Weblog
04/04/01 06:03 PM: Forgive me, for I have
Forgive me, for I have lethargized. Okay, that’s not even a word. And I haven’t really been lazy. I went to a metal show on Sunday and a hardcore show Monday night. So I basically collapsed last night after I did the things that absolutely had to get done. The show Monday was really cool. The music was okay, but there was this guy, Greg (Craig?) Bennett. I’m not positive that that was his name, but it was something like that. He used to be in a band called Trial. Now he’s all about social activism. Not that he probably wasn’t before, but I guess that’s what he does full time now. He talked about some things between the bands’ sets. Has anyone ever heard of Ibn Kenyatta? If you have, you rock. I sure had no idea before I listened to this guy. Ibn Kenyatta is a black man serving a life sentence for attempted murder at Fishkill Penitentiary or prison or whatever it’s called. According to Bennett, Kenyatta jumped subway turnstile in Brooklyn. A woman called to a nearby policeman. The officer grabbed Kenyatta by the shoulder. He tore himself free, quite a natural reaction, a reflex, really, when someone grabs onto you. The officer took that as some sort of assault, and he proceeded to beat Kenyatta with his nightstick, billyclub, whatever you wish to call it. Kenyatta, knocked to the ground and continuing to be beaten, feared for his life and grabbed the officer’s gun and aimed it at him, in self-defense. The officer then took out a revolver that was illegally strapped to his ankle and took cover behind some sort of object. He then shot to kill. The bullet grazed by Kenyatta’s head. Kenyatta then shot the officer in the leg , purposely avoiding seriously injuring him. Oh yes, the policeman is white, by the way. He is living comfortably in retirement somewhere around my area, apparently. Meanwhile Ibn Kenyatta is in prison. He’s been in there since the 70s if my memory serves me. He came up for parole after fifteen years, and every two years after that. But he steadfastly refuses parole hearings because to plead for parole is to admit guilt. He will accept only his unconditional release. I don’t know what I’d do if I were in that situation, but I admire his integrity.
Greg talked about that for a while, and then he read an amazing poem that he wrote about it. And he did the same thing for three other topics. That’s pretty heavy stuff, no? Well, he didn’t want for the bands to have to follow that, so he brought the mood back up with a little entertainment. Eating an apple while juggling a machete and a basketball is no mean feat. Neither is juggling three machetes, I would think. I dare say he got a better ovation than did any of the bands that night.
