#goodread #media #pr

I came to know of the Rubensteins while living in New York in the 90's.I always knew they were power brokers but this article gives a sense of the reach and depth of the family business. Its a good read for any practicing or aspiring journalists and communications specialists. See link here.
NB: Skip page (8) it is repeated in error.

A side of politics

The following was received via email today from the Trinidad and Tobago Bolivarian Solidarity Movement. Posting is not an endorsement of the statement but for an exposition of the tone of relations existing within our sphere as Trinidadians and Tobagonians. The letter is purported to be written by five Catholic priests one of whom is said to be a leading liberation theologian:

His Excellency President Barack Obama 

The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W. Washington, D.C. 20500 March 12, 2015

 Dear President Obama, We greet you as a brother in Christ Jesus our Lord, with love and respect, in compliance with the mandate that we must love even those who behave as enemies against us. What happened to you, dear brother? What became of that brave and enlightened Obama who in 2008, and throughout his presidential campaign, talked about change, REAL change which people could believe in? You inspired hope among millions, both in the United States and around the world, including us. 

We remember opinion polls registering a dangerously significant number of African Americans not being in favor of your being elected, but not because they didn’t like you or because they didn’t agree with the things you were saying. They loved you too much. They didn’t want you to be murdered by the industrial-military-financial complex which they felt would certainly do so if you had the courage to carry through with your vision and promise to have the United States return to membership in the human community. That is, to stop the U.S. from behaving in a way that could only generate ever greater wars, to the point of wiping out our own human species. 

You personally knew that the United States was the most hated country in the history of the world for its arrogance and diabolical national objective of full spectrum dominance. Contrary to what was the case with leaders such as Ronald Reagan and George W. Bush, who were never ever accused of being intelligent, you are clearly an intelligent person.

 Besides that, you showed signs of deeply rooted ethical and moral values and adherence to the principles and values proclaimed by Jesus and, in fact, by all great spiritual leaders of the world regardless of religion. What prompts us, dear brother, to write this letter is your extremely shameful Executive Order of March 9, 2015 declaring a National Emergency with respect to the unusual and extraordinary threat to the national security and foreign policy of the United States posed by the situation in Venezuela. It could not fail to remind us of a similar Order issued by Reagan more than three decades ago to grant a free hand in launching his Contra War against Nicaragua in the 1980’s. We say shameful and extremely hypocritical, but also your Executive Order is a flagrant violation of international law by constituting a threat of the use of force against Venezuela and, at the same time, serving as a stimulus to your Venezuelan lackeys to continue in their efforts to destabilize the country. 

You should know, dear brother, that in Latin America there is a growing sense of unity and solidarity in what people in the region consider to be their extended Latinamericanafrocaribbean Fatherland. While fully rejecting your arrogant and interventionist Executive Order, we entreat you to turn to Jesus, brotherhood and solidarity and to reject, once and for all, the demons of greed, war and full spectrum dominance. 

You will continue to be in our prayers for you, your loved ones, your country and our world. God’s amazing grace would not fail you, if only you do not turn your back on Him. Love and blessings, 

Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann, M.M. Nicaragua Bishop Pedro Casaldáliga Brazil Ramsey Clark U.S.A. Leonardo Boff Brazil Bishop Thomas Gumbleton U.S.A Cc. Pope Francis

What Charlie Do?

                                                                     

I suspect for many around the world there was a period just about a couple weeks ago when we were wondering about a guy named Charlie Hebdo and why he did something that would lead to him having such a horrible ending. It was to get worse cause not only would Mr Hebdo have died alone but along with some police officers and others at an editorial meeting for a magazine in France that does something that being called satire. Many of us would not have known you can dedicate a magazine to satire if we even understand what that intellectual brand of political entertainment is and why it matters.

The history between the French and the Muslims is long and rich. It was the Arabs who introduced lavish fabrics and scents to the Europeans, it is an entrenched relationship and one on which little light is spread. This is not just true for the French and the Arabs.

Satire is defined "as the use of humour, irony, exaggeration, or ridicule to expose and criticize people's stupidity or vices, particularly in the context of contemporary politics and other topical issues." Calypso is pure satire, at times. We have long understood satire here and employed its use. Examples from the recent Carnival season would be Monarch Chucky's The Rose and Heather Mcintosh's Ah Gone.

If in France your are killed for being satirical what are its costs in Trinidad and Tobago? There again lies that oblivion that had me too made a fool when first hearing of the death of or rather at Charlie Hebdo. I am a simple Black man and while that seems pejorative it also ironically not because in some sense it is true and not a judgement. Simplification is my responsibility now given the complication of things in a world where men think therefore they are.

The calypso has long been considered the diet of the ordinary people, historically that is. It came from the people. Like the satirical mag it has also always taken on targets bigger than itself so to speak, in a David and Goliath paragdigm some tellings of its genesis tell of officials supporting chantuelles to sing songs against their enemies, the calypso has long been used by the powerful too then.

Chucky won with The Rose, Devon Seale came second singing My Humble Plea. In a State run competition and with the perception that TUCO and other Carnival stakeholder groups are cap-in-hand and so subservient  I wonder what allowed the chips to fall as they did, my conditioned cynicism doesn't allow me to believe that it is that this government seems at least less sensitive or more tolerant.

Is it that we understand that satire is in some ways homage? Is it that Calypso always plays to a PNM audience anyway so why interfere with its goings ons? Was there an onus on the bards, who are governed by bards, to be true bards? Was Kurt Allen in fact the punished satirist? Was it his lyrics or the arrangement? Was Brian London's melody any more in line with an artform that has gone far (IMHO) on its adherence to tradition?

I dont have the answers. In fact there is a lot I don't know being a simple Black man, I admit, I for a while a couple weeks ago was wondering what Charlie do?

The Artist's Way

                                                                             

Some mornings I wake up and have to call on the Orishas because Jesus and Mary may be busy in Europe and don't have time for me and my worries down in the Islands. That may sound like a silly statement but you see, I still encounter people who tell me Christianity is the White man's religion. People still recount to me how colonisers used religion to decimate the First Peoples and control my African ancestors who came here as slaves. Its an argument I have heard in the US and here too. If I were to take it on I would be without a religion and without hope.

Most mornings I wake up I need to be empowered. After a night of rest I wake up in a generally bad mood most days: overwrought with anxieties about a lack of money, an old vehicle that isn't working well, an ageing mother, a brother who isn't working but has a kid, my feelings of loneliness as everyone else is busy with their own lives....where do I turn?

Some mornings I say The Rosary. It calms me.

This morning I turned to Ella Andall for some inspiration. The local chanteuse has a repertoire of Orisha music available on Youtube. I am no Orisha devotee but I am of African descent, at least that is how I self-indentify. It's a temporary salve though, the African rhythms of her music and the belting voice that rings and sings to the Gods of my ancestors.

Religion by nature, is about devotion though, one must be faithful, one must be a practitioner. Me waking up and calling on various deities goes against what we know religion to be. Then there is God, that single entity to which all things are traced back. To be honest I can't say that I know God. I don't know how to please, how to invoke or what are  His blessings. But for this I don't take all the blame. Maybe it is that I do know God, that I am living right despite how I may feel.

There is so much I want to do, so much I want to say but without a sense of power, a lack of support, without a foundation to stand on, a rock to build on I end up starting over every day from scratch it seems.

I am reminded of Benjai's Phenomenal. There is a line in the song where he says "Soca does give meh meh powers." That resonated with many of us. Its a strong statement that rang true for some months well. Its akin in my mind to Destra's line from Lucy "there's no place I'd rather be than in a fete having a time". It's about being in our element, that is what empowers us. So when I find myself depressed every morning I have to wonder what about my environment, immediate or otherwise, is not encouraging a feeling of well being within me.

I know I am "fearfully and wonderfully made", so says Psalms. Why do I not remember that when I wake up though? Yeah I know its not like I have mouths to feed or backs to clothe but that does not mean I am without problems. I digress but we know that parents are seen as the ones needing support cause raising children not easy especially these days with things so expensive....I hear it all the time. But what about me? Who here speaks for me? You know what I mean? I wake up in a society that do

es not acknowledge who I am. No one even wants to talk about the needs of people like me. I feel alone and that is heightened when I wake up and look around to see that all I have are the Gods they say are not mine.

This morning I wanted to feel like I was sharing something, I wanted to feel a little less alone with some of that which troubles me.

Nicholas Emery - Decay

Emery's Decay is currently showing at Medulla Art Gallery in Port of Spain. At an artist talk recently he said that the body of work was a continuation of the discussion on the state of the country; suggesting that there is more that has fallen by the wayside over the years than standards of morality in public life. His work to me is impressionistic in its mono-plane, absence of shadow and thumb-print like strokes. There is perhaps more that can be said but I'm shy about talking about art so I'll end here..

#mamayouknowiloveyou

Mother and son holding hands days after she fell and fractured her hip.

Ha Ha Ha Hits Home

This is not a review, very much in the way that Act Like a Lady, Think like a Ho is not a play. I remember not so long ago complaining about local theatre which then seemed only capable of producing adaptions of existing and established works - those days seem behind us.

I saw my second Ha Ha Ha Production last weekend (the day before my birthday). When I was invited to attend I was told it was not a play but much like the first one I saw, a series of vignettes written and directed by Penelope Spencer.

My guest and I got there early and therefore saw the show from the start which must be noted as its not always the case. That encouraged me to think about writing as I would not have if I had arrived late. This is still not a review.

At some point I remember thinking who can a whole production be based on this theme. In some ways yes, it borrows from the film production Think Like a Man which was popular in the cinemas some time ago which I did not see.

The production was expertly written and in part due to the experiences of the progenitor and cast who would have brought their own ideas to the characters making for a thought provoking, sometimes raunchy exploration of ideas around gender construction and expression.

It started with five iconic Disney characters screaming to be released: Snow White, Rapaunzel, Cinderella, Little Red Riding Hood and Sleeping Beauty all telling of their betrayal that led them to believe that they should preserve themselves for that Prince Charming who was sure to be on his way to take them into what they said was the fallacy of "happy ever after". It was feminist politics dressed up in its best theatre garb and full of sweet funny ironies to help the medicine go down...in the end women still shown to need release and yes too from the trappings of Disney fiction.

Not to be sequential as I write and not review, but mention must be made of Jayron Remy's debut as the voice of God...yes God himself figured in the production. This two hander featured the other male in the cast Kearn Samuel. Kearn found himself wondering who suffered more after a break up when God intervened to help him shine light on his own shortcomings as a man rather than see the woman as unjustified in giving him a tabanca. The dialogue resembled a phone conversation and perhaps what was most refreshing about it was that they were able to act out the characters in plausible and creditable voices that were well inflected and toned.

Nikki Crosby did well in her role. Dressed in a red bustier and a black mini trench coat she spoke to women in the audience about knowing when to be a lady and when to be a...well you know. When meeting the boyfriends parents you are a lady....when you're home alone with your boyfriend and you're having sex....thats time for your inner ammm...you know. Penny took the stage next in a piece that resonated well with its demographic...she was a hilarious daunted soul after her husband gave her a jar on Intense Wrinkle Remover for her birthday.

The second half was structured differently offering two longer pieces. The first was a journey in more ways than one as "white lady" Cecilia Salazar hired a taxi driven by Remy to take her to Maraval. Remy was beyond disappointed when the demure lady he was making a move on in his car was in fact on the way to properly create a scene outside her "man's" house...she had him and his wife ducking and hiding in the upscale community as she from the road hurled missiles calling for him to mind their illegitimate child...when the lady became the ho.

The beauty pageant was perfect as it showed the ladies in full grace competing for the crown in ways that required a woman with a little less couth...perhaps again that inner ho. It did provide us with what was in my estimation the best joke of the night: Abeo Jackson's character asked for a small belt to go around her tiny waist, Cecelia Salazar asked for a petie show for her small feet while Penny Spencer's character needed a band aid as she was seeing her period.

What must also be said in looking at the production as a whole is about its audience rapt attention and appreciation. The mild mannered Trinidadian seems very happy and comfortable taking in not productions that raise philosophical issues per se as in the great works that exist elsewhere but is more than eager to pack a hall when it challenges our ideas about ourselves and the values we share publicly and takes an informed position with a pitch that makes us look at our own now not so private lives.

The play offers many opportunities for laughter but the topics are all serious...issues like what women should aspire to be, that women have control over how they are seen and that they have a responsibility to be true to themselves. At first I thought of it as another exercise in advancing heteronormative values as there were not many references if any to any other type of relationship. However, I concluded, that this was too an attack on the status quo making the work an important one in that here we have a local script about local lives in scenarios not often seen.