Great MLK Talk

It has been some time, since the show changed format, that I was blown away by an episode of Radio Open Source.  They’ve been doing alot of arts related interviews, they being Chris Lydon, and I’ve felt the show has lost its global conversation feel.  But nevermind that, today I was riding my bike from the University of Amsterdam and I almost forgot where I was… as the interview Chris did was really that powerful.

His guest is a gentleman named Michael Haynes, who had a special relationship with Martin Luther King Jr, and founded a church with him in Boston.  The man has tremendous insight into MLK and his philosophy.  Often times, when someone starts on about what MLK would say about the state of the US today, it is almost cliché…. and empty.  But not in this case… Haynes had me rewinding and listening again and stopping just to consider what he said.

I strongly recommend you take some time from all that is so important in your daily routine, or maybe just pop this onto your mp3 player instead of that Radiohead album you’ve been listening to over and over again.  In fact, if you happen to be a teacher, make this one a special lesson this week. It is better than any history book, I can promise you that.

Civil Rights, Now

Only recently did I learn about the film Freeheld and the story of Laurel Hester, a NJ police officer with a terminal sickness, fighting so that her wife and partner could receive her pension, just like heterosexual partners do. Somehow I hadn’t heard all the details of the struggle in Ocean County, where I’ve spent quite a bit of time over the past few visits to the US, as the elected officials of that country refused to recognize a gay couple as having the same rights as heterosexual couples.

I’ve watched the trailer several times, not to mention the interview recorded with Laurel before she died in 2006. I’m moved and speechless as I watch her health deteriorate and I listen to the itensity of the demonstrators standing before the county officials demanding justice. It is beautiful and outrageous at the same time. Surreal that such a thing happens, and awe-inspiring that people with such strength exist.

Further research informs me that indeed, before her death, Ocean County finally granted her partner full benefits, just as any other couple would get. And beyond that, in December of 2006 (an event I do remember) NJ Governor John Corzine signed the bill recognizing all domestic partners as civil unions, with rights that indeed include pensions/benefits for partners. A critical eye reveals that this bill still doesn’t give 100% equality to gay couples, so despite some good steps forward, my state of birth still has some ways to go. After hearing this story, seeing the images, and without having yet seen the film, it is once again frustrating to see that it was only a couple of years ago that a state as diverse as NJ was still in the dark ages… and indeed, still today – not yet fully enlightened.

(trailer is highly recommended)

From Portugal Remembering Newark

Greetings from Lisbon, where in theory I’ve just begun my vacation, even though I can neither take a vacation nor do I believe in taking them. There’s never a moment that Im not observing or thinking up something related to the world around us… hence.. Im never not “working”.

On the flight over and the bus ride from the airport, I’ve been listening to testimony from people remembering the rebellion of 67 in the city of my birth: Newark, NJ.

Rather than try to convey what happened and more importantly – why it happened – I refer you instead to the recent democracy now program featuring people who lived those powerful days in Newark.

In addition, PBS has also released podcast accounts, remembering Newark in 67. Amazing times, especially comparing all this to what I knew and saw growing up in and around Newark.

bmtv50 Oppression in Russia

This vlog was put together before I left Berlin yesterday. It concerns last week’s gay rights demonstration in Moscow, where once again we see what kind of police state the entire country has become. The rampant homophobia, not only among the authorities but also among regular people, is horrifying. I used the footage from EURONEWS, their podcast which i strongly recommend to everyone.

Click To Play

Happy Birthday Malcolm X

Malcolm X, a man who’s life and words shape how I see the world, would have been 82 years old today. Every month or so, I take out my collection of audio files and video clips, or I sit down and watch Spike Lee’s Malcolm X, because I continuously find new meaning and inspiration. Today, as I sat watching and listening to all these things in honor of his birthday, I’ve been thinking alot about how he changed in his life, and how his world view evolved after he went to Mecca. I wonder if I too will one day look back on some experience in my life as my “Mecca”.

In celebration of his life, one of the great video clips of his return from Mecca.

LGBT Podcasters in NYC

As one of my last activities from the whirwind visit to the US and A, I briefly attended Podcamp NYC, a conference dedicated to podcasting (obviously).

Normally I care nothing for these events. The world has bigger concerns than what some American business-hipster wants to peddle as the newest and coolest thing. And while it can be fun to meet other podcasters, they would probably better spend their time finding more audience and explaining all this to new people, than hanging out with the same ol’ names. Plus as a podcast journalist, I’m already quite disappointed at the fact that most of the “successful podcasts” have almost NO social value in terms of using this unique tool to shed light on the under-represented.

But I set that aside in this case, as I was already in the NYC area, and -more importantly- some of my favorite voices from the LGBT community would also be attending the conference. Flying in from all over the US, not to mention myself in town from Amsterdam, it was obviously a rare opportunity that I didn’t want to pass on. So after a brief meetup the night before, where I finally met my friend Mikeypod, I made my way to podcamp.

And indeed, I was not disappointed. I dodged the annoying and fake salespeople trying to tell me what is “new” and “cool” and I found myself at Richard Bluestein’s session of Freedom of Speech. Perhaps symbolic of the state of things, there was hardly anyone in attendance. Probably too busy soaking up the session on Metrics or Music podcasting, all of which are notoriously more popular than one’s rights. But nevermind that, I walked into Richard’s session, happy to see my great friend sitting at the main table, still not fully awake. As a bonus, Wanda Wisdom was also there, not to mention the disgustingly fun Cheryl Merkowski, and someone I had heard alot about.. Lady Raptastic. Naturally Madge Weinstein had to make an appearance as well.

The highlight of the conference, and why these things still somehow matter in my eyes, was the session which focused on the Queercasting Community (and friends, like me!). Everyone discussed their concerns about producing content both for the community and also to reach beyond… to the more mainstream audience. It was also significant to talk about, and hear new examples of how material related to GBLT issues or produced by openly gay artists, has been censored by sites such as YouTube, where mainstream fundamentalist bigots have flagged videos as “inappropriate”, eventually leading to the ban of many artists on that widely used site.

Lastly I wanted to say what an honor it was. Not only to meet in person and receive such sincere support from podcasters I had never met before, but also to be welcomed as a member of the community. While I may not actually be gay, I feel a very strong bond with the goal of civil rights for all GBLT people, and that this goal is long overdue. Sitting there in that session, as I have at various points in my life, I felt very lucky to sit in the presence of such talent and dedication… working to educate and push society to get past its hatred and oppression of fellow human beings.