By scott crow
June 2010
We, the dead of hunger, the ones with no name, the ones with no face” —Zapatistas
Remembering those who came before and us and laid foundations for us to build from.
From thin air our actions seem to come each New Years day. But if we think—and remember—for a moment we can see how we are a part of those who came and died before us. Those who gave all they had. All they were–willingly and unwillingly–to save their worlds and our futures. On every New Years days we must think of those who tried to stop the machines of oppression that stifle everything on the earth—even those who operate them.
The machines of economy, and dominance that erase everything except money and power clawing with gaping maws of force at culture, identity, and ‘resources’; killing for gold, land, labor, ‘freedom’, oil—but really control. And the machines mouth always agape because it could never be satisfied moving on to the next exploitation without answering to anyone who matters.
On New Years days before, communities resisted, rebelled and created: day by day, summer to winter—and fall and spring. They resisted oblivion for voices silenced and with voices marginalized. They created, by opening spaces for us to all of us to walk through to liberation.
Some of these warriors fell in battles, but some of these warriors were locked far away and forgotten by those who assume to hold power over the rest of us. Put into living coffins to finish their lives, and to their keepers dismay they continued to organize and love, even from behind hard steel bars , concrete and barb wire. They resisted being buried alive, creating and resisting from where they were.
As we begin with our spirits renewed and recommitted for all of the possibilities within us. Our feet walk paths new to us but that someone, somewhere opened the possibilities for. So I am reminded to be thankful. To honor fallen our warriors and those that power tries to make us forget by keeping them in the shadows, locked away , locked away tight. Our struggles for freedom will never be free if they are still locked away.
Thinking towards collective liberation, and just worlds in this new decade and beyond.
Amidst all of the fury of the dying empires I still hold hope. Not the Obamahope brand that one person at the top will change entrenched culture in the vacuous halls of political parties. No the real hope that I see everyday where all of our instincts for survival, and our compassion all come together in cooperation. From all strata’s of society, from all parts of life—we—are challenging the systems, the mawing machines of economies and power. I see not only challenges to sabotage them, but we are also offering alternatives; creating healthier worlds.
I am appreciative as our first decade ended in the new millennium and as we move forward. To those who have given their lives, to those who have been locked up, to those who resist and those who create.
I thank you.
Let’s remember that those bars mean nothing; that their still productive lives touch us and we should continue to connect and value all of our political prisoners, prisoners of war and prisoners of conscience locked away by the state.
They fought for our freedom and we should continue to fight for theirs. Their past are our futures for liberation—a bond of justice.
I am appreciating today and all of the committed and beautiful people who work for better worlds.
On our New Years days of new futures, hopes and possibilities let’s remember political prisoners who are still dreaming of freedom too. Free ALL political prisoners !
From the Gulf Coast Basin
