 | Jamie Holts on Paris Hilton’s Response … |
| Jamie Holts on Paris Hilton’s Response … |
Kasama Project Red Flags: News and Views From the Revolutionary Left RevLeft Left Spot The Daily Radical
We’ve received countless numbers of e-mails from list-serves and comrades at the RNC reporting the systematic repression and fear tactics of the police in St. Paul. The system is getting constipated with pent up dissent. How much more can we stand before shit hits the fan?
We hope to post more on this soon, but here’s a video of some radical musicians in action. Rage Against the Machine plays an acoustic set to spite the pigs…
September 2, 2008 – St. Paul, MN
Freedom of the press slipping away along with countless other rights.
We have a new home!
After months of hard work, building our new recording and media spaces and office, we’re finally up and running. With the help from many community volunteers and students and of course the Proletariat Productions crew, we’ve put together what could be called a high-tech media center with a grass roots vibe. We’re prepared to become a community resource for PodCasting, public service announcements, surround sound mixing and video post production, music recording and production, and all sorts of other media creation. We also have everything needed to host community meetings and classes. We want to work with socially conscious artists, community leaders and organizations, and political groups. Let us know what projects you are working on and we’ll tell you how we can help. Visit our recently updated website for more info.
New music is on the way…
A new CD is in the works for politically controversial hip hop artist and political activist, Ecclesiastes (aka Syntax), we can’t give away much detail yet, but trust us, this one is going to be good. Also, be on the look out for our recently signed artist, GodGun. She’s come aboard to add a distinctly new flavor to our already diverse collection of revolutionary music projects.
Want your event, performance, protest, or issue to be included in UF Journal?
We’d love to post your events in our rapidly growing e-journal. Send us clear details on the event topic, date, time, and location, and if there’s space, we’ll be sure to include it in our e-mail. UF goes out monthly, so please send submissions early. info[at]proletariatproductions.com
Fall internships now available
We are now accepting applications for Fall 2008. If you or someone you know needs a fun college internship or would like to volunteer, please see our internship and volunteer page online. We guarantee you will learn a lot (two of our staff are also college instructors). Positions are limited so get your applications in early. To apply, click HERE.
Check out Tristan James’ Interviews on Gearwire.com
Recently Tristan James was interviewed on Gearwire.com’s Expert Features. Although the interviews were mostly focused on how the Proletariat Productions engineers use different pieces of equipment and how they feel about their quality and function, Gearwire.com did an excellent, and humorous, job at representing the political culture at the studio. One interesting segment is entitled “Mogami Cable Preserves Your Signal Like It Was The Body Of V. I. Lenin” Check out the interviews and learn how the Proletariat Productions crew get their sounds.
Visit us in Second Life
Come visit the virtual home of Chicago’s revolutionary music and media organization. We’re still under construction, but for now you can see our virtual performance stage and listen to some music. We hope to be able to produce some live virtual concerts and build a virtual recording studio and media gallery. To connect with us in Second Life, click HERE.
Commentary by GodGun
This is one of three slogans printed on the shirts of New York fashion designer, Apollo Braun. At first glance, his Lower East Side store looks like a hip, teenager’s bedroom. The walls are covered, top to bottom, with colorful magazine clippings. Racks of clothes line the walls, and jewelry stands are covered in funky beaded necklaces and outlandish earrings and pins.
His boutique, located at 193 Orchard Street, has been open since January 2003. Recently, he has come under fire for displaying and selling shirts in his store that say, “Jews Against Obama,” “Who Killed Obama?” and “Obama is my slave.” His hate for Obama stems on the fact that so many of Obama’s advisors are pro-Palestine. He also compares Obama to Hitler; the way that people clamor for him, and hang on to every word, without truly
Apollo Braun, wearing his 'Obama is my Slave' T-Shirt
understanding what he is saying. Braun says that he finds the mindless attraction to Obama similar to the fans of a rock star or celebrity. Oddly enough, he made these statements long before John McCain’s commercial, comparing Obama to Britney Spears and Paris Hilton. In his own words,
“The majority of the Jews – at least the ones that are proud of their religion and practice it – like me, don’t want to see Obama – a man who’s middle name is Hussein, and his family from his Kenyan father’s side is Muslim, as the leader of this great country.
More than that, after Obama’s pastor, Jeremiah Wright honored Louis Farrakhan – definitely one of the most racist and anti-Semitic people alive – Obama lost us Jews totally. That made me start this political movement in the first place.”
He gained much more publicity after a 25 year-old graduate student in New York was assaulted by a group of women, when she was wearing an “Obama is my slave” shirt. The woman plans to sue Braun, but he claims he is protected by the First Amendment. Since the beginning of the research for this piece, many sources have come forward, claiming that there was never an assaulted student, and that Braun fabricated the entire story to create hype around his store. He claims that the woman, after being assaulted, ran back to his store to complain. The phone number that Braun claims belongs to the woman has not worked for any reporters seeking to speak with her; and there are no NYPD or eyewitness reports of any assault taking place. The only source for the story came directly from a press release, sent out by Braun’s publicist.
It seems that all of his work is only meant to shock. His second album, titled “Number 1 in Iran” has a particular song called “Saddam Hussein is a gay icon,” this kind of empty controversy is also found in lyrics of other songs, other work, and books. When leaving his store due to disgust or lack of money, he will most likely try to sell you a book of poetry, entitled “America, My Whore.”
While his musical, artistic, and pseudo-political content may not make sense, it is apparent that he has a thirst for any attention. His clothes tend to be outlandish, a plastic pony safety-pinned to a miniskirt is just one example. His attempts to be unique and artistic still draw many to his store and fashion shows. His persona and actions can lead one to question the validity of his statements. Is he simply trying to shock, or is he actually trying to create – as he put it – a ‘political movement’?
“Apollo is a catalyst for a certain form of art that is clearly effective. A sort of shock and awe. No matter what you think about this shirt it stuck with you and provoked thought. Hate it or love it, you are all talking about it. Apollo made you think. He wins.”
While this argument is valid, it still remains a fact that Apollo Braun’s work is controversy without content. His shocking statements are without any substance, and his personality is founded on the hunger for success and the need for attention. The trouble with confronting Braun at great length, or in great numbers. is that he feeds off of the attention. To put a brick through his storefront, or assault him would only strengthen his ‘me-against-the-world’ and ‘pity-me-the-artist’ shtick. Today’s culture allows for anyone to ‘express’ themselves using hate and blind action to gain attention. Braun’s work is of no benefit to anyone, and such open and liberal racism must not be tolerated. Empty racist threats, even to a Democratic Presidential Candidate, cannot stand. No matter what the purpose, a society in which no action like this is allowed must be put into place. Braun is the smallest microcosm of racism in this country, yet he represents the null argument of intolerance and ignorance.
Commentary by Varrick Douglas Jr.
Since his victory as the presumptive Democratic nominee, it has been starkly apparent that Barack Obama has received a vast amount more media
Obama and McCain Fight For Media Attention
coverage than his opponent John McCain. An ongoing study by Pew Center for the People and the Press shows that Obama is more visible to the public over McCain, 76% to 11%. It was only the last week of July that McCain came close in media coverage compared to Obama according to a report by the Project for Excellence in Journalism.
The question here is, why is the media obsessed with Obama?
I would imagine there are many reasons for this occurrence, however I will limit my speculation to three.
1). Part of this is a conscious strategy by Obama’s campaign for massive exposure and promotion. Rolling Stone magazine did a feature article on him that practically worshipped the ground he walked on, the Chicago Tribune’s Steve Chapman is virtually in love with him, and several major news stations covered his catwalk around the world in mid July to promote American Imperialism. His campaign team is obviously working hard to seduce the major media camps.
2). Part of it is also a conscious effort by the U.S. ruling class (the people who actually own and fund the major media camps) to excessively scrutinize him to see if this junior politician with very limited experience, can act in their domestic and global interest. Every “scandal” in the Obama campaign has been exhaustively magnified—his stint with Reverend Wright, Jessie Jackson’s infamous statement about wanting “to cut his nuts off”, the controversial satire of the New Yorker cover picture, etc. The media is obviously watching every move he makes to handle these issues.
3) All of the above I believe to be true, however the fundamental reason for the excessive coverage of Obama is ironically the biggest elephant in the room when it comes to the U.S. media’s discussion on the elections: RACE! Yes, Obama is the first Black man in AmeriKKKa to ever get this far as a Democratic Nominee. (How that happened, I still don’t know). Nevertheless, he’s there, and Black, something that he, nor the media, wants to overtly talk about, and both, in an awkward symbiotic means, do a great job of avoiding this issue. We shouldn’t be surprised though, the U.S. has a history of ignoring the race elephant since the ebb of the civil rights movement. Apparently because Blacks were granted voting rights and (overt) segregation was considered unconstitutional, the idea of racial inequality is no longer anything to speak of. And they don’t speak of it. In fact they speak directly to the results of it. Obama scolds Black fathers for not being “man enough” to take care of their children in June 2008 while the increase of unemployment of black males has escalated since the 1980’s. McCain accuses Obama of playing the “race card” because Obama said he didn’t look like other presidents on the dollar bill while no other non-white male over fifty does. It’s just not something for direct public discourse. This may be why Obama’s campaign may have employed the media seduction strategy for his election. If you have an obvious “raced” candidate who doesn’t speak of any issues regarding the matter of it, he has a better chance. This may even be why the ruling class has their media hound dogs scrutinizing every move he makes. It’s best to make sure that he is a “good darkie”; to pose for commander in chief (which might explain why the original “good darkie” Jessie Jackson, who couldn’t dance well enough for them, wants to cut his nuts off).
One way or the other (whether he wins the election or not) it’s going to get talked about and neither he, or the media, can avoid it.
A Separate (but not unrelated) Tangent
Speaking of the media and elections, John McCain’s campaign has been nothing short of a political debacle in their media relations. In June 2008, Charlie Black, one of his advisers claims in an interview with Fortune
Paris Hilton For President TV Ad - In response to McCain
Magazine, that a terrorist attack would be an advantage for McCain and the Republican Party. In July 2008 Senator Phil Gramm, one of his economic advisors told the Washington Times that America was a “nation of whiners”, and that they were suffering from “a mental recession”. He practically egged Obama to take an overseas trip that proved to be single biggest political success thus far for the Democratic nominee. And up until now, this train wreck of a campaign has simply been amusing. However, his latest blundering fiasco, which is an ad that compares Obama to Paris Hilton, is just plain annoying. This comparison is an insult to every party involved. Obama is not an air-headed self proclaimed “iconic blonde” who’s known for making a reality TV show that god knows why ever even fucking existed. And Paris Hilton is not a U.S. imperialist representative who advocates government wire tapping and plans to withdraw troops from Iraq only to place them in Afghanistan. (Well maybe, who knows). What’s worse (and intolerably aggravating) is that this prompted the brainless waste of carbon to create her own mock presidential ad (which was featured on CNN for god sakes!!). I understand that the elections of the 21st century are hardly more than a media circus for politicians to dance for the country‘s ruling class, but please for fuck sake leave Paris Hilton and any bullshit related to her, out of it!
Maybe we should solve the world’s energy crisis by ending the anarchy of production that spawned from free market enterprise and corporate domination of resources.
This weekend Proletariat Productions did a short media workshop at the Chain of Change Conference in Chicago with Kuumba Lynx and Beyondmedia at Access Living Chicago. We provided a mobile audio recording rig and recorded poems created by Kuumba Lynx’s workshop participants. The poems were written as personal letters to themselves and their oppressors and explored the sources of their oppression and possible solutions.
Here’s Tristan James’ somewhat amusing letter to Uncle Sam:
Dear Sam,
It’s Tristan again. Today I am meeting with some wonderful people who are tired of your activities. We are done working our fingers to the bone to support you. We are finished with your gang of thieves and clowns. We are the majority and you represent the few. Our power comes from our bodies and minds while yours lie only in the form of dead presidents’ portraits. Sam, I’m sorry, but we must part ways. We wish you fair-well, uncle,
In This Photo: CZ sets up a recording rig as participants write letters and poetry.
Formerly yours,
Tristan James
The Chain of Change project will organize approximately 24 groups of youth across the state of Illinois to individually and collectively strategize how to end violence against women and girls, thinking about their own roles in this work and relative to other communities. Check them out http://chainofchange.com
http://www.beyondmedia.org
http://www.proletariatproductions.com
http://www.kuumbalynx.org
This weekend the Proletariat Productions crew is providing technical support to local artists and students involved in an interdisciplinary production of Feeding the Moonfish. We were happy to donate equipment and services to an innovative multimedia presentation. Check it out if you get a chance.
August 23–August 24, 2008
In this photo: Syntax (Ecclesiastes), Tabs, CZ. Promoting at Feeding the Moonfish Photo by Tristan James
The Galaxie
www.galaxiechicago.com
2603 W. Barry
Chicago, IL 60618
(773) 267-6010
Saturday 8pm
Sunday 4pm
Interdisciplinary Arts Department and Image Unit are proud to present its
Feeding the Moonfish, a play directed by MFA Arts and Media candidate, Lessa Bouchard and staged by various Interdisciplinary arts and media candidates and alumni.
Obama vs. The Revolution:
Getting the Change We Need
Presentation by Mike Ely (Kasama Project) and discussion. Bring ideas and questions.
How do we push the revolution forward in a time framed by Obama and McCain?
What does Obama really stand for?
What would change if he was elected? And what wouldn’t?
How should we respond to racist attacks on Obama?
How do we speak with people who think Obama is the answer?
How do we make revolution in the US?
Time:
Sunday, August 17, 2008, 3pm
Location:
Proletariat Productions
4816 S. Elizabeth
Chicago, IL 60609
Directions:
Easy to get to by public transportation, for more info: Click HERE.
Carpooling: Call (847) 380-2350, if you can give a ride, or if you need one – Please leave a voice message.
We are now accepting applications for Fall 2008. If you or someone you know needs a fun college internship or would like to volunteer, please see our internship and volunteer page online. We guarantee you will learn a lot. Positions are limited so get your applications in early. To apply, please visit http://proletariatproductions.com/interns.htm
