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Winston (Kamal Angelo Bolden) and John (LaShawn Banks) in Athol Fugard's The Island, Remy Bumppo Theater
Last night I took a stroll up to a performance by my favorite theater company. Remy Bumppo was presenting Athol Fugard’s The Island and I was looking forward to a good production and one of Remy’s interesting post-play discussions. It was all of that but so much more – and it got me thinking about what we so often miss in our politics and activism. For Fugard – and this particular production – raises important political issues but he also reminds us of simple humanity. For all that is moving about this tale of Robben Island and oppression and apartheid – and the power of art in the face of that oppression, at the core, The Island breaks through our intellectualized distance, our rhetorical sympathy and asks us to see the two men themselves, not only as symbol but as just simply real.
One of the actors, LeShawn Banks, said after the play that we in America often hold the world at arms length, at a distance, that we are able to do that, are protected by that and yet so many in this world have no such distance from suffering.
And so I walked home thinking about just that. And about the ways we distance ourselves even in the midst of our engagement with political issues and progressive movements.
We abstract, analyse, argue so well but how very hard it is, sitting in our land of privilege (even when times are “tough”) to really feel what so many of our brothers and sisters in humanity live – so often as the direct consequence of our country’s very inhuman drive for control or wealth or power.
So rather than pick apart yet another set of examples of our government’s wars, I hope we can take some time to pause and recognize the oh so human reality of those who live with the repercussions: Christian families being terrorized in Mosul, the mother of a child killed in Afghanistan or the Palestinian father whose child is arrested and tortured by Israeli troops.
If you are in Chicago, there’s still one more week to see The Island at Remy. If not, what reconnects you to the humanity behind the rhetoric?
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Ahh Siun-Tzu – I ride the bus/train combo to work when I’m in town, and love the “mind the gap” statement. It’s so true, but often lost on West Coasters.
Emphasis mine.
In this country! Until we pluck the shit out of our own eyes, there is no way we’re going to be a better partner in the world.
I have a hard time focussing on individuals when the U.S. system is so rotten. But I admit that the only way to get others to focus on the system is thru impressing them with individual cases.
One thing that helps me reconnect are your weekly posts, Siun. We can rely on you to keep things at a human level. I also learn so much be reading people’s blogs–such as the posts by the Iraqi writers for McClatchy’s Baghdad bureau (Inside Iraq ) and, of course, Gorilla’s Guides (thankfully, so many of the articles in English are also Seminal posts). Places like Skies (a Baghdad psychiatrist) and Days of My Life (a college student in Mosul) give different pictures of life in Iraq (Sunshine’s account of the windows being blown out of her home–repeatedly–last year were harrowing). Gaza Mom does not live in the OPT currently, but she has a lot to say. (These are just a few of the wonderful voices out there.)
I’ve traveled a lot. The thing I know for certain is that other people have a lot to teach us about life and how to live well. The xenophobia of the Republicans can be summarized in this story. I was in Paris right after the 2000 election, still fuming about the decision in Bush v. Gore. I went to the Village Voice, and was talking to the proprietor, snarling about the Supreme Court. He chimes in with: Here in Paris, they call Bush Le Executioner. I point out that isn’t going to win him any friends among republican customers. He says he doesn’t have any, they don’t travel, and those who do travel, don’t read.
While I was not actually in Europe, I had/have a bunch of Dutch and Belgian friends on a social networking webcam site, Camarades.
They kept demanding answers prior to the Bush v. Gore decision, and I could give them no answers. It was so…I don’t have the word available.
Aloha, Siun…!
Where’s the Western MSM reporting…?
Iraq’s Christians demand justice
Aloha, M’dear…! ;-)
I love all those links…! *g*
Good point that – “in this country”
Thank you
Thanks Laura – for the links and for your ongoing “connections”
I have traveled all the continents except Australia, and in my 3 score and 10 have seen so much suffering from the theft by the rich and corporate that causes so much poverty and death in this world, I am a bit dazed -
but like poster “eCAHNomics” I see the need for individual stories to get the point across. When SDS formed we had a dual purpose of economic justice and stop the JFK ‘Nam increase in troops from Ike’s 2000 to JFK’s 16,000 in 63. Our handouts and public speaking had little effect – because, I suspect, they lacked individual stories, and because eyes fog over when you explain how our law protects the institutionalized theft from the poor by the rich and corporate.
But I do find the selection of of stories curious – as in the “child is arrested and tortured by “Israeli troops”" is a story that could be set up as Berber father and his child being tortured by Arab troops in just about any North African country, and indeed the scene is repeated in about 70 countries around the world where such acts are currently officially sanctioned because of “unrest” in part of the population – and indeed where “torture” is more clear cut as torture than the interrogations done in Israel.
While the story selection is, to me, curious, I agree that war justified human rights violations suck – and wish that the Bush administration had not officially made the US a member of the club that justifies human rights violations by claiming they are in a war or fighting population unrest – thanks, Cheney /sarcasm
Selection of stories has a lot to do with hypocrisy. Those who claim moral superiority, like Israel & the U.S., have much more to answer for.
I’d also mention that our arts – which are such powerful “reconnectors” are really suffering these days. Please consider supporting them – even very small contributions or a bit of volunteer time make a big difference.
Papau,
Thank you for the reference to SDS. I remain informed by “participatory democracy” and find a great deal of our current “progressive” politics frustrating because of the lack of connection of global justice to parochial american politics.
On the selection of stories – I select those that connect with the topics I write about. I am sure each of us would pick differently – but, as Ecahn noted, I prefer to focus on those where US funding are intimately related to the result.
Aloha, CT!
I had a bit of a scare yesterday…! But, I truly mourn for the Chileans…! 8-(
Was your scare related to the tsnami stemming from the Chilean earthquake?
eCAHN, Hilo Bay is literally my backyard…! ;-)
Glad you islanders dodged that one. But oh my. 8.8 I can’t even begin to imagine what that would feel like. (And hope I am never given the opportunity to find out!) Spent the day re-doing my earthquake box, as magical thinking and wishes just aren’t good enough. : (
Glad it turned out OK.
Thank you, Siun, for being a voice that keeps reminding us of the impact the US is having on the world. I live outside the US now and hear very often the critique of US policies. It’s so true that most Americans simply have no clue about how their actions and those of their government affect others. That’s one very large “island.”