[Dance Spree] Daniel Pearl Memorial Concert Oct. 22nd - Springfield, MA

[keith harmon snow]

Hello

I'm involved in organizing a workshop to be held at Earthlands
(www.earthlands.org) . It is a workshop about consciousness, listening
to your heart, and it offers strategies for transforming negativity
into positivity. Its called the INSTANTANEOUS POWER OF CHOICE. It will
involve holotrophic breathwork, authentic movement, theatre, deep
sharing circles, EFT instruction (emotional freedom technique) and you
can read about it (the post will soon be updated to reflect some
wonderful programming changes) on my web site:
http://www.allthingspass.com/journalism.php?catid=23 .

I take my dedication to consciousness, and compassion for all beings,
very seriously. So now I'm going to apologize for my lack of higher
consciousness, because I am faced with what I consider to be the
necessity of saying what needs to be said and not knowing how. I mean
to offend no one, and my allegiance is first to truth as I understand
it, and the many people who suffer because of the life-destroying
policies and activities of our culture.

So it is my code of ethics that compels me to point out that this
"Daniel Pearl Memorial Concert" email to the announce listserve is a
perfect example of an extremely political "announcement"...

Indeed, i find it far more political than the posts (that I personaly
was very pleased to read) about how we as a culture need to be
vigilant about furthering the genocide of native Americans, or
expropriating their culture/artifacts/ceremonies/language.

I think it is not so much what is said, and what we are afraid (or
not) of hearing, that makes us react (w/o acceptance) or accept (w/o
reactivity) some "announcements" and reject others -- every thing,
every action, and every announcement, is political.

My announcement of my workshop is political, because every "healing"
and "dance" activity is political. Our actions, our activities,
displace as much as they include, and they proscribe as much as they
encompass. Envision the circle, and what is "in" side, versus that
which is "out" side.

Consciousness involves facing the truths that we may not like to face,
and listening or hearing that which we may not like to listen to, or
hear. Wilhelm Reich wrote the book on this subject, and its no
accident he died in a US prison for committing no crime.

Our society is comprised of diverse and radically unique people. Some
are involved in wonderful cultural or artistic things, and really seem
to be icons of popularity, and at the same time the same people can
also support or uphold institutions that are responsible for major
roles in devastating the planet,eradicating species, exploiting and
expropriating non-white cultures.

This is all very real, as everyone who reads this note knows in their
heart. Where is the space to challenge that which we know to be out of
balance, in disharmony with the universe?

Some people speak out about the realities of terrorism, as the word is
most appropriately and the nature and effects of propaganda, because
they don't like that people are being lied to, and want to help raise
consciousness. Others perpetuate the insanity. Everything is by
degrees, and I have come to begin speaking and writing about
hierarchies.

There are hierarchies of suffering, and there are hierarchies of
power. This, again, is well known, but I dont think it is very well
appreciated (based on my conversations with people I know). There are
also hierarchies of complicity.

How do we talk about the aspects of people's lives that don't square
with the beliefs that we -- thinking of so may people I know who i
think read this listserve -- try to uphold? How do we begin talking
about the dark sides of our culture?

To designate a sepreate listserve is to further encourage insularity.

When I was working in India and Afghanistan as a journalist this year
I was often suppressing the internalized terror (in me) that what
happened to Daniel Pearl might happen to me. Its a tragic ending,
nothing short of horror.

To put Daniel Pearl's life into perspective -- which this
(politicizing) email sent to us does not do -- requires that we see
the horror that so many, many men, women and children have to deal
with merely because of our affluent, consumptive way of life, and our
wars of terror, and the madness that defines people who worship Islam
-- even children -- as terrorists. There are no concerts, no violins
playing for these people, and this makes me very sad. You will not see
an article representing my point of view in the Wall Street Journal,
and that is becuase there is no such thing as freedom (of speech, of
press) and universal human rights. We now know that human rights are
selectively applied.

I personally believe that it is as likely true as not that Daniel
Pearl worked for the western (US/UK/Israeli) intelligence apparatus.
In fact, in my reading of current events, it doesn't matter if he did,
or not. What matters is that he worked for a mainstream US media
institution which sets out to deceive the American public, routinely,
by its re-presentations and stereotyping of other cultures, and its
absolute cult of money worship and the bottom line.

In order to work for the Wall Street Journal one must succumb to
self-censorship, and in this one must uphold the fictions and
mythologies that the media spins to keep Americans confused,
disoriented, paralyzed, and living in perpetual fear.

It is fear that provokes us when we react to "political" announcements.

Daniel Pearl is another victim of the destructive system we are all
part of, and a victim of the very institution that he upheld. For that
he deserves to be remembered and honored.

Maybe we can also get a concert to honor and remember Ken Saro-Wiwa --
the Ogoni leader who was hung by the Nigerian military hunta on
November 10, 1995, because he and the Ogoni people stood up to Shell
Oil Company, and the western media greased the skids, as they still
do, to assist in the murder.

I will say a prayer for Daniel Pearl. And every time that I hear a
violin playing I will remember the poor and war-torn people who I met,
and who put their faith in me, in Afghanistan.

blessings
keith harmon snow


On 10/16/06, brian at brianbendermusic.com <brian at brianbendermusic.com> wrote:
>
> Daniel Pearl Memorial Concert on Sunday, October 22nd (3pm) in
> Springfield, MA
>
> Daniel Pearl - the Wall Street Journal reporter who was kidnapped and
> murdered by terrorists in 2002 in Pakistan - was a classically trained
> violinist, an avid fiddler and a mandolin player who used his passion for
> music to form friendships across cultural and verbal divides. Danny lived
> a life that knew no geographical boundaries, with a spirit that knew no
> prejudice. He joined musical groups in every community in which he lived,
> leaving behind a long trail of musician-friends around the globe.  Every
> year around his October 10th birthday, musicians around the world reach
> out in friendship to join in "Harmony for Humanity."
>
> On Sunday, October 22nd at 3pm there will be a FREE concert commemorating
> the "Daniel Pearl Music Day" of Peace and Harmony.  The concert will take
> place in the Rivers Memorial Building at Western New England College, 1215
> Wilbraham Road, Springfield, MA.  For more info please contact Steve
> Roulier at 413-782-1520 (sroulier at wnec.edu).
>
> The musical groups performing will be:
>
> - The Yiddishkeit Klezmer Ensemble
> Ilene Stahl, clarinet
> Brian Bender, trombone
> Christina Crowder, accordion
> Grant Smith, drums
> Genevieve Rose, bass
> http://www.yiddishkeitklezmer.com
>
> - The Children's Choruses of the Community Music School of Springfield
>
> - Western New England College Campus Chorus
>
> - The Presto String Ensemble
>
> - Tehilah, adult gospel choir, from St. John's Congregational Church
>
> More information about Daniel Pearl can be found at
> http://www.danielpearl.org/about_us/danielpearl_bio.html
>
> More information about the worldwide event can be found at
> http://www.music-days.org/
>
> We hope to see you at the concert!
>
> Brian Bender
> brian at brianbender.com
>
> P.S. If you would like to stop receiving emails from this address, simply
> reply to this message and let me know.  Thanks!
>
> _______________________________________________
>
> To post a message to the Dance Spree announcement list, send it to: announce at dancespree.org. *You must send it from the email address that is subscribed to the list!* *You must send it to ONLY announce at dancespree.org (no other receivers), otherwise the message will not be posted.* To remove yourself from the announcement list, visit www.dancespree.org
>


-- 
All things pass, so too will i

keith harmon snow
USA: 413-626-3800

http://www.allthingspass.com
http://www.stopexcision.net