It was two weeks before moving out of my sublet in Seattle’s Wallingford neighborhood that I first met Saab Lofton. He appeared at the door of my bedroom wearing and a homemade red and blue superhero costume, with white wrestling shoes and a cape held together by a Che Guevara pin.
He was explaining to my house-mates that he didn’t normally dress like this as he looked at my room, sizing it up to see if he wanted to rent it after me. He was only dressed like this – apparently – so that he could promote his novel, Battle Neverending. One of my house-mates, an old man named Ed was more than skeptical.
“You know you’re schizophrenic, right?” Ed said to him.
I thought that was more than a little harsh of a thing to say to a perfect stranger who was a guest in your home. But I went to fix myself a peanut butter sandwich rather than get embroiled in any intra-house warfare. From the next room, I heard our mild-mannered dread-locked superhero philosophizing about Gene Roddenberry’s Star Trek and it’s similarities to Christianity.
Ed toiled away to undermine him, but after that weird subject matter which was right up my alley, I decided I had to introduce myself. “I’m Tim,” I told him. “What’s your name?”
“Saab,” he said.
“Sob?” I asked him, not sure if I’d heard him correctly. “You mean like S-O-B?” I wasn’t trying to imply, of course, that he was a son of a bitch or anything. Quite the opposite…
“No, Saab – like the car.”
I realized then he had copies of his book with him for sale, which was obviously a low-budget and quite-possibly home-printed affair. “How much for one of your books?”
“Only five dollars,” he said proudly.
Seemed a little steep to me, but how many times did the universe drop real-life superheroes on my doorstep? I decided to bite and bought myself a copy of Battle Neverending.
As nice as Saab was in person though, this book is quite difficult to get through. First off, the back cover describes it as a novel, when it is clearly a collection of short stories and poetry. The writing also leaves a lot to be desired. The stories are built almost exclusively of expository dialogue in which Saab’s ultra-left wing characters reference a litany of real-life radical figures from history in order to “stick it to the man where it hurts.” Lofton slips in and out of this grandiloquent radical aesthetic, spicing it up occasionally with painful lines in the vernacular like “ain’t no way in hell this nigger done transported me to some fucking island.”
Saab himself seems to appear as a variety of characters in the book, from a left-wing guardian angel named Dudley, to a struggling left-wing conspiracy author named “JB Stoner,” to a (you guessed it!) left-wing superhero named Tomorrowman whose business card reads “The People’s Superhero” (and who has been granted special powers by aliens to protect the earth, deciding to use them to black out CIA spy satellites).
Although I didn’t care for the writing or for the author’s naïve belief that the left-wing is perfect and always right, there are definitely some pretty cool concepts here and there. I enjoyed his depiction of God or the Universe or Infinity as basically a collective entity composed of all aspects of existence. When you die, Infinity takes a very democratic/communist vote to decide whether or not your are worthy to be united with it for all eternity.
As much of Saab paints his characters as left-wing heroes, there are some unfortunate and heavy-handed depictions of women through the book as well. In fact, I can’t recall any female characters who weren’t either vile demonic temptresses, prostitutes, KKK members or Neo-Nazis. He also seems to have a special axe to grind with the Nation of Islam, Louis Farrakhan and their teachings that black people come from another planet. There is also a strong fixation with the beneficial industrial uses of hemp (along with copious use of “the chronic”).
One really odd thing about this book though is the final story, from which the book gets it’s title. It is a transcript of a fictional interview between Bill Moyers and Tomorrowman, who has broken into Moyer’s house to get him to transmit his left-wing superhero message to the world. Aside from being a kind of tedious read, this interview makes mention of a violent attack on Washington, DC occurring in January of 2001. The book itself is copyrighted 1997 according to it’s inner cover. It also talks about a presidential election riddled with fraud, which turns into riots, a recount and President Bill Clinton declaring temporary martial law (before turning the reigns over to President-Elect Ralph Nader). The events, of course, are rather jumbled, but they do bear an eerie similarity to some of what has actually transpired over the past several years.
I’m not going to say that I think Saab Lofton is any kind of visionary or prophet necessarily, but maybe there’s a good reason he is dressed up like a superhero and seems to see himself on a mission from God. You’d of course have to ask him, but I would bet dollars to donuts that Saab has undergone some type of significant transpersonal, psychological or intense spiritual events which gave him the drive to put together Battle Neverending and possibly provided some of the actual material for his book. Taken as a self-portrait of one man’s inner struggle to make sense of it all makes this book a more interesting (if not well-written) read.
Comment by Saab Lofton — July 8, 2006 @ 6:02 pm
First, I doubt Dick Gregory–a legend in the civil rights movement–would’ve endorsed Battle Neverending and I doubt professor Howard Zinn–author of A People’s History of the United States–would’ve endorsed my first novel, A.D. if my stuff wasn’t well-written. It never ceases to amaze me how spoiled (what do I mean by spoiled? “a low-budget and quite-possibly home-printed affair” we don’t all have trust funds or Britney Spears’ advertising budget, ya know), First World whites wallow in gratuitous cynicism like a pig in slop. “Dude, when that band FIRST came out they were cool but now they suck” etc. I also doubt I’d have been able to support myself solely via the sales of my work for years now if it wasn’t well-written.
I’ve always suspected that the reason why whites are so corny and will laugh (and expect you to laugh along with them, lest you come across as rude) at the most incipid shit is because their lives are so boring to the point where anything that adds some color to their otherwise dry day is to be lauded or lambasted: “He appeared at the door of my bedroom wearing and a homemade red and blue superhero costume, with white wrestling shoes and a cape held together by a Che Guevara pin … one of my house-mates, an old man named Ed was more than skeptical.“You know you’re schizophrenic, right?” Ed said to him. I thought that was more than a little harsh of a thing to say to a perfect stranger who was a guest in your home … how many times did the universe drop real-life superheroes on my doorstep?” WHO’S SO BORED AND SPOILED IN LIFE TO THE POINT WHERE THEY NEED TO GO ON *THIS* MUCH ABOUT A MAN ONLY TRYING TO DO GOOD IN THE WORLD? You know most people don’t even notice the outfit?! And here I thought this was the home of 1999’s Battle of Seattle, where white folks dressed as sea turtles and tossed bricks at Starbucks windows ..?
After a coddled lifetime of video games, rock concerts and suburban living, what exactly gives white boys the right to talk this much trash? If someone had went through the kind of horrors found on Amnesty International’s website (amnesty.org) found something wrong with my work, THEN I’d understand … “the author’s naïve belief that the left-wing is perfect and always right” my ass: Tell it to one of the ALL-TOO-MANY victims of the CIA’s foreign policy around the world …
The aforementioned managed to get one thing right: “maybe there’s a good reason he is dressed up like a superhero and seems to see himself on a mission from God … Saab has undergone some type of significant transpersonal, psychological or intense spiritual events which gave him the drive to put together Battle Neverending and possibly provided some of the actual material for his book” … in the comic book world, it’s called a secret origin, but in real life, niggahs would recognize it as simply comin’ up black in Amerikkka …
One last thing: “philosophizing about Gene Roddenberry’s Star Trek and it’s similarities to Christianity” that’s not what I said. What I said was, from an atheist’s POV, Star Trek and Christianity are both fictional (it was a line from my award-winning newspaper column). Jesus, anything for a 30-second soundbyte … beware of that which is quicker, easier, more seductive …
Comment by Saab Lofton — July 8, 2006 @ 7:09 pm
Well, I still don’t see the comments I posted, so they’ve been censored or they’re in limbo awaiting approval. In either event, let’s see if THIS will be seen on this site …
“there are some unfortunate and heavy-handed depictions of women through the book as well. In fact, I can’t recall any female characters who weren’t either vile demonic temptresses, prostitutes, KKK members or Neo-Nazis”
Battle Neverending is LESS than a hundred pages AND it was written after a series of nasty breakups (try listening to gangstah rap or Andrew Dice Clay sometime for some REAL sexism). Besides, during that same period, I also created Silverbullet, the world’s first black lesbian superheroine, which is more of a feminist contribution than most male authors EVER make. Not to mention all the work I’ve done advancing the cause of feminism in my award-winning newspaper column, Fear No Evil …
“The writing also leaves a lot to be desired … I didn’t care for the writing or for the author’s naïve belief that the left-wing is perfect and always right … makes this book a more interesting (if not well-written) read.”
I’ve been able to support myself for years off the strength of my work alone–the very definition of a professional. My first novel, A.D., was endorsed by professor Howard Zinn, author of A People’s History of the United States, and Battle Neverending was endorsed by Dick Gregory, a LEGEND in the civil rights movement. Let’s see what’s remembered in a hundred years, my work or your blog!
As far as the left-wing goes, ask someone being tortured by a puppet put in power by the CIA about how “perfect and always right” it’d be if Amnesty International was actually taken seriously and the global peace movement wasn’t dismissed by Dubya’s inbred, retarded ass as a mere “focus group” …
“he had copies of his book with him for sale, which was obviously a low-budget and quite-possibly home-printed affair”
Not all of us has white skin privilege, trust funds or Britney Spears’ advertising budget. Most of the planet is POOR. This is clearly the POV of someone spoiled by First World living, despite how gratuitously cynical he’s coming across. And for the record, the book’s in its THIRD printing, thanks to a fan who stepped up to the plate and reprinted the book after my award-winning newspaper column fell victim to corporate censorship last year. It’s far more than a zine, son …
“First off, the back cover describes it as a novel, when it is clearly a collection of short stories and poetry.”
You’re kidding, right? How anal can we be?! That’s it? Oh, my God! Call Ralph Nader! We’ve got a case of consumer fraud! Call the bunko squad!
How spoiled would one have to be to bother to point this out? My God …
Comment by Saab Lofton — July 8, 2006 @ 7:30 pm
Let me try this one more time, since this will mark the third time I tried to post a comment on this site.
“I didn’t care for the writing or for the author’s naïve belief that the left-wing is perfect and always right”
First, if my work was as bad as this gratuitously cynical prick claims, I NEVER would’ve been able to support myself all these years. My first novel was endorsed by professor Howard Zinn (author of A People’s History of the United States) and Battle Neverending was endorsed by Dick Gregory (a LEGEND in the civil rights movement) and I seriously doubt those two luminaries would’ve lent their good names to work which was badly written.
Second, ask someone being tortured by a puppet put in power by the CIA whether it’d be “perfect and always right” if Amnesty International was actually taken seriously …
“From the next room, I heard our mild-mannered dread-locked superhero philosophizing about Gene Roddenberry’s Star Trek and it’s similarities to Christianity.”
Next time, come out from “the next room” so you can listen better because I said nothing of the sort! You don’t have Daredevil’s hearing!
“there are some unfortunate and heavy-handed depictions of women through the book as well. In fact, I can’t recall any female characters who weren’t either vile demonic temptresses, prostitutes, KKK members or Neo-Nazis”
Battle Neverending is less than a hundred pages and it was written after a particularly nasty breakup (try gangstah rap or Howard Stern for some REAL sexism). And while Battle Neverending was written, I created Silverbullet, the world’s first black lesbian superheroine, which is far more of a feminist contribution than most male authors EVER make! Not to mention all I’ve done to advance the cause of feminism in my award-winning newspaper column …
Comment by #787 — July 10, 2006 @ 11:03 am
Two guesses…….one you are a white boy (you wrote nigger instead of nigga, very white of you)……second you are a right winger which is obviously why you don’t understand him or his work. Even worse you might be a white boy wanna be lefty enjoying your white priviledges thinkin you left when you really right, eat “mierda” and “muerete maricon”!
Revolución Compadre!
Comment by Pop Occulture — July 10, 2006 @ 1:33 pm
Comments by new contributos need to be approved before they appear on the site. I approved them and here they are. No claims of censorship necessary.
Nor are any of the racist/classist remarks you made in response to my totally fair and legitimate review of your work.
Comment by john — July 11, 2006 @ 9:31 am
Talk about a battle neverending. And one sided at that! Listen Saab, your multiple, repetitous diatribes make you look like you are:
a) a poor writer
b) naive
oh yeah…
c) a dick
Apparently, Tim unwittingly found Captain Superdouche’s very own Kryptonite — a fair and even-handed CRITIQUE of your work. If you were so confident about the quality and absolute, unanimous appeal of your literature, you probably wouldn’t be so butt-hurt about a simple review. I mean — seriously. This is how your exchange looks to a reader:
TIM: This is the story of how I met this guy whom I bought a book from. This book isn’t really that good, but there are some neat ideas in it.
CAPTAIN SUPERDOUCHE: I hate white people, except for Howard Zinn, because he liked my book. All other white people are spoiled IF they don’t like my book.. or collection of poetry or whatever… you know what I mean. Or at least you should. You spoiled white asshole.
Why don’t you re-read what you wrote, feel stupid and learn from it. No hard feelings, huh?
Oh yeah, and #787: Tim was quoting the book when he wrote that. How do you say “idiot” in Spanish?
Comment by Saab Lofton — July 11, 2006 @ 1:26 pm
“If you were so confident about the quality and absolute, unanimous appeal of your literature, you probably wouldn’t be so butt-hurt about a simple review.”
There was nothing fair, even-handed (which in and of itself sounds suspiciously like FOX’s Fair and Balanced Orwellian phrase) or legitimate about this so-called review. It was gratuitously coy, snide, smug, sarcastic and condescending. The sales of Battle Neveredning speak for themselves, the celebrity endorsements speak for themselves, the fact that it’s in its THIRD printing speaks for itself, the reason why I responded is so that this actually WOULD be “fair and balanced” because SOMEBODY’S gotta keep you spoiled pricks in check! Don’t think you’re spoiled? Ask someone living under one the puppets the CIA empowered …
So “John” … how many awards have YOU won? How many copies of YOUR work have YOU sold? What famous activists have endorsed YOUR work? Yeah, that’s what I thought. Continue to think you’ve taken someone down a peg, that’ll make you feel good about yourself. Maybe idiot in Spanish is John …
Comment by john — July 12, 2006 @ 8:36 am
Tim gets a lot of traffic here. Anybody who looks for you on the web is going to find out what a loser and crazy asshole you are. If there is an award for THAT, I hope you win it.
Cheers,
“John”
Comment by Saab Lofton — July 12, 2006 @ 10:57 am
W Ask the Nevada Press Association about
Saab Lofton insofar as awards. And
again, who the hell are you? What will
be found online about some crazy loser
asshole named “John”, huh? And aside
from this, what “traffic” are you
talking about? I doubt anyone will
remember Tim’s blog in a decade, let
alone a century …
T
Comment by john — July 12, 2006 @ 12:12 pm
Geez… why do you feel as though “awards” validate you so much? Which is it: are you a thin-skinned, ignorant, egomaniac or “A MAN ONLY TRYING TO DO GOOD IN THE WORLD” ?
Cause it seems to me you’re the former. And I’m pretty sorry about that. As for me, I haven’t won any awards and I don’t try to immortalize myself on the web by wearing Halloween costumes and (poorly) advertising (crappy) books (that I wrote like 10 years ago). But I stand by whatever I’ve written and feel free to disagree with it. That’s the nature of intelligent discourse.
“Traffic” means web traffic. Means, look up “Saab Lofton” on Google and Tim’s review comes up on the first page, sucker. And thanks to me, if you look up “Saab Lofton” and “superdouche” , you also find Tim’s page. Maybe that’s what people will remember me for in 10 years. I can live with that.
Here’s some advice: check out Lulu.com to publish your book. You can sell it on there, make a royalty, become famous, get on Oprah’s book club… hey it’s possible. I realize that you really like to pretend that you are censored, banned, generally a bad-ass etc… but if you want to grow up a bit and stop using that as your cry-ass, whiny marketing pitch, perhaps you could get your book out there. AND GET MORE AWARDS! YAY!!
Good luck I guess
“john”
Comment by Saab Lofton — July 12, 2006 @ 2:22 pm
“I stand by whatever I’ve written”
Really? What the fuck have you written? Have you interviewed Ralph Nader? How about Dan “Tom Tomorrow” Perkins from This Modern World? I have and a whole lot more. You still haven’t answered the question, who are you and what the fuck have you done? You’re not in a position to give anyone advice and you’re the one who’s naive for thinking there’s no such thing as censorship. So go back to playing Dungeons and Dragons or Magic or Risk or whatever and leave the writing to the professionals.
Comment by Pop Occulture — July 12, 2006 @ 2:27 pm
Saab, I am starting to feel like the reason you found my review unfair is simply because you disagree with what I wrote.
If so, that’s perfectly fine with me, because I disagree with a lot of what you wrote as well in your book - not to mention your personal attacks here as well. But I don’t hate you, have anything against you or black people or any of the other ridiculous charges you have made.
Speaking from my own spoiled white perspective, I find the value of communicating with people being that it is a two way street. I want people to comment on my work. I want them to disagree with it. I want them to get so excited or upset about something that they call me names and stay up all night worrying about it.
What that means is that we are affecting one another. Our words, our actions and our lives are having an impact on each other. And I find that to be very valuable, whether or not you do. I even in some sense appreciate you calling me names because it makes me aware that my work is not necessarily communicating what I want it to communicate. It gives me pause and urges me to hone in on my own skills. And for that, I want to say thank you.
If you feel you’ve been treated unfairly, then great. Write a nasty review about my site and how white and spoiled and right-wing I am. I won’t attempt to attack or censor you. Hell, I will even publish it here (as long as it’s well written and meets my other submission requirements! And I know you can write, cause I read your pieces from that Las Vegas paper). I honestly welcome the feedback from fellow writers, artists, thinkers and activists.
I would also say that perhaps there is more to true “success” than recommendations from the famous, book sales, and other figures. By your own measure then, Fox News is not only successful but extremely “good” because its audience, sales figures and endorsements are far more profound than your own.
On that note, I’ve always loved that quote from 1 Corinthians 13:
Comment by #787 — July 12, 2006 @ 3:00 pm
Wow! Saab makes a clossal arguement! Jesus Christ Saab’s reply is to this debate what a in your face slam dunk would have been in a basketball game. Unless you want yet another anus I would seize. lol
Comment by Saab Lofton — July 12, 2006 @ 3:20 pm
“I would also say that perhaps there is more to true ’success’ than recommendations from the famous, book sales, and other figures.”
No, there’s not. Not unless you’re trying to save face because you know you can’t top my resume. I’m not trying to be arrogant, believe it or not, but when you come across as coy and as snide as you did; when you claim my work ain’t well written, those are fighting words–so expect a fight.
It’s subtle, but you’re clearly too busy trying to come across as if us leftists are soooo intrusive: “It is a transcript of a fictional interview between Bill Moyers and Tomorrowman, who has broken into Moyer’s house to get him to transmit his left-wing superhero message to the world.” Go back and re-read it, he NEVER broke into dude’s house, he was invited! What point are you trying to make? Who’re you trying to impress?
“By your own measure then, Fox News is not only successful but extremely ‘good’ because its audience, sales figures and endorsements are far more profound than your own.”
As far as FOX goes, rent the documentary Outfoxed and see how “profound” it is. It helped the Bush administration wage an evil war, and if there’s such a thing as karma, it will pay for that someday.
“And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor … it profiteth me nothing.”
It “profiteth” the poor, that’s all that matters–and that’s yet another crime of FOX News, demonizing the poor when it has the “audience”, as you put it, to help them.
Comment by Pop Occulture — July 12, 2006 @ 3:28 pm
Good night Saab (and friends). Good luck on your future endeavors.
Comment by alistair — July 18, 2006 @ 6:32 pm
we are all looking for recognition in some regard, that`s the nature of our ego at work. when we attempt to quell the ego we take our first step toward the grave. saab, keep up your good efforts and put that righteous energy into your desire for attention in creative ways……and check ot lulu.com and write more stuff. you too tim. who knows what will emerge around the next corner if we are willing to look.
Comment by Ed Itorial — July 19, 2006 @ 4:20 pm
Saab, I’ve read your book and you’re a genius. Here’s an award! I would like you to come work for my left-leaning, left wing, left of center magazine that is also very liberal in it’s view point. I want you to write an exclusive collumn for “Delusions of Greatness Quarterly!” By the way, there’s a dress code in our staff office. Do you own a red cape?
Comment by Ed Itorial — July 19, 2006 @ 4:34 pm
Saab,
I hit refresh and I didn’t see my comment so I guess *somebody* (possibly the man that be keepin’ us down) is *censuring* our conversation. Hopefully you will see this one. I want you to write for my periodical, “Grossly Overconfident Digest.” Oh, by the way, I would like to do a feature on you in the first issue of a small, affiliated weekly called, “I’m Better Than You Magazine.” Interested?
Comment by Jennifer Emick — July 19, 2006 @ 6:13 pm
Good God, man, is your skin really so thin you can’t take a little criticism?
Comment by Saab Lofton — July 20, 2006 @ 8:35 am
I’ve taken FAR more than “a little criticism” over the years … call up the Las Vegas CityLife and ask it about all the hate mail from white supremacists, libertarian capitalists and imperialism apologists I received … I’m not taking any more just to impress you or anyone else and don’t tell me it’s inevitable either. Learn to leave well enough alone.
Comment by SubstanceM — July 20, 2006 @ 12:56 pm
Dear Saab Lofty,
I’d a never heard a you were it not for Tim Boucher. Thank him for the free press and move on.
PS - u suck.
Comment by Saab Lofton — July 20, 2006 @ 1:20 pm
“SubstanceM” … I doubt anyone would’ve heard of YOU at all if it wasn’t for Boucher, so …
I’ll “move on” as you as you do. I don’t need his “free press” nor do I need yo’ ass …
Comment by Jennifer Emick — July 20, 2006 @ 3:37 pm
Oh, poor you.
Well, Saab, welcome to public life. Given your arrogant, obnoxious attitude, I’m surpried you don’t get MORE “hate mail.” Criticism (ranging from reasonable to extreme) comes with the territory.
The fact that you get your panties so easily wadded is very telling…if you don’t like to be criticised, you’ve made a woefully incorrect career choice.
Comment by Saab Lofton — July 20, 2006 @ 5:33 pm
What “arrogant, obnoxious attitude”?! You people ARE in fact spoiled! That’s not racism, that’s factual! Why else would y’all have wasted this much time attacking someone with no power to speak of when there’s plenty of Bush bashing to engage in! What’s that? Bush bashing is so passe? So last year? So out of style? Well, if you’re deluded enough to think that, you’ve just proved my point: When blacks protest, it’s out of survival. When whites protest, it’s to be hip and fashionable … I mean, it’s not as if Bush himself views bashing THE PEOPLE as being out of style (Lord, how I wish he DID) …
What is the point of all this? “Woefully incorrect career choice” my ass! I chose to fight the powers that be, what career choice have YOU made?! To pick on a brother who’s only trying to survive? If so, you’ve clearly sided with the powers that be, and if that’s so, THAT’S why my panties have been wadded, as you put it! GOD ..! I’d think that’d be obvious …
Criticism doesN’T come with the territory, because most people would have enough sense to let this go. Don’t you people have better things to do? Again, that inbred, retarded puppet of the oil industry and his evil administration is about to set off World War III and you’re on MY case?! Learn the difference between David and Goliath, for Christ’s sake!!
Comment by Dan — July 21, 2006 @ 3:03 am
I had so much fun reading this. I think we have a nice case of something I’ve been seeing and writing about a lot lately - The Psychology of Modern Leftism and Feelings of Inferiority. These are two sections from the Unabomber Manifesto, and they shed a lot of light on what’s really being argued here.
FOX are EVIL?
Comment by Pop Occulture — July 21, 2006 @ 11:36 am
My sentiments exactly, Saab!
Comment by Saab Lofton — July 21, 2006 @ 5:01 pm
“Dan”, your role model is the Unabomber of all people AND you can’t conceive how FOX News is evil ..? Boy, are YOU a piece of work!
The terms left and right came from the French Revolution. Those who stood on the left end of the stage during the Nat’l Assembly of France spoke for the poor and the oppressed and those who stood on the right spoke for the rich and the powerful. The terms were an accident of history, but an apt and accurate one, since the dynamic didn’t start in France. Nerd vs. bully, David vs. Goliath, etc. predates civilization …
Tell me, did the Unabomber’s motives for killing all those people stem from a desire to help the poor and the oppressed?
“[Left-wingers] SAY they hate the West because it is warlike, imperialistic, sexist, ethnocentric and so forth, but where these same faults appear in socialist countries or in primitive cultures, the leftist finds excuses for them”
–the Unakiller
I don’t make such excuses: That’s why, like Batman and Amnesty International, I’m against the death penalty. Again, “Dan” sounds like yet another one of the spoiled. Not being poor and oppressed himself, he sees all this as some sort of a game, and therefore, doesn’t feel any urgency to make tomorrow better than yesterday. When you’ve got video games and a wide screen TV and a house in the suburbs, what more could anyone ask? To hell with the rest of the world, right?
amnesty.org
Comment by Saab Lofton — July 21, 2006 @ 6:07 pm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Left-right_politics
Historical origin of the terms
The terms Left and Right have been used to refer to political affiliation since the early part of the French Revolutionary era. They originally referred to the seating arrangements in the various legislative bodies of France, specifically in the French Legislative Assembly of 1791, when the moderate royalist Feuillants sat on the right side of the chamber, while the radical
Montagnards sat on the left.
Comment by Saab Lofton — July 21, 2006 @ 6:29 pm
The difference between Stalinists and most every other leftist (This is NOT an “excuse” Dan the Unakiller!):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Punisher
Notable differences
The Punisher is different from the majority of comic book protagonists. He is a cold-blooded killer, a contrast that is especially apparent when he finds himself forced to work alongside such heroes as Spider-Man and Daredevil, who try to enforce a no-killing rule on him. Law-enforcement and superheroes have occasionally tried to capture him, sometimes succeeding.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rurouni_Kenshin
The series tells the story of an assassin named Himura Kenshin , who was known as the Hitokiri Battōsai (Translated as Man killer of the sheath. Kenshin later grieves for all the lives he’s taken, and has vowed that he will never kill again).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Lone_Ranger
In addition, the Lone Ranger decides to use only silver bullets, as a reminder of his vows to fight for justice, and never to shoot to kill.
… it’s clear George Bush had the WRONG role models growing up. If you have a problem with Stalinism, be against the death penalty, it’s that simple. You can’t cheer when AH-nold executes Tookie but then hypocritically talk shit about Stalin/Castro, etc. You can’t have it both ways. Join Amnesty International.
amnesty.org
Comment by Jennifer Emick — July 22, 2006 @ 4:06 am
TRight…I’m “spoiled,” even though you haven’t the FAINTEST idea who I am, and you’re the trampled underdog…did I miss anything?
Oh, yes, apparently we’re all worshipping at the altar of bushbaal because we’re reacting to your childish behavior rather than propping up your Don Quixote delusions? Why not follow your own wagging finger and stop obsessing that someone out there isn’t willing to stroke your ego?
Are you really naive enough to think that you’re doing anything to alleviate the daily misery of anyone on this planet by playing political jester?
Comment by Pop Occulture — July 22, 2006 @ 1:26 pm
Hey Saab, in all seriousness, I would enjoy it if you tried writing some pieces which might fit within the subject and approach of this website. I think we have at least compatible interest and goals, if not necessarily seeing eye to eye on style and execution or the whole issue of personal attacks and criticism. You can read through the submissions guidelines here if you have any interest:
http://www.popocculture.com/submissions
I would even be willing publish a thoughtfully written piece by you detailing the differences that you believe you see between black and white activists. I don’t agree on all points but I think you raise a few ideas that are very worthy of discussion. Or if you’d like to try something else more explicitly pop culture oriented, I would be interested in seeing that as well. Cheers!
Comment by Saab Lofton — July 23, 2006 @ 1:01 pm
“Are you really naive enough to think that you’re doing anything to alleviate the daily misery of anyone on this planet by playing political jester?”
What are YOU doing to “alleviate the daily misery of anyone on this planet”? And only someone who views blacks as either clowns or beasts (as FOX News clearly does) would view me as a “jester”. I don’t need to know you, you’ve already proved yourself to be spoiled by viewing me in such a simplistic manner.
Comment by Bruce — July 24, 2006 @ 2:39 pm
You know, Saab, people who go around with big red buttons on their chests are just begging to have others poke them.
If you truly want to change the world, the first step is to get rid of such obvious control points.
One of your buttons is obviously the need to have the final word. Go ahead. Prove me wrong.
Comment by Saab Lofton — July 24, 2006 @ 6:55 pm
Don’t test me, Bruce. People who go around invading weaker countries for their oil SHOULD “have others poke them”, but clearly, those who ought to poke them are too busy picking on someone with no money and no power. That’s petty and that’s spoiled, period. That’s like giving Goliath steroids while you simultaneously chastise David for using a slingshot … so typical …
Let me guess: Y’all didn’t know or care about the Middle East until gas hit three bucks a gallon, huh? Sefl-centered first worlders …
Comment by Pop Occulture — July 25, 2006 @ 1:54 am
Ha ha ha
Comment by thurnandtaxis — July 25, 2006 @ 9:34 am
Hey Saab,
Why not take up the offer and do some writing for this blog. I read your book AD back in the 90’s.
And I see where you’re coming from, glad to see you’re still at it. So why not throw your gaunlet
into this forum with a bit more permanence?
Comment by Jennifer Emick — July 25, 2006 @ 11:10 am
What a stinking hypocrite you are, really. You don’t know the first thing about anyone here but you can’t take a chance, soanyone who’s got a problem with your BS must be a spoiled suburban consumer, right? Well, wrong.
Not that you care about accuracy, it’s all about protecting your own fragile ego by pretending we’re a bunch of asheltered idiots who just don’t get you heroic genius. Pleeaaase.
You wanna play holier than thou but you’ve got no cards in your hand, do you? Why are you bitching at a bunch of strangers about the Middle East when you yourself obviously have “better things to do?” You’re not getting anythning done, you’re masturbating your own ego and con vincing yourself you’re saving the world…tragic.
Comment by Saab Lofton — July 25, 2006 @ 12:06 pm
“… you’ve got no cards in your hand, do you?”
This is just like when you said:
“Are you really naive enough to think that you’re doing anything to alleviate the daily misery of anyone on this planet ..?”
And then I said:
What are YOU doing to “alleviate the daily misery of anyone on this planet”?
What “cards” do YOU hold? My resume is a matter of public record. It’s not “ego” to point out that I’ve done far more than most (of y’all) have to make the world a better place, it’s a statement of fact.
And where’s that piece from commondreams.org I posted earlier?
http://pww.org/
http://amnesty.org/
http://www.whiteprivilege.com/
http://www.apolloalliance.org/
Comment by Pop Occulture — July 25, 2006 @ 1:13 pm
Hi Saab, in this case, I have to admit that I *did* censor your post - but only because it consisted of what seemed to be an entire published piece duplicated here without permission. I’m all for posting in quotes from other sources and please do provide links for people to find out more information, but I would rather we focus on our own words and opinions in this space, than simply posting in copyrighted works from elsewhere to support our points. I hope you understand.
PS. I am also working on a post at my blog site about this idea you put forth that “Bush-bashing” is no longer “in-style”. I think we could have some fun separate conversations about that! I hope you’ll join them!
Pingback by Bush-Bashing: Out of Style? - Pop Occulture Blog — July 25, 2006 @ 1:46 pm
[…] I wanted to expand on a conversation which has been developing over on the Pop Occulture Magazine site. The conversation relates to a review I wrote of a book by Saab Lofton, and some of the points he raised in his arguments. But I don’t want to pull in all the baggage from that conversation (you can go engage in other aspects of it over there) - I just want to pull out one particular gem for right now and see if we can’t make it gleam. […]
Comment by alistair — July 25, 2006 @ 2:06 pm
blogging is a team sport. teams that win co-operate. there are common areas of interest that we all hold here. let`s put our effort to that end, huh?
Comment by Pop Occulture — July 25, 2006 @ 2:22 pm
Well put, Alistair!
Comment by Saab Lofton — July 25, 2006 @ 2:57 pm
I am also working on a post at my blog site about this idea you put forth that “Bush-bashing” is no longer “in-style”. I think we could have some fun separate conversations about that! I hope you’ll join them!
* * * *
NO. The POINT is it’s spoiled to think it’s something “fun” when there are all too many who are truly suffering at the hands of that bastard … the people being tortured with our taxes and in out name don’t think it’s “fun” …
http://amnesty.org/
http://www.sentencingproject.org/
… this is about the future of Humanity. The POINT is, even if Bush bashing MAY be out-of-style, we should do it ANY-FUCKING-WAY until 2009 (and past that point if he decides that another 9/11-style attack justifies him staying in power).
If I was a Republican, and I wanted to feel let off the hook, I’d go around telling as many trendy mallrats as I could that Bush bashing is, like,
Oh-muh-GAWD, soooooo last year. Who needs a Gulag and purges to silence dissent when you’ve got a culture THIS fad-obsessed ..?
The LEAST we can do is bash Bush (NOT some poor brother just trying to get by/do the right thing) since it’s clear that most of us (myself included) are hoping/wishing/praying the pen is in fact mightier than the sword, as the old expression goes. The LEAST we can do is bash Bush since we’re clearly not engaging in a long overdue armed insurrection to take this country back from the Reagan/Bush administration, which has stolen two elections in a row (three if you count October Surprise, 1980), replaced the Constitution with the Patriot Act, brought us to the brink of WWIII … THIS is why I put that piece from commondreams.org up, to show what we’re up against–and it’s NOT some author’s ego, Jennifer, but something far more powerful and infinitely more dangerous … again, learn the difference between David and Goliath before it’s too late …
Comment by Pop Occulture — July 25, 2006 @ 3:32 pm
Well shoot, I’m having fun! It’s a shame to hear that nobody else is. What did Emma Goldman say about not wanting to be part of your revolution unless she could dance?
Comment by Saab Lofton — July 31, 2006 @ 11:13 am
* alistair Says:
July 25th, 2006 at 11:27 pm
“saab would like to think his tribe is the only one being marginalised. that whitey is fucking priveledged. well saab, we`re all in the same boat buddy, sitting in the margins. make the best of it.
and if we continue to bush-bash or whatever then we`ll always be caught up in a relationship with politics, and that`s no way to waste one`s life……….
what we can do is motivate, inspire, help and encourage the living of life to the fullest in the shadow of the castle and forget the issues of the king.”
No, we’re NOT all in the same boat. There IS such a thing as white skin privilege
http://www.whiteprivilege.com/
http://www.sentencingproject.org/
and you can deny it just as a skinhead denies the existence of the Jewish Holocaust, but said denial doesN’T magically cause something to cease to exist–no matter how annoying the spoiled might find me …
* Agnes, the Kari person Says:
July 26th, 2006 at 10:04 am
“There are a few truths: People are selfish; the world’s insane; nothing matters. Say you and your group (insert group of choice here) are rounded up by those in power, and maybe a few of you are put to death. Is said death better or worse than being smashed by a bus, drowned in a hurricane, fried by lightning, shot by a gangbanger, or gutted like a fish by a crackhead? Perhaps a quick heart attack is the best way to go, after all. How does one decide? Does a bug care whether its death comes by being eaten by a bigger bug or smashed by a boot or suffocated by pesticide or batted around by a cat?”
Not only is this position pathetic, not only does it let the rich/powerful off the hook big time, but it is SPOILED as a motherfucker. Only someone with First World/white skin privilege would say such a thing. Only someone who hasn’t been through any REAL suffering in life would even think such a thing. Tell ya whut, go down to New Orleans and tell the people of the Lower 9th Ward it doesn’t matter; tell them to make the most of it …
“The issues of the king” are ALL our issues because an injury to one is an injury to all–that’s called EMPATHY, something the spoiled can’t grasp because, well, they’re spoiled! It’s hard to feel for the poor/oppressed when your coddled/pampered life consists of SUVs, video games, reality TV series, trips to the mall and the INsignificant results of American Idol … And Bush/Cheney is NOT an easy target, not when FOX News dominates the MASS media and it’s hard to get on the MASS media to bash Bush/Cheney as a result (Stephen Colbert’s subtle, watered down sarcasm doesn’t count–just ask those in Abu Gharib and Gitmo). It’d only be easy if those bashing Bush/Cheney had the same, exact size audience as FOX a la the Fairness Doctrine–something Ronald (six letters) Wilson (six letters) Reagan (six letters) struck down FOR A REASON …
First they came for the Communists,
and I didn’t speak up,
because I wasn’t a Communist.
Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn’t speak up,
because I wasn’t a Jew.
Then they came for the Catholics,
and I didn’t speak up,
because I was a Protestant.
Then they came for me,
and by that time there was no one
left to speak up for me.
by Rev. Martin Niemoller, 1945
http://amnesty.org/
Comment by Greg — July 31, 2006 @ 4:34 pm
If you don’t “get” Saab Lofton, then it’s probably due to extreme ideological backwardness on your part. He writes for the civilized, not for the savage.
Now march back to your cave and try again.
Comment by Pop Occulture — August 1, 2006 @ 1:14 pm
Wow, you guys are still going at this, huh?
Saab, you sure have a lot to say - how come you don’t keep a blog of your own? I would be interested in reading it if you did.
One thing that honestly does get me about your work: how come you seem to spend all your time promoting one book you wrote around ten years ago when you could be putting out new and better work every day?
Comment by Saab Lofton — August 1, 2006 @ 3:49 pm
“How come you seem to spend all your time promoting one book you wrote around ten years ago when you could be putting out new and better work every day?”
Go back and RE-read the Introduction of Battle Neverending–particularly the last page or so … Class consciousness …
Comment by Pop Occulture — August 1, 2006 @ 8:10 pm
Go back and read my comment and actually answer the question.
Comment by Saab Lofton — August 2, 2006 @ 9:17 am
No, YOU go back and read the Intro. It clearly states that one cannot do a thing until and unless one can first AFFORD a thing. That’s class consciousness. Again the difference between someone who’s spoiled enough not to have to worry about the bills every month and someone who’s fighting to survive.
I get this all the time. People who think all one has to do in life is pull one’s bootstraps or believe in one’s self or walk ten miles to school a la Abraham Lincoln, etc. It takes two things to do anything in life, desire and the means, and if you’re lacking in either, you’re hosed.
Amerikkka’s greatest sin is telling the masses that an overabundance of desire will somehow magically compensate for a lack of means. This is the exact OPPOSITE of the lesson Scrooge learned in Dickens’ A Christmas Carol and it serves ONE function: To let the rich/powerful off the hook. That way, the rich can continue to water ski behind yachts and the military can continue to build WW III nukes RATHER THAN TO fund the arts.
As I said in the Intro, one cannot write if one has to work a union job for minimum wage and give half of what one makes to a landlord and the other half to a grocer just to survive. Since you’re so concerned, let me say I’m in that unfortunate position. It’s P-O-V-E-R-T-Y. Read about it.
Comment by Saab Lofton — August 2, 2006 @ 9:49 am
I don’t know how to say this, but I’m really sorry for being such an ignorant, peevish, megalomaniacial, self righteous, pseudo intelligent assmaster. I just read over the entire thread and realized that I haven’t satisfactorally answered one question that anybody posed towards me AT ALL. Everything I said can be summed up with a couple phrases… “I know you are but what am I” and “well, you’re a doody head.” All I did was choose one or two words and react to them with some unrelated crap that I’m angry about in the world.
That’s what I’ve come to realize… that I’m not mad at Tim for his review of my book. I secretly know it sucks. I’m mad at the world. And I’m taking it out on you and accusing you all of being spoiled even though I don’t even know any of you. Wow, I feel like a dick.
And you know, I was looking at my homepage on my website this morning, just like I do every morning - and I was just gazing at that picture of me… I realized that I’m not that cool looking black activist that gets white guys to hold bullhorns for me anymore. Maybe I never was. I’m just a fucking douchebag that trolls around on internet sites making crazy claims based on my illusions of grandeur. I sure can dish it out, but I can’t take it.
I need help : (
Sorry Amerikka.
Comment by Pop Occulture — August 2, 2006 @ 12:24 pm
Saab, I’m going to tell you a story about class consciousness and I hope it makes you realize how futile it is to run around making assumptions of people based on the color of their skin. But I have a feeling it will be completely lost on you.
In any event, I regret to inform you that I am not the wealthy white person you believe me to be. When I was a kid, my parents were on welfare. We ate very gross strange food because of it. I remember many Christmases being given toys from “Toys for Tots” type donation programs. We were anything but rich.
I was lucky enough to get into college (art school) thanks to some very good scholarships. And by “lucky enough”, I mean that I worked hard to get good grades and put together a solid art portfolio (all while working a job and saving money). Unfortunately, my scholarships did not cover the complete cost of college and my parents were unable to help me pay for it.
Consequently, I realized I could not both work full time to pay for college and stay in college. I dropped out after only one year and found a job. I taught myself to work with computers and build websites. It was only through this self-teaching that I was able to get a decent job. Even still, I have never made more than $12/hr at any job I have had.
That said, throughout all the years that I have had full-time employment, I have spent virtually ALL of my free-time working on my own websites, developing my art and becoming a better writer. It has not been easy and certainly noone has handed me anything.
I am now, after years of struggling though, at a point where the quality of my writing and my business savvy have enabled me to live off of my work. I am certainly not living handsomely and am only barely making ends meet with my bills. But I am out there and I am doing it.
And I have done every little bit of it myself. My parents didn’t help me. College didn’t help me. Noone handed me anything. What I did was I stopped complaining, stopped seeing myself as an oppressed victim of society, stopping being defensive and literally worked my ass off - sometimes writing as much as 12 hours a day or more. I don’t think any of that makes me some kind of hero or superstar, but it does prove to me that what you’re saying about class consciousness is bullshit. That’s not what prevents you from being a better writer - you prevent you, because you believe you’re not being given the opportunity be a better writer. But guess what - noone is going to give you the opportunity to do or be anything. You have to create it, you have to take it. Like Gandhi said - you have to be the change you want to see in the world. And that is a lot more difficult than sitting around defending why you can’t change or grow - I know this first hand.
One more point about class consciousness that you would be well to consider. Remember how we met? In case this has been lost on you, you were interested in renting the room that I was currently staying in. That means that both you and I have roughly the same amount of money, that we can afford the same housing and would seek out similar living situations. And yet you continue to cling to this idea that a wide gulf separate the two of us because I criticized your work for not being all it could be. Nevermind the fact that you ignored *all* the good things I said about really liking your core ideas and that I think you’re doing some interesting stuff.
Before you blast off an indignant response to this latest comment of mine, I would ask you to wait a while and think about it. Go over what I have said and the stories I have shared with you about my personal experiences. Take some time away from this long-running argument, come back maybe in a few days or next week and see if you and I perhaps aren’t so different after all. Because I very much see myself in you, whether or not you’re able to do the same with me.
Comment by Saab Lofton — August 2, 2006 @ 1:48 pm
Comment 51 wasn’t from me, it was from an imposter who clearly ain’t done shit in their life so whoever-the-fuck it is is riding on the coat tails of my good name since putting their own name won’t hold any water.
And Tim, any hard luck story of yours is going to PALE in comparison to those of the so-called Third World, so don’t bother, it woN’T help your case. In fact, saying shit like “Noone handed me anything. What I did was I stopped complaining, stopped seeing myself as an oppressed victim of society, stopping being defensive and literally worked my ass off - sometimes writing as much as 12 hours a day or more” only proves my point.
Tell it to the victims of Amerikkka’s foreign policy. Tell it to the victims of capitalism and the “stop complaining” crowd, but don’t waste time telling it to me–I’ve heard it too many times before.
Comment by Pop Occulture — August 2, 2006 @ 2:37 pm
Well you obviously haven’t taken it to heart. Someday maybe a better person than I will be able to break through your armor! Good luck! And may you find all the success you’re looking for.
Comment by Alex Templeton — August 7, 2006 @ 8:23 pm
It seems that a man seeking social justice and exposure to the embedded and institutionalized racism walks a tough road.
Saab, is a profound and brave man who wishes to characterize his ambitious message and write like he lives his life, in a barrage of analogous animation, he is an icon among liberal and progressive thinkers.
Having known a little about his history and befriending his brother, it is no surprise that he scrutinze the Guantanemo Bay faction and political mistranslation of the relations of his native land and Neo-conservatives that are so often found in mainstream press.
Anyone who is really offended by his elicit and sharp rhetoric and his relentless research and outlook on racism, is most likely battling out their own racism within themselves.
If he were a Dave Chapelle, it would be like a cross between the Daily Show, Good Times and Bowling for Colombine.
Saab’s battle is neverending, as is our struggle against this Administrations sentiments that trickle down into society; police no longer have to give warning to enter a house with warrant, feeding homeless is becoming illegal,
This writer should have a home, but he chooses the way of the pen, not the sword, his home should be with a swollen head of a man like that Tim Fellow, who I would wager, hasn’t made a difference in any of his critique’s I’ve read thus far.
In Solidarity,
Alex Templeton
Comment by Jennifer Emick — August 16, 2006 @ 5:42 am
offended by his elicit and sharp rhetoric and —
Nah, I think what offends people is his whining, his paranoia & delusions of grandeur, and his seeming conviction that having an atitude somehow makes him the savior of the opressed. In short, he’s an asshole.
Comment by Saab Lofton — August 16, 2006 @ 6:35 am
Jeez, Jennifer, do you want to go out with me or something? Why else would you be so worried about me? There hasn’t been a post on here since Aug. 7th, a cease fire has been declared, but you just HAD to put something. Who the hell do you think YOU’RE saving the world from by STILL going on about my supposed ego? You’re SOOO fucking worried about me offending people–who exactly am I offending? A bunch of spoiled whites who have the luxury to sit by a computer in the First World and be SOOO fucking concerned about my ego when THERE ARE REAL PROBLEMS OUT THERE THAT DESERVE YOUR ATTENTION!!
If y’all were as offended by Bush/Cheney’s Human rights violations than y’all clearly are by my supposed ego, then the world would be a much better place. And just ask Amnesty International, the ACLU, ANSWER, etc. how “paranoid” I am, princess …
Comment by Saab Lofton — August 16, 2006 @ 6:46 am
If y’all were as offended by Bush/Cheney’s Human rights violations AS y’all clearly are by my supposed ego, THAT’s what I meant to say … see? If I was truly egotistical, I’d never admit to a mistake.
And “whining”? It’s called talkin’ shit about the powerFUL, you should try it sometime–instead of picking on the powerLESS! What did I tell yo’ ass about the difference between David and Goliath?!
Comment by Saab Lofton — August 16, 2006 @ 7:15 am
http://www.commondreams.org/views06/0815-20.htm
http://www.commondreams.org/views06/0815-30.htm
Comment by Pop Occulture — August 16, 2006 @ 1:39 pm
Saab, I’m happy to have you post relevant links in comments, but please do not post in entire copies of other people’s articles, as per my request above. Thanks!
Comment by Saab Lofton — August 16, 2006 @ 2:30 pm
Dude, I don’t want to hear it. I wish I’d never come by your place that day, I wish you’d never read Btl Nvrg, this is all your fault. What the fuck did you hope to gain by posting that review in the first fucking place, huh?! Jesus, find something that’s actually important to do! Picking on a black man who’s fighting for his very survival all because YOUR spoiled ass was bored! GAWD! Posting “other people’s articles” would at least have exposed your readers to the real world, to issues they could help solve, but that wouldn’t give you stuck-up, Risk-playing pricks something to snidely, smugly wax sarcastic about, huh?! Fucking bastards …
Comment by Khadija — August 16, 2006 @ 3:38 pm
Wow, you guys are really pissed off at Saab! That’s good, anyone who makes you uncomfortable is worth listening to. It’s the discomfort of White America (of which I am a member) that needs to take place to the point of people realistically thinkig about and owning up to what we have done collectively and perpetuated in our own nation and overseas. Get a grip people, this stuff is not made up. You go Saab!
Comment by Pop Occulture — August 16, 2006 @ 4:43 pm
Wow good times! Like I said, I’m happy to include whatever links you would like to post, as well as your friends and supporters. But I am trying to respect the copyrights of other authors who are trying to survive off their work. I’m sure you can understand that as an author. Keep up the good fight Saab! May we meet again as friends someday.
Comment by laura jane — August 24, 2006 @ 6:56 am
saab,
i think you make a lot of valid points and ultimately we have a lot of the same goals. one thing i would suggest to you, though, is to consider how some of your broad, blanket statements about “spoiled” white people may be EXTREMELY alienating to white people who are NOT spoiled, and that you may actually be inadvertantly hurting your cause! i can’t do anything about the fact that i was born white or that i’ve enjoyed certain privileges throughout my life, HOWEVER, the fact that i am white is not what DEFINES me as a human being. first and foremost, i am a thinking, feeling, emotional, spiritual being just like you, and it seems we share many of the same values… so i ask that you please understand how some of your comments, which seem to be directed at my demographic (which i was BORN INTO just as you were born with darker skin) are insulting. NO ONE should be made to feel ashamed of or guilty about where they come from, white or black, rich or poor. if you are seeking productive dialog, positive social change, and personal respect, i suggest you avoid making massive generalized statements about people based on their skin color. has it been your experience that EVERY white person you’ve ever come in contact with has been spoiled, classist, ignorant, racist? surely you have protested and worked alongside many great people of ALL skin colors? we are all just doing our best here on this shitty little planet, and at least a good number of us are trying to actually IMPROVE things for all of humanity.
take care.
Comment by Saab Lofton — August 31, 2006 @ 8:50 am
Laura, what do you hope to gain by pointing out the obvious? Those whites who are members of …
Amnesty International
the socialist/communist party
Pastors for Peace
Food Not Bombs
etc.
… don’t feel threatened by my supposedly blanket statements becauseTHEY KNOW exactly who I’m talking about and what I’m referring to. If I had to guess, I’d say your main concern is letting someone you know off the hook when helping those who are truly suffering should be your top and only priority–NOT making sure the spoiled of the First World don’t ever have their feelings hurt.
“NO ONE should be made to feel ashamed of or guilty about where they come from, white or black, rich or poor.”
This is the problem in a nut shell. Re-read Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. The whole point was for Scrooge to feel guilty over being rich so he’d get Tiny Tim some free, universal health care, period. By making this statement, you’re doing FOX News’ job for it …
One last thing, we are NOT all equal, some of us are more powerful than others and denying this only makes matters worse.
Comment by laura jane — September 1, 2006 @ 6:17 am
the whole point of a christmas carol was for scrooge to OPEN HIS HEART and to find the spirit of COMPASSION and allow GRACE to enter his life, to save his own soul through kindness AND to benefit those around him, especially unfortunate folks like tiny tim…. scrooge’s feelings of guilt are HARDLY the point of the story.
i attended QUAKER school from kindergarten through highschool and i have worked for and with MANY humanitarian organizations including amnesty, habitat for humanity, NION, the american friends service committee, and other smaller, more local charities and outreach programs… so your statement that whites who are involved in these programs wouldn’t find certain aspects of your diatribe to be offensive is INCORRECT.
your guess that my “main concern” is letting someone i know “off the hook” is entirely wrong. my main concern, as i stated initially, is that you are hurting your own cause and that you are encouraging MORE bad blood between the races and classes.
and where did i say anything about everyone being equal? i said that this planet sucks and that some of us are trying to make improvements.
Comment by Saab Lofton — September 1, 2006 @ 4:38 pm
I’m not “encouraging MORE bad blood” I’m pointing out that the Scrooges of the world–be they on FOX or on some blog–have an obligation to attack the powerFUL, NOT the powerLESS.
“OPEN HIS HEART and to find the spirit of COMPASSION and allow GRACE to enter his life” What are you, writing a Halmark Greeting Card?! Compassion and grace would NOT have paid any of Tiny Tim’s doctor bills!! NOR would pulling one’s self up by one’s bootstraps …
And again, those whites involved in the right causes wouldn’t be offended because they wouldn’t waste the time being offended! They know there are far more important things in life than to worry about whether or not I’m offending the spoiled and privileged. And pointing out how spoiled and privileged all too many whites are is factual, it’s NOT encouraging bad blood–though I’m sure spoiled whites would love for folks to think it is …
http://whiteprivilege.com/
Comment by Pop Occulture — September 4, 2006 @ 7:34 pm
Saab, you are certainly tenacious in your views and I very much appreciate that!
Comment by laura jane — September 6, 2006 @ 8:07 am
ahh, sweet double standards.
Comment by Saab Lofton — September 6, 2006 @ 11:24 am
What double standard? The double standard that says a man has to hold a door open for a woman but not the other way around?
Oh, I get it–the double standard that allows a black man to use the word nigger as a term of endearment but would get a white boy’s ass whupt if he said it … THAT double standard ..?!
“… and where did i say anything about everyone being equal?” Remember that shit? Well, you just said it with that last sarcastic comment about “sweet double standards”. WE ARE *NOT* EQUAL! There’s the powerFUL and there’s the powerLESS, and as much as you’d like to glide through life on a cloud of vapor Laura Jane, YOU HAVE GREAT POWER AND THEREFORE ALSO HAVE GREAT RESPONSIBILITY. That goes for anyone else in this country of all countries who’s white and pretty and at least lower middle class. GET OVER IT. Or count yourself as one of the enemy, your choice.
http://whiteprivilege.com/
Read and learn, people … it’s not like you’re going to get this on FOX–least not any time soon …
http://www.lasvegascitylife.com/articles/2004/02/04/scorched_earth/fear_no_evil/fearnoevil.txt
Black confessions
by Saab Lofton
Wednesday, February 04, 2004
Las Vegas CityLife
“That’s easy for you to say; you’re still on top. But what happens when you’re not on top — then what?”
–Apollo Creed, Rocky IV
They say confession is good for the soul. And since it’s Black History Month, I’ve decided to have this February act as a Catholic father confessor. So here goes …
Black confession No. 1: It’s never been about equality; it’s always been about respect.
In his book Death Blossoms, unjustly imprisoned journalist Mumia Abu-Jamal said blacks were at the bottom of every statistical indicator of social well-being and status. Whites, in contrast, are usually listed at the top of these indicators. Be it college graduation or the rate of incarceration, access to wealth or the state of one’s health, whites are far better off than blacks.
White-skin privilege isn’t always easy to define or perceive. I’ve worked long and hard on this, and have finally come up with just the right parable that’ll explain what to look for and how exactly it works:
Imagine Superman and Batman are on a mission together. Superman’s Kryptonian skin, of course, is impervious to fire and bullets, whereas Batman is a high-tech ninja — a mere mortal, nothing more. Now, imagine if there was a barrage of lasers being shot in their direction, and Superman said: “Batman, take point!”
Batman would be well within his rights to demand, “What the hell do you mean, take point, motherfucker? You’re the one who’s invulnerable!”
But then, what if Superman was inconsiderate and said: “Hey, I thought we were all equal”?
This would never happen because Superman has more sense than, say, my ex-roommate, who would claim that Bill Gates and a black homeless lesbian are equals. Were not all created equal, but that doesn’t mean we can’t treat each other with respect.
In the comics, Superman would’ve probably blocked the lasers with that barrel chest of his, while Batman snuck around the back and used his scientific genius to disable whatever mechanism was firing at them. To paraphrase Karl Marx: from each according to their ability, to each according to their needs.
One Saturday in September, I observed a very strange scene in the parking lot behind Café Espresso Roma. A bunch of white punk-rockers were taking a baseball bat to a truck; it was the vehicular equivalent of intentionally tearing holes in your blue jeans in order to look hip. Anyway, it wasn’t long before the cops showed up to see what all the ruckus was about, which was understandable. What’s inexcusable, however, was how William Fulton — a young brother with dreads — was the only one stopped and questioned by the police that night, even though he never held the bat.
After the cops left Fulton alone, I tried to explain to the punks how their white-skin privilege got their black friend in trouble — but they didn’t want to hear it.
No one should have to be powerful in order to live in peace. Professor Howard Zinn put it best in A People’s History of the United States : “Was [African] culture inferior — and so subject to easy destruction? Inferior in military capability, yes — vulnerable to whites with guns and ships. But in no other way — except that cultures that are different are often taken as inferior, especially when such a judgment is practical and profitable.”
Let’s put it in “Star Trek” terms: In the episode “Mirror, Mirror,” Captain Kirk asked the leaders of a planet if the Federation could mine dilithium crystals (starship fuel) on their planet and they said no. To wit, Kirk said whatever — and took off, without so much as throwing a middle finger.
The episode later showed how an evil version of the Federation from a parallel universe would’ve simply taken the crystals by force. (Can you say Halliburton?) The point is Gene Roddenberry was trying to show there’s a right way and a wrong way to deal with those weaker than you.
It’s a lesson the slavers were obviously never taught and one modern white America has yet to fully grasp.
One of my favorite examples of how blind whites can be to their societal privilege: In 1987, jazz great Miles Davis was invited to a reception at the White House. According to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia: “A Washington society lady, seated next to him, asked him what he had done to be invited. ‘Well,’ Davis replied, ‘I’ve changed music four or five times. What have you done of any importance other than be white?’”
If the lady learned something from her encounter with the late, great Davis, it’ll put her a quantum leap in front of those punk-rockers denting their truck.
Comment by Saab Lofton — September 8, 2006 @ 8:39 am
Where’s number seventy ..? And don’t give me any of that crap about copyright, I WROTE IT, I OWN THE RIGHTS TO IT!
Comment by Saab Lofton — September 8, 2006 @ 8:39 am
Never mind …
Comment by Saab Lofton — September 8, 2006 @ 8:40 am
Damn slow ass computers …
Comment by Pop Occulture — September 9, 2006 @ 12:48 pm
Goddammit! Will you chill the hell out for once! It’s posting. Jeesh! You spend more time on this website than I do!
Comment by Pop Occulture — September 9, 2006 @ 12:50 pm
I would sure like to find out which one of us you think spends all day watching Fox News!
Comment by Saab Lofton — September 9, 2006 @ 1:16 pm
I WAS chilled out until you posted this review. If you’d spent your audience, resources, etc. slamming FOX News and WHOEVER takes it seriously instead of picking on a poor black man trying to survive, I’d be chilled out–at least a lot more than I am now …
YOU threw the first punch, you started this, not I …
Again, you clearly don’t care about making the world a better place, if you did, you wouldn’t have written a review hurting someone who is and have been trying to make the world a better place their entire life–unlike FOX, who’s making it worse …
And being white, the odds are you’re more statistically likely to be friends with/related to some FOX News Republican than I am. We in the black community SHUN the few FOX News Republicans there are, DO YOU DO THE SAME or do you let them off the hook claiming “Oh, that’s just their difference of opinion, etc.” so you can have/waste more time slamming the likes of me ..?
Comment by Pop Occulture — September 9, 2006 @ 1:33 pm
Saab, I’m sorry your feelings were hurt by my review of your book. But the truth is, I just don’t think it was a good book. I have no problems with you as a person. I just think you have cool ideas, but that you need to beef up your writing skills. That isn’t some kind of criticism for you being “black” or “poor” or any of that shit you continually accuse me of.
The fact is, if you look at the date here on this original piece, it was posted on July 5th, which is over two months ago. I have very much moved on with my life and am continually working on new projects to expand my thinking and my writing skills in new directions. I hope you are doing the same, rather than simply nursing a wound which - if you’re so good and smart and important - shouldn’t have hurt that badly anyway.
I’m sorry I had to be the first person to apparently EVER give you criticism about your work and I hope that someday when you have moved past the perceived sleight and all the race/class notions that you hold so close to your heart as a shield against painful truth it seems, perhaps you will take something away from what I have said here and use it to grow as an artist.
I wish you no ill will whatsoever, but I do still adamantly think your book sucks. And don’t feel bad, because I think a lot of things suck - even Fox News! But that doesn’t mean I am “white” or “coddled” or “condescending” or that I have a “trust fund” or anything else. It simply means that I know what I like and feel comfortable sharing my opinions in the face of opposition. I wholeheartedly encourage you to write a better book (because I know you have both the ability and the energy - which is even more important) and I will not only be happy to buy and read it, but I will write glowing reviews of it from here to Kingdom Come!
Awaiting your angry reply,
Tim
Comment by Saab Lofton — September 9, 2006 @ 1:45 pm
This is exactly what I’m talking about. The time/energy it took to claim I need to beef up a damn thang could’ve been spent going after the enemy–that is, if you even consider FOX News the enemy …
And in fact you ARE the only motherfucker who claims there’s something wrong with Btl Nvrg. Oh, I’m sure your sarcasm choir will chime in out of sheer, coy spite alone to back you up (thus wasting all the more time/energy which could be directed at the enemy as someone SPOILED would do), but that STILL doesn’t change the fact that it’s endorsed by a legend in the Civil Rights Movement, it’s in its third printing, I’m almost out of copies and you yourself have yet to do so well! So kiss my ass, suck my dick and take a New Jack swiiiiinnnnnnnnnnnnng off my nuts ..!
How’s that for an angry reply, motherfucker?! “Ill will”? The minute you posted the review you meant me ill will.
Comment by Pop Occulture — September 9, 2006 @ 4:53 pm
Well, you’ve more than shown your true nature here, Saab. Good luck with that attitude in the world. Consider this conversation over.