From our Mailbag 06/06/03 - 06/28/03




by YOU

THE WORLD - From Scott S., New Orleans, LA, USA:

SUBJECT: Greetings

Rod:

Nothing has arrived in the mail as yet, but I will call you when something does.

Soon the Quarter will be "Cleaner Better Safer," the Disney Epcot-ization of the city has started. They seem oblivious to the fact that the FQ [French Quarter - Ed.] has always been gritty and bohemian.

Word,
Scott


From Wolf DeVoon, (No City Provided,) COSTA RICA:

SUBJECT: five stars

"I AM MORE AND MORE CONVINCED that what is needed in our society, urgently, is a greater focus on acuity of thought."

* * * * * wonderful

Wolf

a cathedral
of words

g21 #357: GET CLOSER DAY ONE G21 AFRICA G21 Digital Internet Postcards JOIN OUR MAILING LIST. You'll be glad you did. Jokes, updates, the whole she-bang goes straight to your e-mail box. Be part of the In-Crowd! G21 E-MAIL NEWSLETTER G21 MIDEAST G21 NEWS GLOBAL*BEAT HOT LINKS IRISH EYES MY GLASS HOUSE NEW YORK STATE POWERSSOUND RADIOACTIVE RDR THE RIGHT STUFF VOX POPULI Search our Site: sitemap RECOMMENDED DAILY REQUIREMENT ARCHIVES. LAST WEEK's EDITION MEET THE G-CREW! These are the people behind this jam-band every week. HOME TABLE OF CONTENTS & BACK ISSUES

From Ed C., Bloomfield, MI, USA:

SUBJECT: Mputhumi Ntabeni - "White Guilt, Black Aggression"

Stellar writing and analysis on race issues and the self-limiting power of our preconceived ideas regarding others. Thanks Mputhumi.

Ed C. - USA

From Brad B., New York, NY, USA:

SUBJECT: how did you get into this situation

found your article...
how could you move to the south???

....especially to Lousiana which gives the most severe sentences to more black people than any other state.

ssheeeeit!!!!

once you clear this up get the hell out of the south...

I grew up in Ohio on the edge of Kentucky...so I learned to hate the south, with such a passion it verges on irrationality, i mean white southerns who are fundamentalist christians, conservative republicans .

These people want to exterminate anyone different from they--if they could have it done, every black, jews, arab, gay, asian would be dead
they would have it happen...anyone different from reinforces their fundamental stupidity...and insecurity otherwise they would not believe god created them to be better than everyone else.

new orleans is a great city to visit but that's it

brad

maybe i am being over the top but shit i wish i could help....sell your story to a magazine that will pay good money...


From Bob Powers, Marietta, OH, USA:

SUBJECT: News?

Rod,

What happened in court this morning? I've prayed for good news, so please let me have some.

Bob


ROD RESPONDS: Bob,

My trial is set for 8 July. The only good news is that my lawyer believes there might still be a possibility the D.A.'s office will drop my case. So I guess we both have to keep praying for a while.

Cheers,
Rod


From Mputhumi Ntabeni, Queenstown, SOUTH AFRICA:

SUBJECT: by and by, so and so

Rod,

I'm sorry your legal case is not progressing the way you'd like. I hope there was something more I could do more than offering my moral support. Things, money wise, are tight this side.

As a person who grew up in SA during its worst in the apartheid era I cannot say I'm very much surprised with such things. All the same it's never a nice experience when it happens to you. I so much preferred the blatant racism of apartheid perpetrators to this extant polite contemptuous racial hypocrisy. At least with those guys you knew where you stood. It'll take time brother, if such things still happens in your specious melting-point, it'll take time. Meantime the republic of letters is our catharsis. Fuck the casuists, our experiences are our argument.

June for me is a month of mixed emotions. Itís the month my daughter was born in four years ago. That brought me a lot of joy. I've written about it in the piece I'm submitting to you, "A Letter To My Daughter." Hope you like it. June is also the month my father died in last year. I've written about that also. I'll try to submit it some other time. Then there's the Grahamstown Arts Festival I love so much, from 25 June-5 July. I plan to write about that. You shall here from of things that give us hope. Meantime try to stay out of jail. The world looses something in our eyes when we do not get our weekly dose of "My Glass House." The last issue of "My Glass House" was exceptionally good.

Take care of yourself, and don't let stupid people bring you down. By the way I've told my daughter who's playing at my feet that I'm writing to you about her. She says I shouldn't write lies, and waves to say hi to the computer as though you were there. She does not get the concept of you being in America, far away, and my writing to you here. I tried to explain it about her writing me a father's day card at school a week ago, and then having to deliver it to me in the house. That made things even worse. I had to explain if I was planning to go to America after writing. I gave up. You can't win them all. I shudder to think she might end up a lawyer, she is such a clear headed child, and puts her case exceptionally well.

So long. God bless!
Mpush


ROD RESPONDS: Mpush,

Many thanks, dear brother. I look forward to reading your story. I am keeping my hopes up on my case. My trial is now set for 8 July.

Keep me in your prayers, as I keep you in my own.


From Kimberly Blaker, New Boston, MI, USA:

SUBJECT: Featured at Amazon.com/The Fundamentals of Extremism

We would like to share with you the following exciting news. Amazon.com has selected The Fundamentals of Extremism: the Christian Right in America, edited by Kimberly Blaker, as its "New and Notable" feature on its Religion & Spirituality page. The sales ranking for the book has soared since yesterday. You can see it featured at:

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From Patience S., Lagos, NIGERIA:

SUBJECT: "For Justice"

Dear Mr Amis,

I only got to hear about your arrest and arraignment this week as I am a new subsciber to your unique magazine. Those of us here in Africa regularly hear stories of how our black brothers in the States are badly treated but we never guessed it was as horrible as this.

Those policemen that picked you up must be a bunch of brainless idiots. I believe you will win the case because no judge worth his name will convict a man on such spurious charges.

Much as I would have loved to, it's a pity I don't have dollars to send to you for the case as what we use here in Nigeria is Naira but be assured that my prayers are with you all the way.

As a journalist myself, I know the power of the press so it might be useful if you can rally the media to your cause. I am sure they will be willing to help their colleague in distress.

I wish you luck and pray that you will soon be free to continue with your good work.

God bless.
Patience S.
The Guardian,
Lagos, Nigeria.


From Max A., Seattle, WA, USA:

I think very few people realize civil rights do not exist in this country any more. Least of all its citizens. Though this country's black citizens have a much more up close and personal familiarity with the situation so perhaps are better informed than anyone one else.

I am so sorry that happened to you, Rod, that that is happening to you.

I am going to link that in my forum.

I wish you were white. I think whites tend to just shrug that stuff off like it could not happen to them. It can. It does. Every day. Not in New Orleans maybe. But there is that "Thank God that could not happen to me" impulse a lot of people have when they read it happened because someone is black and that is wrong and very very misinformed...

max


From John H., Greenville, NC, USA:

SUBJECT: legal help

I just got a wild hair tonight and went to G21, looking for stuff you've written lately. Haven't seen your stuff since you left Andover Network etc......you came to mind so I went a-looking.

You might remember me as the guy who had the web site about the NC Hurricane Floyd floods from 1999 -- llamas in the front yard, remember?... You were living in the D.C. area then as I recall.

Shocked to hear about your arrest. What a bunch of stupidity. Damn Caucasian idjits. (And I'm white.)

How can I send some cash?

John H.
Greenville, NC


From Bob Powers,Marietta, OH, USA:

SUBJECT: Good Luck!

Dear Rod,

I know it's kinda silly to wish you good luck when all your luck lately has been bad. But be assured the wish is sincere. I want to see G21 continuing for decades into the future.

Speaking of G21, I received an e-mail this week from the producer of a nightly talk show in Australia. So I will be appearing as their guest at 9 a.m. Sunday our time, which translates to Sunday night at 11 p.m. Australian time.

The topic, as you may have guessed, is the first anniversary of Rosemary Clooney's death.

I asked the producer when he called yesterday how they found my name. They did a Google search for "Rosemary Clooney" and I popped up with my piece in G21 about her death.

I will ask for a tape and if they do, I will mail you a copy.

The host of the show apparently is an American who moved to Melbourne and became famous on the radio.

Again, good luck with Monday's ordeal. You deserve the best.

Bob

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