A.D. Wright's Blog

The Language of Our Captors

People think of colonialism as a kind of gentle help extended to primitive culture for the their own good. Of course, the colonizer has the right to depict its own mission in this manner to its own people. But when your own native language has been taken away from you, a lot of things go away from you along with that language. When a new language has been instilled in you, a great deal of things like world views… cultural things come along with that new language.” -Malidoma Patrice Some’ in Of Water and the Spirit

As I’ve traveled and met people who speak multiple languages, I’ve learned that not all thoughts are translatable into English and not all “American” points of view can be translated into other languages. This has led me to wonder how much language influences our pattern of thoughts. Can language in itself make us more prone to empathy, violence, or mysticism.

Are we further indoctrinated with every word we speak or hear?

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Conspiracy

We’ve been taught that conspiracy is a secret and evil action used by criminals to do harm to the innocent. For argument’s sake, let’s use a less emotionally charged definition. Let’s call conspiracy an action outside of society’s currently accepted norms used by nonconformist to challenge the status quo.

Conspiracies create revolutions, fortunes, policies and shifts in “society’s accepted norms.” It’s how the super wealthy create and maintain their wealth. It’s how slavery was ended in America. It’s how neighborhoods gentrify. It’s how Apple launched its iPhone.

Conspiracy is how we quietly and slowly win whatever game we’re playing. It’s how we achieve our most lofty goals. We must create a secret plan -either on our own or within our trusted circle of conspirators. We must strategize and create contingencies. We must consider inner and outer risks and rewards. We must identify opportunities and threats. We must conspire for our own success.

Wolves and shepherds conspire. Sheep do not.

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Time is irrelevant to progress

Some wins are quick. Some are achieved over a lifetime. Others still, are disguised as failures.  All are progress. Time is irrelevant to progress. Time is a measurement of earth rotations around the sun. Time cannot measure lessons learned or introspection gained or fulfillment or connection. If you are using time to measure success or progress, you may need some more time to better understand your goals.

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The Death of Me

The death of me.

I used to believe in undying energy.

That I sprung into becoming after always being me. That my life was just an effigy of a early time.

Maybe I was a purveyor of wine or a whino begging another version of me for a dime. Maybe I spent a life trying to perfect a craft while wiser men dedicated their lives to laughs. Maybe I died bravely protecting my love. Maybe I was cruel and took pleasure in the translucent blood of salted slugs.

I don’t really know. Sometimes I think I can feel the flow or the Universal or a caged and enraged soul crying out for something bigger, better or more. Like bright lights shinning on the blackened floor through a drafty door. I am demure.

The frightful excitement. The blinding enlightenment. The knowledge of this ignorance is bliss. Listless dust floating in the mist. A powerless king cowering to his knees. I am not the captain of fate. I’m just lying awake until the death of me.

-A.D. Wright, February 9, 2017

Brief History: Mainstream Media vs. Black Civil Rights

The views expressed by the mainstream media are simply a reflection of the point of view from a critical mass of influential people. They do not represent ethics, morality, common sense or the common good unless that coincidentally coincides with the consensus of the masses at that particular moment in time.

“The press is so powerful in its image-making role, it can make the criminal look like he’s a the victim and make the victim look like he’s the criminal. If you aren’t careful, the newspapers will have you hating the people who are being oppressed and loving the people who are doing the oppressing.” – Malcolm X circa 1964

One should keep in mind that an anchor’s, pundit’s, journalist’s or talking-head-of-any-other-kind’s opinions on the affairs of the Black community are as valid as a wolf’s opinion on the affairs of sheep. The emancipated sheep on the amber plains of grain have long-been misinformed, misrepresented and vilified by the well-spoken wolves in a shepherd’s suit and tie.

Nat Turner’s Slave Rebellion

“Our informant (one of our own citizens who happened to be in the county at the time) awards much praise to the people of Southampton for there forbearance on this occasion. He says not the least personal violence was offered to Nat Turner – who seemed, indeed one of the most miserable objects he ever beheld – dejected, emaciated and ragged. The poor wretch, we learn admits all that has been alleged against him – says that he has at no time been five miles from the scene of his atrocities.” – Daily National Intelligencer, Washington, November 7, 1831

John Brown’s Raid on Harpers Ferry

“The outrage which has just been enacted at Harper’s Ferry, the South will feel most deeply. Is it possible—her citizens will ask—is it possible that the animosity of the North against us has reached such a degree of all-consuming hate as to drive any of her citizens upon such efforts, and make them blind, not only to its vile wickedness, but to its utter folly?” – Daily Dispatch (Richmond, VA)

Assassination of Martin Luther King Jr.

“I think that we’ve got to see that a riot is the language of the unheard. And, what is it that America has failed to hear? It has failed to hear that the economic plight of the Negro poor has worsened over the last few years.” – Martin Luther King Jr. circa 1966

Musings: Being Weird

Imitating an “accepted” personality is often easier/safer than exposing ones own individuality. True freedom is difficult, but well worth the struggle. 

Dairy of a dancing bear

What if I allow myself to plunge into the insanity lurking beneath the surface of my smile?

What if in being myself, I become someone else entirely?

What if civility is insanity and savagery is piety?

Am I just a dancing bear in a fancy suit?

Have I enslaved myself ? Chained to someone masses’ truth.

“Dance for the crowds,” I tell myself as I throw peanuts at myself from the balcony.

“Oh, how entertaining and how pitiful I am.

Someone should free me from me.

Same Wheel with New Hamsters

Below is an excerpt from a book I recently read from 1903. Please let me know your thoughts. “For every social ill, the panacea of Wealth has been urged,— wealth to employ the poor, and the prospect of wealth to keep them working; wealth as the end and aim of politics, and as the legal tender for law and […]

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Are you ready to cross the line from Cassius to Ali?

But when Ali turn up and be Ali, you can’t ever change that n***a back to Cassius – Kanye West This lyric from Kanye has had my mind spinning since I heard it on ‘Sanctified’ by Rick Ross. I interpret the line to mean that once you decide to cross the line from being the […]

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How to be a Proud American

What does it mean to be a proud American? Most of us categorize things in contrast to others. For example, we describe something as being hot in relation to how cold it’s not; or something black in relation to how white it’s not. So when we think about what it means to be a proud […]

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