Before we get to the subject at hand, we can all agree that the word “woke” has these specific meanings if you pardon me for getting a bit Mirriam-Webster on all of you…
1: The past tense version of the word “wake” (I woke up at 8 AM today).
2: It is a term to become more aware of important issues (Miriam became more woke when she learned about Black Wall Street). It can also be contextualized as “wokeness” whether in a literal sense of being conscious or when companies pretend to care AKA corporate-wokeness.
I’ve noticed since the Summer of 2020 that the term has been used in a derogatory and racially-charged way. Leave it to Florida’s governor Ron DeSantis to help lead the charge of turning that term into an anti-Black dog whistle much like previous examples such as “welfare queens”, “superpredators”, “lowering the property taxes”, and most famously “thug”. DeSantis has been on some bigoted jihad with trying to get anti-CRT laws in his state, so it’s not surprising that he would make a claim that he and others should “fight the woke” in schools, businesses, and other establishments and that Florida should be the state where “woke goes to die”. His words, not mine! Watch the video and tell me if I’m lying.
DeSantis, your klan hood is showing!
To paraphrase Phillip Scott: Mr. Governor, do you want Black people or any potential individual ally who wants to fight against racism to die? I’m just asking questions here. Oddly enough, Ron DeSantis is a 4th generation Italian-American and (not going to lie, it’s weird learning about this fact) Italians weren’t always considered to be white in this country until decades ago, so he really shouldn’t be talking. I learned that from the book Birth of a White Nation by Dr. Jacqueline Battalora who talks about the history of the classification of whiteness going back to pre-Independence America starting with the aftermath of Bacon’s Rebellion (check out that book whenever you can). So this guy and others who think like him want there to be oppression full stop and for Black people to be subjugated and killed with impunity? Yeah, but DeSantis is too cowardly to curb white supremacist terrorists and mass shooters running around in his home state, that’s for sure! It’s why you have to question media and really look at the context of what is being said. It’s a shame that I was told I was “overanalyzing” things if I suspected someone having negative connotations with what they say and do when I realized in hindsight that I apparently wasn’t allowed to question anyone while blindly listening to what people say.
Just watch the wording and what is really being said. It could lead to dangerous implications in the future with various laws.
Tag Archives: Podcast
Situational Ethics On Full Display!
These same people who were cheerleading the FBI not too long ago are now suddenly wanting that organization to be defunded just because Trump’s Mar-A-Lago abode got raided. I’m not surprised. These are also the same bigots who were screaming “back the blue” whenever there is a police brutality case (the George Floyd protests being a big example) before shouting “f*** the blue!” during the January 6th insurrection last year. They complain that the FBI is getting “too political” just because a former president is involved. Then again, Fred Hampton and Martin Luther King Jr. never threatened to kill anyone, but they were targeted and eventually assassinated when you have white supremacists who aren’t treated like that. Oh, but when it’s THEIR team facing searches and raids now it’s suddenly a problem. Those entitled bigots really have some nerve here. Yes, I’d be saying the same thing if Trump was a Democrat, so don’t play that partisan crap with me since I’m not affiliated with any political party. These terms about “Gestapo tactics” is a massive overstatement because white people are not treated like that in America even if they do something heinous. Phillip Scott is on point with his examples and commentary. I’m also not surprised when he brought up the statistics of Black children assumed to be doing something bad despite none of the kids regardless of their race doing anything disrespectful in the study groups. It’s sad, but not surprising. Phillip Scott was also correct in talking about not being able to say all the things he wants to not get a knock on his door and I agree. I’ve said controversial things and even then I have to word things a certain way even when I’m being harsh on someone or something. Think about it, you have all these mass shooters saying all kind of violent rhetoric before they go on a rampage, yet it’s never prevented. I would never spout those kinds of talking points or even act on doing something that evil and even I feel like I have to watch what I say or write about even if I’m talking about movies or music for example. It’s pure hypocrisy and I wish it wasn’t the case. Not going to lie, I’m curious to see what would happen if those charges stick.
People just don’t care about others unless something happens to them. I could quote a certain blogger on WordPress to accentuate my point about certain people not caring who was defensive at me on their blog despite the fact I wasn’t attacking them, but that would be incongruous for this situation. If that’s not a statement about how selfish and prejudicial people are, then I don’t know what is.
Some Music and a Podcast Interview: Cybersix, Buja Praise, and Alexander Roth
I really need to decompress with the stress in my life as well as finding out about atrocities not talked about in the history books that I was unaware about. This doesn’t mean I’m apathetic. I can only take so much morbidity at a time. Come on, people. I’m a human being, you know. I thought I would switch this up with some interesting videos involving a theme song, a Burundian band, and an interview.
Those of you who follow one of my other blogs where I cover film, documentary, and anime reviews, I recently covered the Canadian/Japanese/Argentinean series Cybersix on there. I remember watching that show on Fox Kids when I was in elementary school (wow, does that give away my age or what?). The theme song was something I remembered back then and I re-discovered this show on RetroCrush of all places! I was gobsmacked that this obscure cartoon can be streamed for free legally online and that they would play all 13 episodes there. The theme song was handled by Canadian jazz/pop singer Coral Egan and this song really gets stuck in your head. I think they should give Cybersix a remake with a longer storyline. It’s also a breath of fresh air seeing a superheroine who ISN’T Marvel or DC for a change.
I know gospel isn’t everyone’s thing. I respect that. Recently, I got into Bukuru Celestin who is a Burundian musician who’s currently based in America. I first heard of him due to his collab EP with jazz band Snarky Puppy. Apparently, he also has a gospel band side project called Buja Praise. They incorporate songs in English, Kirundi, and Swahili with some African rhythms mixed with Western instrumentation. They have a great sound and certainly don’t sound like the typical K-Love fair. Of course, the title of this song got my attention for obvious reasons (don’t lie, you were thinking the same thing), but it is a completely different song. I also got to message them the other day. Yes, I brought up THAT controversy and they think a certain mouse trademarking that phrase is so stupid and they’re going to keep on singing this song. Good on you, Buja Praise! Way to do your best to preserve the Swahili-phone cultures even if that language isn’t the main one in Burundi (Kirundi is the #1 language there). I wonder how fans of that particular movie franchise would feel knowing this song exists…
I usually don’t put podcast interviews on here, but this snippet was very fascinating. David Francisco is a Portuguese wrestler currently living in England and he interviews Alexander Roth who is a Black British wrestler. They discuss the Everything Patterned show at Wrestling Resurgence. Some of you may remember me talking about this show a couple of years ago which was a Black History Month event in England (context: October is BHM in the UK and not February like in America). Alexander Roth and David Francisco talk about the impact of this indie BritWres show and what it meant for positive representation in the wrestling scene. It was very insightful with Roth talking about being in that show in tag team action and how it inspired others in ways he would’ve never expected. I did like his experience in this event and how he was floored with the social media response as well as getting a message from America of all places. His comment about humans being the only creatures who “beef over” skin color unlike snakes, lions, leopards, etc. with his analogy. This form of entertainment and athleticism isn’t for everyone obviously, but give this a listen. Also, Everything Patterned was SO much better than anything I’ve seen in WWE or AEW. Just saying.
Dave Emmerson 2020 Interview with the Antidote (ZAP Records Requiem)
Here’s a part II to Monday’s post. While this interview has been around for a few months now, I thought I would still promote it, so you can hear it. Canadian radio station The Antidote interviewed Dave Emmerson from ZAP Records as he talks about music, why he closed down ZAP, and his new plans. It was another great interview and not just because I know both Daves talking to each other. Yes, I’m namedropped briefly, but don’t listen to this interview because of that. It really gives insight into Dave’s ideology in music and creative projects.
The Antidote Interviews Dave Emmerson from ZAP Records
http://www.theantidoteradio.com/interview/interview-with-zap-records
I found out about this interview recently. It was amazing that Dave Hawkins from The Antidote interviewed my friend who’s also named Dave. They talk about the origins of ZAP Records and his numerous bands. Also, I got name-dropped briefly in this interview. Dave Emmerson is a legit guy and he really cares about the independent music scene.
Check out his bands:
The Old-Timers [Hardcore/Punk]: https://theold-timers.bandcamp.com/
Their Throats Are Open Tombs [Digital Hardcore/Experimental/Noise]: https://theirthroatsareopentombs-sbbr.bandcamp.com/
Dystopian Futures [Post-Punk/Noise Rock]: https://zaprecords.bandcamp.com/album/zap-033-fear-cs
Hollerin Poets Vol. 2 is here! New poem and my first interview ever!
What’s up, everyone?
I wanted to let you all know that I’m part of another compilation album called Hollerin Poets Vol. 2. It’s a spoken word compilation album that’s a free download on Bandcamp. My buddy Josh Mozug AKA Tirades of a Timid Tongue curated this album and it also features one of his poems in addition to works from Chris Bernstorf, Keyoung, and Levi the Poet among others. I debuted a new track which is an exclusive on it.
Not only that, but Josh interviewed me which has never been done before. Listen to me make a fool of myself and stumble over my words while trying to give some insight about random things.
-Curtis
Ospreyshire's Realm 