Archivo

I did't time this on purpose, but a strange coincidence that this piece should come up on June 14th, US Flag Day!

(Jasper Johns "Three Flags")

“Betsy Ross Meets Staggerlee”

Interesting, very short commentary saying that, yes, black Americans should be angry about their condition and whites Americans should be emotionally engaged:

My favorite question…after the burning of LA was …whether you as a honky feel more apprehensive on the street when you meet a group of young black men…I can tell you that if you aren’t worried, you just haven’t been paying attention…if I were a young black man, I know how I’d feel about me.”

Leonard facetiously says about actor, singer, activist, communist Paul Robeson, “He just wouldn’t shut up…should have been grateful white people liked him more than…other black folks, instead insisted on complaining about racism…and red-bating.”

Leonard doesn’t refer back to the title in the piece, assuming that we understand the reference. Staggerlee, refers to the American folk song from the early 20^th century based on the murder of Billy Lyons by “Stag” Lee Shelton in St. Louis…Christmas 1895. It’s been covered many, many times. Best ones are by Woody Guthrie, Wilson Pickett, The Grateful Dead, Nick Lowe and a live Christmas concert version by Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes. Here is a video of the Wilson Picket version:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2zuUVkP9D-w

…and a great page from Tim Lane’s graphic story collection, Abandoned Cars:

New word: hermeneutics = the theory of text (especially biblical) interpretation

New learning: In the ‘90s there was a T-Shirt that said, “Bo Knows Racism.”