The exercise:
Welcome back to Def Poetry Jam Friday. In recognition of our neighbors to the south celebrating their independence, today's piece is by the amazing Smokey Robinson - Black American.
Mine:
In a year in which Americans just might elect their first black president, this is an especially moving performance by Smokey Robinson. His message of "we're all in this together" is needed now more than ever; that what's on the outside means nothing and what's on the inside means everything.
It's very sad that race is still an issue in 2008. It's equally depressing that gender is too. I guess it made for some great TV for America to have a nomination race between a black man and a woman, but it would have been a lot more empowering if it was simply a race between two people.
Smokey's thoughts on the ever-changing label for Black Americans are insightful, funny and loaded with the weight of truth. Why are labels like that even needed? Wouldn't it be wonderful to live in a world in which we don't see white, black, yellow or brown, we just see each other? If we're so civilized, why can't we manage that? And if not now, when exactly can we hope to live in that world?
Since this is Smokey's only Def Poetry Jam performance I thought I'd share a link to one of his classic hits. Happy long weekend to our American neighbors!
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