>Sent: May 6, 2010 2:07 AM
>To: reader-list at sarai.net
>Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Public Enemy vs Arizona: Sonic Immigration
>
>  Well, I just got back from the Phoenix rally.  If any of you think that
>the SB1070 bill is about racial profiling, you are out of your mind.  The
>bulk of the crowd was a semi-violent mob with Mexican and _USSR_ flags (no
>joke).  They were proudly displaying their concept of history, which is that
>of right to ownership of the American southwest.  Many of them were clearly
>mafia thugs.
>
>  -jmz
>
>
>
>On Wed, May 5, 2010 at 9:48 AM, TaraPrakash <taraprakash at gmail.com> wrote:
>
>> "I was at the capitol yesterday, there was a nice young African American
>> girl who was vocally against the pro-Mexico demonstrators.  She came down
>> here because she couldn't find a job in LA."
>>
>> Now, isn't there some kind of irony? Mexicans don't take so much risk of
>> crossing the border because of plenty of jobs on their side of the border.
>> Jobwise the state that seems to be doing the best is Texas, now can someone
>> remind the history of Texas? Is it somehow connected with Mexico?
>>
>>
>>
>> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Joshua Zeidner" <jjzeidner at gmail.com>
>> To: <reader-list at sarai.net>
>> Sent: Wednesday, May 05, 2010 11:38 AM
>> Subject: [Reader-list] Public Enemy vs Arizona: Sonic Immigration
>>
>>
>>   On the contrary,  the African Americans are getting played by left wing
>>> and the likes of Al Sharpton this time.
>>>
>>>  I was at the capitol yesterday, there was a nice young African American
>>> girl who was vocally against the pro-Mexico demonstrators.  She came down
>>> here because she couldn't find a job in LA.  She shouted: "this is the new
>>> color of conservatism".
>>>
>>>  We've never had slavery in Arizona.  It was formed after the civil war.
>>> The African Americans played a critical role in the establishment of our
>>> state.
>>>
>>>  -jmz
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> On Tue, May 4, 2010 at 11:44 PM, Paul D. Miller <anansi1 at earthlink.net
>>> >wrote:
>>>
>>>  I'm transferring at Frankfurt airport, and took a quick glance at this
>>>> video. I find it sad and appalling.
>>>>
>>>> It's galvinized me as an African American to build even more bridges
>>>> between communities.
>>>>
>>>> Minorities only get played against one another when this kind of thing
>>>> happens, and the end result is everyone loses.
>>>>
>>>> This kind of stuff is so dumb, it's ridiculous.
>>>>
>>>> It really saddens me to see fellow African Americans being played by
>>>> right
>>>> wing types.
>>>>
>>>> Paul
>>>>
>>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>>
>>>> On May 5, 2010, at 7:02 AM, Udai Malhotra <udaimalhotra at gmail.com>
>>>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>> Dear Joshua,
>>>>
>>>> What is the point you are trying to make by linking to this video? If
>>>> anything it is reinforcing that you are on some straight ignorant shit.
>>>>
>>>> - Udai
>>>>
>>>> On Wed, May 5, 2010 at 9:55 AM, Joshua Zeidner < <jjzeidner at gmail.com>
>>>> jjzeidner at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>   <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcmjPgyN36g&NR=1>
>>>>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xcmjPgyN36g&NR=1
>>>>>
>>>>>  -jmz
>>>>>
>>>>> On Tue, May 4, 2010 at 1:28 PM, Paul D. Miller < <anansi1 at earthlink.net
>>>>> >
>>>>> anansi1 at earthlink.net>wrote:
>>>>>
>>>>> > Again - this is strange non sense.
>>>>> > 1) the track is a free giveaway so no paycheck etc
>>>>> >
>>>>> > Josh - this is stupid. Either up the level of the discourse or come up
>>>>> with
>>>>> > something more interesting.
>>>>> >
>>>>> > I think you'd be hard pressed to find someone that would say either me
>>>>> or
>>>>> > Chuck D are racist, and no, Flava Flav isn't on the track. So...
>>>>> >
>>>>> > What's your point? I'm just getting on a flight to Khartoum, Sudan for
>>>>> > a
>>>>> > project with ex child soldiers doing electronic music.
>>>>> >
>>>>> > Josh - if you would like to dialog about the merits of Arizona's
>>>>> > immigration, that's ok. But being an asshole, as we've seen in >
>>>>> Arizona,
>>>>> > doesn't solve anyone's problems.
>>>>> >
>>>>> > By the way way, no, I'm not racist, and no, Public Enemy isn't racist.
>>>>> >
>>>>> > And I have nothing to do with Al Sharpton.
>>>>> >
>>>>> > Paul
>>>>> >
>>>>> > Sent from my iPhone
>>>>> >
>>>>> > On May 4, 2010, at 4:02 PM, Joshua Zeidner < <jjzeidner at gmail.com>
>>>>> jjzeidner at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>> >
>>>>> >
>>>>> >   sorry for getting all up in your grill hommie, but racism cuts both
>>>>> ways.
>>>>> >
>>>>> >   maybe you can get Flavor Flav all up in hizouse too?
>>>>> > < <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzhpB1X-6ok>
>>>>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzhpB1X-6ok>
>>>>> > <http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzhpB1X-6ok>
>>>>> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QzhpB1X-6ok
>>>>> >
>>>>> >   it's pretty simple that illegal aliens are modern day slavery and >
>>>>> they
>>>>> > destroy the lives of white and black Americans alike.  Unfortunately
>>>>> we've
>>>>> > got selllouts like you who are willing to say anything for a paycheck.
>>>>> >
>>>>> >   check ya later holmes, jmz
>>>>> >
>>>>> >
>>>>> >
>>>>> >
>>>>> > On Tue, May 4, 2010 at 12:48 PM, Paul D. Miller < > <<
>>>>> anansi1 at earthlink.net>
>>>>> anansi1 at earthlink.net>
>>>>> > <anansi1 at earthlink.net>anansi1 at earthlink.net> wrote:
>>>>> >
>>>>> >> Very strange and reactionary response.
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >> Joshua - can you please enlighten me on my 'racist politics' and my
>>>>> >> relationship to Al Sharpton?
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >> You're sounding a bit shrill and to be completely honest, totally
>>>>> >> irrational.
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >> Paul
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >> Sent from my iPhone
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >> On May 4, 2010, at 3:22 PM, Joshua Zeidner < < <jjzeidner at gmail.com>
>>>>> jjzeidner at gmail.com>
>>>>> >> <jjzeidner at gmail.com>jjzeidner at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >>   I'm writing this from the Arizona Capitol.
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >>   Paul, we don't want your racist politics here.  Al Sharpton has
>>>>> nothing
>>>>> >> in common with the illegal aliens.  You are not only a traitor to >>
>>>>> your
>>>>> >> country but a traitor to your own people.  How can you turn against a
>>>>> >> country that has given you so much?
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >>   we do remember history.  We remember it very well.
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >>   Check it: >> <<
>>>>> http://www.buffalosoldiermuseum.com/?linkid=410&webid=1000>
>>>>> http://www.buffalosoldiermuseum.com/?linkid=410&webid=1000><<
>>>>> http://www.buffalosoldiermuseum.com/?linkid=410&webid=1000>
>>>>> http://www.buffalosoldiermuseum.com/?linkid=410&webid=1000>
>>>>> >> <http://www.buffalosoldiermuseum.com/?linkid=410&webid=1000>
>>>>> http://www.buffalosoldiermuseum.com/?linkid=410&webid=1000
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >>   -jmz
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >> On Tue, May 4, 2010 at 12:10 PM, Paul D. Miller < >> <<
>>>>> anansi1 at earthlink.net>
>>>>> anansi1 at earthlink.net>< <anansi1 at earthlink.net>anansi1 at earthlink.net>
>>>>>
>>>>> >> <anansi1 at earthlink.net>anansi1 at earthlink.net> wrote:
>>>>> >>
>>>>> >>> Hey people - I just finished a studio session with Chuck D from >>>
>>>>> Public
>>>>> >>> Enemy. In the wake of Republican Governor Jan Brewer's appalling
>>>>> >>> anti-immigrant law, me and Chuck D were rappin' and we decided to
>>>>> >>> put
>>>>> >>> together an update of his classic track "By The Time I get To
>>>>> Arizona."
>>>>> >>>
>>>>> >>> You can download the track from here:
>>>>> >>>
>>>>> >>>  < <http://www.djspooky.com/music_download_form.html>
>>>>> http://www.djspooky.com/music_download_form.html><<
>>>>> http://www.djspooky.com/music_download_form.html>
>>>>> http://www.djspooky.com/music_download_form.html>
>>>>> >>> <http://www.djspooky.com/music_download_form.html>
>>>>> http://www.djspooky.com/music_download_form.html
>>>>> >>>
>>>>> >>>
>>>>> >>> Anyone who knows about hip hop from the early 90's remembers John
>>>>> >>> McCain's unwillingness to endorse creating a local version of Martin
>>>>> Luther
>>>>> >>> King's birthday. The update here is a 21st century look in the rear
>>>>> view
>>>>> >>> mirror. The cliché that "those who don't learn from the past are
>>>>> doomed to
>>>>> >>> repeat it" still holds sway in our hyper amnesiac culture. I remixed
>>>>> D.W.
>>>>> >>> Griffith's infamous film Birth of a Nation  with a bit of Public >>>
>>>>> Enemy
>>>>> in
>>>>> >>> mind, and later on, they named an e.p. with the same name as my
>>>>> project. Me
>>>>> >>> and Chuck D have done several projects in the past around >>>
>>>>> progressive,
>>>>> non
>>>>> >>> knucklehead hip hop.
>>>>> >>>
>>>>> >>> Please feel free to download this track and pass it around. We are
>>>>> >>> the
>>>>> >>> media. Feel free to pass it around!
>>>>> >>>
>>>>> >>> By the way, this is a mashup, and it's basically not really for >>>
>>>>> sale.
>>>>> I
>>>>> >>> just took a riff from Philly Sound >>> (<<
>>>>> http://www.funkadelphiarecords.com>
>>>>> http://www.funkadelphiarecords.com>< <
>>>>> http://www.funkadelphiarecords.com>
>>>>>
>>>>> http://www.funkadelphiarecords.com>
>>>>> >>> <http://www.funkadelphiarecords.com>www.funkadelphiarecords.com),
>>>>> >>> and
>>>>> flipped it. The result, is what you
>>>>> >>> hear here. It's free, and open. No $!!
>>>>> >>> You can download a better resolution version of the track here:
>>>>> >>>
>>>>> >>>  < <http://www.djspooky.com/music_download_form.html>
>>>>> http://www.djspooky.com/music_download_form.html><<
>>>>> http://www.djspooky.com/music_download_form.html>
>>>>> http://www.djspooky.com/music_download_form.html>
>>>>> >>> <http://www.djspooky.com/music_download_form.html>
>>>>> http://www.djspooky.com/music_download_form.html
>>>>> >>>
>>>>> >>> Check it!
>>>>> >>>
>>>>> >>> Paul
>>>>> >>>
>>>>> >>>
>>>>> >>>
>>>>> >>>
>>>>> >>>
>>>>> >>>
>>>>> >>>
>>>>> >>>
>>>>> >>>
>>>>> >>>
>>>>> >>>
>>>>> >
>>>>> >
>>>>> > --
>>>>> >
>>>>> >
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> --
>>>>> _________________________________________
>>>>> reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city.
>>>>> Critiques & Collaborations
>>>>> To subscribe: send an email to <reader-list-request at sarai.net>
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>>>>> To unsubscribe: <https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list>
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>>>>> https://mail.sarai.net/pipermail/reader-list/>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> _________________________________________
>>> reader-list: an open discussion list on media and the city.
>>> Critiques & Collaborations
>>> To subscribe: send an email to reader-list-request at sarai.net with
>>> subscribe in the subject header.
>>> To unsubscribe: https://mail.sarai.net/mailman/listinfo/reader-list
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>>
>>
>
>
>--
>_________________________________________
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