There is a lot of shit in the world. Rape (as
today’s revelation about the OU social work professor). Abuse. Murder. Poverty.
Violent attacks (as today’s devastating grenades in Liège, Belgium). Female
genital mutilation (as every five minutes across the globe…). And so
on... Fortunately, I'm an optimist. Yes raped and abused, but not in poverty,
violently attacked, genitally mutilated, and obviously not murdered. Thankfully.
I feel like part of my purpose is to give voice to the ones without a voice. However,
over the years I've become more a realistic optimist than an idealistic
optimist. (I used to think I could and would save the world, I would let
poverty disappear, and better the lives of all females who are suffering so
they can be happy, healthy, and consider themselves worthy). With age, reality
kicks in—at least it has for me. (I must say that I enjoy aging and I'm looking
forward to turning 30 in about two years, but that's a story for a later time.)
I would like to share a few things with you that have inspired (and some other
things that have angered) me.
For example, today—because of my partner’s post on
Facebook—I learned about the "Sand Dancer" from Australia. This man
wasn't taught to be an artist, and he doesn't use visual aids before he starts,
just his body and a wooden stick. He creates “ginormous” and beautiful
creations in the sand on the beaches of Australia. He just must. He's moved to
do so. Do we know why? No. Just like I have a passion for creating dance—which
my friend Tara Najd Ahmadi called "radical." There's something
extremely vulnerable about someone who follows their instinct, gut, impulses—or
however we want to call it—because the majority of us are told that we should
do the "right" thing. Many of us follow those instructions because we
buy into the idea of having to create a “stable” life. But some just follow
their heart. To me, that is the right
thing. And because what they create, do, say, or make is genuine they maintain
their authenticity. Wow! That's beautiful. Now, I don't agree with crazy people
who go around killing and abusing people because it's genuine and authentic to
them, I mean the people who haven't allowed the polluting words and acts of
others break their spirit. These are the ones who live their lives and
contribute to the world by beautifying it. Here’s the link to Peter Donnelly’s
work by the way: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H6ZqKmaN2qw&feature=player_embedded#!
As I’m writing this not only have I come to learn that, Dwain Pellebon,
a social work professor who lectured about abuse victims and abusers has been
arrested for first degree rape and molestation of a minor, I have come to learn
that an attack was made on Liège, Belgium… and innocent people died (http://www.dailynews.com/ci_19536875)
People who say that they throw grenades because “they must” are crazy. Yes I
can use that word. They are. Because they have been indoctrinated with thoughts
that aren’t theirs. Their instinct has betrayed them because their minds have
become polluted. Instinctively, people would only kill others when their lives
are endangered. The fact that this type of people feels so threatened by fellow
human beings who are waiting at a bus stop, shopping for Christmas gifts, or by
toddlers who are looking at pretty holiday lights…. I don’t have words. What is
happening.
What do we know about Nordine Amrani (33, who died
in the attack himself). “In
September 2008, he was sentenced to 58 months in prison and fined €11,000 for
possession of 10 firearms, 9,500 gun parts along [with] 2,800 cannabis plants.
[Amrani] kept them in his metal shop. He has a conviction for sexual abuse. Recent
police has raided his home looking for marijuana. They wound weapons. The next
time police saw [Amrani, he] stood on the roof of a baker’s shop shooting. He
then, apparently, shot himself with a FAL assault rifle.” From source: http://www.anorak.co.uk/305218/news/nordine-amrani-profile-and-photos-of-liege-killer.html/
There’s no talk of terrorism or right wing extremism in Amrani’s case. Did the
pot mess with his head?
Regardless of this moron’s motives, I am thinking of the terrorist
attacks that have been committed by extremists (and of the Islam faith). Which
leads me to think of a series of essays I finished reading last night, The Caged Virgin: An Emancipation
Proclamation for Women and Islam, written by Ayaan Hirsi Ali. In her
essays, she fervently discusses the brainwashing of Muslims and extremists’
thoughts that all Westerners will burn in hell when they have premarital sex,
or just for not believing what they do. We shall not give in to asshole men who
tell young girls that their genitals should be removed, that they should be
sewn back together to ensure their virginity, pee and menstruate through the
tiniest hole, be married out of the family to a distant cousin or an old nasty
man, be pregnant until they can no longer, and to be beaten by their stranger
husband when they “misbehave.” Come on people!
Earlier I mentioned Tara Najd Ahmadi, who’s an intelligent artist from
Iran, a student working on her MFA whom I’ve had the privilege of assisting
with writing. Her convictions regarding using art as a political platform to
educate viewers on tensions in the Middle East, and her journey from restricted
Iran to free America can be seen in her work. When she was one year old her
parents were imprisoned because of their political activities against the
Iranian regime. Tara and her motives for what she does from the first time we
met, almost a year ago, intrigued me. Today, during our conversation about the
meaning of our art forms I showed Tara my choreography. I believe that moment ignited
a shift from our consultant-writer relationship to one of fellow artists and
friendship. I loved her response to my work. “It’s radical.” Even though I felt
I have had to censure my dance works because of living in a conservative place
like Oklahoma, she found my dances to be “radical.” So, I have accomplished
something. I interpret the word radical as positive. It reminds me of a fridge
magnet I have: “Well-behaved women rarely make history.” Well there you go.
I had an intriguing conversation with a fellow young woman and feminist artist,
and I had the pleasure to view art appearing in the wet sand of the Australian
shore. Both people have different motivations or urges for why they do what
they do, one person I know, the other I don’t… but then again I do. I
understand. I empathize with both of them. Today I encountered two fellow human
beings who are authentic, and I cannot say anything. I can just breathe, and feel
a smile on the inside, as my heart is sharing its rooms for both the pain and
enjoyment that life provides us.
But, right now, I’m also sad.
