BLACK POWER

So people, my GOREALER blog got picked up by an online magazine called BlackPower.com

It goes live next week, check it out.

gorealer

Everything is Everything

EVOLUTION WARS

The battle of Science (Evolution) vs. Religion (Creationism) is heating up faster than a cup of water on a bonfire.
It is really hard for me to remain unbiased in this debate. I guess I am no journalist.
I find it hard to believe that after all of what science has given us in this world, there are some that would really want an alternative to evolution taught in schools.
I am by far no Atheist. I have a fundamental issue with Atheism as much as I do with conventional Religiosity. Is there a divine creator? I just don't know, plain and simple. And there is no one on this planet that can, without a doubt, prove to me that there is or there isn't. So we are left with speculation and faith, basically what organized Religion (specifically Christianity, Judaism and Islam) is comprised of. While on the other hand Science, defined in the dictionary as "The observation, identification, description, experimental investigation, and theoretical explanation of phenomena", is based on trial and error experimentation.
A religious person will say, "I have faith that the sun will rise tomorrow", while a scientist will say "based on the frequency of previous sunrises, I am 99% sure the sun will rise tomorrow".
Of course there are things that the science cannot prove away. But Science is ok with admitting that. Our perception of the world is taken in only by five senses and a brain that functions on maybe 10-12 percent capacity. But I am a little skeptical of replacing science with an ideology that was used to explain why the sun rose thousands of years ago. It also baffles me that we are even having this conversation in 2008.
In Matthew Alpers book, "The God part of the Brain", he states that "our concepts of spirit and God are derived from the mechanics of our brain" and that is shown in the fact that every civilization on earth since the beginning of man has had some concept of a God or gods.
In other words the human brain isn't happy with things it cannot understand so we find reason either through science or religion.
In this age of information at our finger tips there seems to me at last a shift in how people are thinking. The heating up of this debate is in kind due to the information evolution we seem to be in. There is a desire to seek out the truth in every instance. Ones opinion doesn't count for much anymore. If your father says, "this is the way this works" you can quickly go on the internet, find some facts and refute it.
This excerpt from Waking Life describes this evolution maybe a little less clearer but extremely thorough:

Regarding the presence of an intelligent designer or God, all I have is my opinion and I'll share it with you. But it is just MY opinion.
I grew up going to church quite often, sometime 3-4 days/nights a week. Also I went to an all boys Catholic Junior High and High School. I've been in passion plays and the subject of God and belief is scattered throughout my work. Therefore I think I know the bible pretty well.
Like a lot of people in my age group, I now have a problem with organized religion and unrelenting faith. I feel it does more harm in the world than good. There is something fatalistic and unrealistic about there needing to be an ultimate good and an ultimate evil and a final battle between the two at the end. Every action movie is based on that ideal and even our political process and policy decisions are based on that. Heroes and Villains. I think the world is much more complicated than that. The problem with religion is that it limits God. Whatever religious fundamentalists don't stand for or dislike is explained away as not coming from God. The God I would understand there to be is more infinite than math, wider than the entire universe. For me God is everything's connection to everything else, a quilt so to speak and each microbe of us a stitch within that quilt. But hey, whatever you need to get through the day right?
Let's just not hinder ours or our children's ability to search for truth.

This is an excerpt from a speech by the late Carl Sagan:

"We have a theology that is Earth-centered and involves a tiny piece of space, and when we step back, when we attain a broader cosmic perspective, some of it seems very small in scale. And in fact a general problem with much of Western theology in my view is that the God portrayed is too small. It is a god of a tiny world and not a god of a galaxy, much less of a universe.
Now, we can say, "Well, that's just because the right words weren't available back when the first Jewish or Christian or Islamic holy books were written." But clearly that's not the problem; it is certainly possible in the beautiful metaphors in these books to describe something like the galaxy and the universe, and it isn't there. It is a god of one small world, a problem, I believe, that theologians have not adequately addressed.
I don't propose that it is a virtue to revel in our limitations. But it is important to understand how much we do not know; there is a tiny amount that we do. But what we do understand brings us face to face with an awesome cosmos that is simply different from the cosmos of our pious ancestors.
Does trying to understand the universe at all betray a lock of humility? I believe it is true that humility is the only just response in a confrontation with the universe, but not a humility that prevents us from seeking the nature of the universe we are admiring. If we seek that nature, then love can be informed by truth instead of being based on ignorance or self-deception. If a Creator God exists, would He or She or It or whatever the appropriate pronoun is, prefer a kind of sodden blockhead who worships while understanding nothing? Or would He prefer His votaries to admire the real universe in all its intricacy? I would suggest that science is, at least in part, informed worship. My deeply held belief is that if a god of anything like the traditional sort exists, then our curiosity and intelligence are provided by such a god. We would be unappreciative of those gifts if we suppressed our passion to explore the universe and ourselves. On the other hand, if such a traditional god does not exist , then our curiosity and our intelligence are the essential tools for managing our survival in an extremely dangerous time. In either case the enterprise of knowledge is consistent surely with science; it should be with religion, and it is essential for the welfare of the human species."

time stops for no one so gorealer to the future

Freedom Lights

Forget the Freedom Tower.

Judging by the state of the economy right now by the time the new tower is erected there won't be any banks left to occupy it.

If they really wanted to honor the dead they'd turn that entire space into a park and let the lights forever shine.

And don't parade the families out there every year to read off the over 3000 names of the dead.

It is very bad taste.

Just my opinion.

gorealer

Paradox of the Urban Cliche

So Im having my workshop reading of my epic poetic one-man play. I'd love it if you could make it.

muMs
ONE NIGHT ONLY!
Saturday, October 4th@ 7pm

The Hip-Hop Theater Festival presents a workshop reading of The Paradox of the Urban Cliche

Written and Performed by Craig "muMs" Grant
Directed by Sarah Sidman

Augustus Jefferson Caesar, his block proper name Ceez,
almost unseen, learns the hard way,
the disciplines of love and responsibility
amongst the broken glass and white tees
of his known universe: the block.

@ New York Theater Workshop's 4th Street Theater, 83 East 4th Street

Tickets $10
www.hhtf.org
Call 718-497-4282

The War on Stupidity

Hurricane IKE smacked Texas around like her name was Tina.
Ok I know that was in bad taste. That's why I waited over a week to say it. It's funny though.
I was watching Bill Maher last night and he held up a picture similar to this and said that if this were a terrorist act we would be losing our collective American shit. I agree. the point he was making is that we are obsessed with needing to protect ourselves from some man hiding in a cave half way around the world but there still are people who don't believe in global warming.

Then the whole deal with Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, Merrill Lynch, AIG, Bear Sterns and Leman Brothers... Not sure what all this means except for the economy is in the shitter. I've heard it said that this all the fault of a lot of people who took sub- prime loans and couldn't pay their mortgages. I've heard it's George Bush's fault for his "Ownership Society" program. And I've also heard it was Alan Greenspan's fault. Who knows. But that is an American trait. There always has to be someone to blame. From every American movie ever made to Christianity, there always needs to be the bad guy to absorb the blame for all the evil in the world.
Stupid.
But maybe it's nature trying to tell us something. Last Thursday a Bull was spotted running loose in Queens. The Police have no idea where it came from. LOL.

After the War on Terror, which is predicted to cost us 2.4 trillion over the next 10 years (that's over 21g's per American household) a bailout for Wall Street of 700 billion kind of blows my mind. There are still people in New Orleans waiting in the their FEMA trailers for checks to pay for the repairs on their houses.
Check out our National Debt nearing 10 trillion dollars.

But Barack Obama is a muslim and Sarah Palin has Foreign Affairs experience because she can see Russia from her house. Stupid!

"Why is this race even close?" A man of intellect might ask himself. This country is made up of idiots. Yeah I said it. People like Ann Coulter and James David Manning and the fools who listen to these nuts comparing Barack Obama to Hitler.

The Republicans demonize Barack Obama for his intellect by calling him elite, while Sarah Palin is felt sorry for because she can't handle herself when asked hard questions. The people buy it, hook line and sinker. We, as a country have a problem.
Forget the War on Drugs and the War on Terror. There needs to be a War on Stupidity. But that war would cause a financial crisis for the top 10% that feed on the bottom 90%. That is why there are less and less books in schools and teacher salaries rival the salaries of the guys who brings you hot dogs at Yankee games.
Intelligent people would ask how is it that a man in a cave could orchestrate such a bold and tragic operation like 9/11 on the greatest country on earth. Stupid people just sit back and accept what they were told.
It is clear that, as a people, we are NOT encouraged to think. Between texting, television, ipods and so on, the wool can be pulled over our eyes so easily and the moment anybody questions anything he/she is called crazy. So I don't blame the Republicans for their tactics in trying to get John McCain elected. They know, and have accepted the fact that the American People as a whole are not that bright and, intellect-forbid, they will be smiling all the way to the White House.

eh, I'll be in Paris
GoRealer

How to live Right, straight down the middle leaning a bit to the Left.

Politics Schmolitics...

Ok I'm not going to act like I don't switch from MSNBC to CNN to FOX news and back every time I sit down to relax in front of the T.V. I love sports but in the middle of a game or a tennis match I'll switch over to Olbermann or O'rielly to see who said what. When I'm out I over hear people in restaurants and bars and on the street, talking Barack this and McCain that.... It's ceaseless.
For the past three weeks, since the lead up to the Democratic Convention, we, the American public, have been inundated with political rhetoric from every media angle. I watch it all. I am hooked I tell you. It is the best theater. I have my favorites and the ones I love to hate, not that I love any of them really.

I am a big fan of-the Conservatives are the worst people in the world- Countdown show with Keith Olbermann. I also like Chris Matthews and Joe Scarborough. Complete talking out of both sides of their mouth idiots. And of course you cannot have any type of Punditry without the likes of Hannity and Colmes (or shall I say The Hannity and Pussy show) and the man himself, Bill O'reilly. Don't worry about hating Bill O'reilly because he already hates your liberal whacko ass. oooh I love to hate him the most. I kinda get off on watching Fox news because it is a reminder of how intellectually shrimpish a big portion of America is.

I have to admit that, while I am a supporter of Barack Obama (I just think he's exactly what the times needs as an American President and the brother in me is overjoyed) I was a little annoyed by the pageantry of the Democratic Convention.

"Does he really need the Greek Columns"? I said quietly to myself as I watched his electrifying and brilliant speech. It just seemed a bit much. But what the hell if all his speeches are like that when he becomes president, he can have all the greek columns he wants.

The Clintons, for as much as they were praised for getting behind the party, both seemed just a wee bit bitter. Understandable though. I'm not sure Hillary wants to wait until 2016 get a chance at being president again.


But my utter disgust of all this political shmutz came with the Republican Convention. I felt as if I had swallowed year old milk. The taste in my mouth was that bad. Rudolph Giuliani is a self-serving buffoon trying to get himself a cabinet position in the McCain/ Palin administration. He is about as transparent as air. He's going to wake up one day to a gaggle of community organizers ready to organize an ass-kick in. And I love John Stewart's comparison of Fred Thomspon and Joseph Lieberman with Foghorn Leghorn and Droopy-dog. Funny as hell.
check it out:
Daily Show 9.3

Just watching that Convention gave me chills. Now this might not describe all Republicans but the fact that people who have such a narrowminded idea of religion and a desperate need for guns might run our country scares me into a one way ticket to Paris for the next four years. (and why do the Republicans hate the French so much so that they are the butt of their jokes? didn't the French give us the statue of Liberty?)
Smart people know it is all a show. Politicians will say just about anything to get elected. But who were these people in the crowd with their strange hats and American Flags and McCain/Palin and Obama/Biden signs? Who are these political fanatics? It's just not that deep for me. I mean I'll donate some dough and pull the lever in November. That is all I can do. I don't really see the purpose of getting arrested outside of the RNC because you lost it on some close-minded right to lifer.

It's not like these people are really going to stop for a second and consider the others ideology, like yes it is a horrible thing when abortion is used as birth control and girls are having 3 and 4 and 5 abortions in their lifetime or that telling a woman what to do with her body is taking away the personal freedom and responsibility that defines our country. It's not like if you demonstrate outside the DNC you'll get across the message that one can believe in God and the Big Bang theory both at the same time.
you just live your life the way you see it and don't impose your shit on others. easy.
But somebody has to be in charge. So the politicians fit us all into little voting blocks to craft perfectly specific lines in speeches that capture our attention and votes. We're either Libral or Conservative. But it goes way deeper than that. Maybe you're a social conservative and are pro-life even in the case of incest or rape like the Republican nominee for Vice President Sarah Palin; Or maybe you're a Cultural Conservative and think that we should teach Creationism in the schools, silence Britney Spears and rid our libraries and Barnes and Nobles of every copy of Tropic of Cancer in existence. Maybe you're a Conservative Liberal and believe every man should have rights except for illegal aliens from Mexico. Or you're a Liberal Conservative who is pro-life except for when your daughter gets knocked-up by Malik. There are Moderate liberals, radical moderates, ultraconservatives, ultraliberals, Reagan democrats, Clinton Republicans, blacks, gays, hispanics... the list of boxes we all seem to fit in is endless.
I know that every time the Grand Ole Party (GOP) and John McCain speak about earmarks or pork-belly spending more than half of the American population has no clue what he's talking about. Hell, I glanced past some dumb MTV reality show yesterday and there was teenage kid on who couldn't count past one thousand nine. He get there and say, "ten thousand? what? I don't know why do I need to know"? This might be elitist but there are some really fucking dumb people in this country.

Barack Obama graduated magna cum laude from Harvard Law. This might be leading a little left on my part but it would be nice to have a politician in office that comedians would have a hard time making fun of.
It would be nice to have a president who not only understands the internet but uses it like I do. It's not a lot to ask for.
Don't get me wrong I like john McCain. I think he is a true American Hero and a nice gentleman. I stopped laughing at his stiffness when I realized it was because he couldn't raise his arms above his shoulders due to the treatment he received in Vietnam. we all know the story I guess by now. His plane was shot down by the North Vietnamese and he was held captive by them for five years. When offered to be released he refused because there were other who had been there longer. wow. what a story. give that man a medal. President Obama give that man a medal, please.
anyway...

Yes, McCain has been through some difficult times. But when Michele Obama was attacked for saying that this the first as an adult she has ever felt proud of her country, she could have fought back and given her example of hard times that all black people born before 1980 have felt.
I read an article about Michelle Obama in her first year at Princeton about how her roommate's mother was up in arms and irate because her daughter would have to room with a black person. Mrs. Obama could have brought this story up as an example of what she meant when she made that statement but instead she played the political game, tell the people what they want to hear and don't frighten them. The perfect model laid down for back people by Will Smith for the last 10 years.
yes that is the political game. they will say anything that will make us stop and listen and then vote. lies? who really knows. all I know is watching Barack Obama speak I feel that this is a man who is trying his best within this political game to be honest with me. I feel he has the intelligence to make the right decision or seek out the right counsel. I think because he is young and has young daughters that he has a progressive outlook for the future of this country. I think the world will not just like him but respect him and in turn us.
I am not Liberal nor Conservative or maybe I am both. I do know that I am a futurist and like my friend Julian's father puts it an Obamista!!

gorealer to the Future

The Black President, FELA Off-Broadway

Ok, I know I have NOT blogged in a while. I was writing. I tricked myself into finishing a one-man play that I started writing 10 years ago with no idea of what it was going to be. I submitted it to my theater company's Intensive without giving it too much thought. When it was picked to be presented I got worried. I would have to finish it and well, I did, and presented it. I got some great feedback and notes on how to polish it up and clarify some points. So yeah, the play is called the Paradox of the Urban Cliche. I'm having a reading at the Hip-Hop Theater Festival on Oct 4th @7:30p and then if I am diligent enough in February it will be housed at Lincoln Center and after that we'll see.
Oh and I had a crazy beautiful time up in Vermont for two weeks with the Labyrinth Theater Company watching 40 wonderful plays, drinking, smoking, flirting with beautiful women and looking up at the stars... oh and playing volleyball. a time to be had for sure. especially for an artist. it was an emotional cleanse. plus I presented two plays.
The day I got back from Vermont I had audition for L&O and I booked that f***ker! excuse my french but decent paying acting gigs have been quite elusive as of late.

anyway...

My good friend and dope photographer Monique Carboni had an extra ticket for me to see Fela this past Friday night at 37 arts. I almost didn't make it with all that crazy hurricane force rain that was coming down but I'm glad I did because the show was frickin amazing! If you're on facebook check out some of her pics from the show here. I grew up listening to Fela just like a lot of my readers and friends but I never knew his life story, his relationship with his mother, his struggles with the Nigerian military.

I was mesmerized by this show, the storytelling was incredible. and of course the music, the sound design blew me away! I don't want to give anything away but at one point during the play where you think the music is at the level it's supposed to be, it just gets louder and you are almost forced out of your seat. and the voice of the mother is near angelic. The brilliant Bill T. Jones directed and the lead who played Fela, Sahr Ngaujah, will make you think that you just got great seats to a real Fela concert. Plus it's brought to you by the people who brouhgt you Passing Strange on Bway.
They're in previews right now but the show is only running through Sept. 21st so make sure you see it before then. It might go to Broadway but by then the prices will be through the roof and it already isn't cheap.

say, yeah yeah
gorealer