We Wanted To Slam Dance On It’s Grave
This clip really took me back. I wasn’t at this particular show, but plenty like it. It was 1990-era and a little crossover genre of funk-rap-rock was being invented. We were so ready for the future.
To see a black or mixed rock band play loud hip-hop songs while a mixed crowd slam danced without a single fight (or mean tweet!)…. I remember thinking that this was an example of the end of racism in america…. I was a Fishbone soldier, still am, will always be! #FuckRacism.
But damn, 30 years later, where have we gotten? This opportunity presented? What has all of our technology gotten us? Progress was TRUMPED.
Why aren’t bands like Follow For Now and Fishbone and Living Colour and 24-7 Spyz and Bad Brains and Sinister Dane celebrated as beacons of hope and trendsetters?
I know I love and cherish all those bands. I play them every week. I hope they continue to get royalties from my many streams.
I would have been 18-19 in that crowd. Optimistic as fuck. For the world, for racism in america, and for my chances at hanging out with a young lady that night.
We were killing that evil beast RACISM that I grew up with. I saw it in the neighborhood, in my extended family, even occasionally in my direct family. It was satan himself.
But our music … It was intoxicating to feel the power of doing something new. Zep was great but it wasn’t this.
And it wasn’t a white-only problem. My mixed group of friends had prejudices and biases going all directions. So did their parents. So did the neighbor man, the post lady, etc.. It’s all of us. Stop assuming and making an ass out of yourself. Another old school saying is true.
If judging is your thing, judge people by damn-near anything else but the color of their skin. That’s so unreliable. The horribleness is the ignorance of thinking it works that way.
I am not, and never will be, too old to slam dance on racism’s grave. Police reform and non-violent protocols will help but it’s going to take all of us wanting to make it history by exposing and rejecting any instance of institutional racism.
I’ve lived a few different places around america now, around different financial and racial groups. I’ve seen and lived around some pretty horrible violence, from the citizenry and the police. I’ve also seen good people all over.
I currently maintain my hope for us. It’s our ridiculous lying president that sets the example we all stoop to.
There needs to be more transparency, more investigation, less blue-shield bullshit when something goes wrong to win back over the community. The sheriff’s should hire a better caliber of person, and dismiss bad cops sooner…. like before they kill someone.
It should never be forgotten that the voters pay for the police and can demand the police serve their needs. Militarizing is a bad look that does nothing but erode confidence in the police. Privatizing is also a very bad move. Cops should be like city council members with a nightstick, a taser, a camera, and a radio. They need to be accountable to all voters.