One has to be thankful for all stimuli! This current situation of Councillor Mary-Margret McMahon against Afrofest is a perfect example. Her deeply racist behavior had her hiding behind 8, EIGHT complaints about this ‘noisy’ festival! EIGHT! So in her best judgement, her only course of action was to punish 100,000 people from attending on the 2nd day by making it a one day event!!! 8 against 100,000????? This 'rational' individual is the councillor in that area of the city.
Her other cowardly, racist act was to hide behind “several yearly violations to the city noise ordinance!” That one always makes many of us black people smile and laugh at times at their / her pathetic, ‘covert’ racism. Huge secret, same sound company that does the Jazz Festival services Afrofest! Another secret, EVERYONE likes their music LOUD at a festival or concert! But not so loud that it wrecks the party. We fans love it loud yet like to hear the lyrics, the bass, the drum / s, the horn sections separated yet syncopated so it can’t be offensively loud! We want to dance and have fun! But not to the racist! They hate black folks and their music so much that any playing of it is too loud! Well in that case lady, just stay away! Don’t go where you can hear our celebration! Stay in your rigid safe world and stay out of human, spiritual celebration. It is certainly not your scene.
The decibel level of Afrofest is nowhere that of KISS or many heavy metal bands still performing today.
This is in fact the subliminal policing of the black race, letting us know that they have the power to not only have us turn the sound down, in an attempt to kill the vibe but also to let us know that they can always take the festival / any festival away from us on a whim (Who remembers Caribana?). Don’t fool yourselves into thinking that their “message” wasn’t sent. They are still our decision makers. They tell us when to party, where to party and how loud to play our music. Fuck her! Her scrawny racist ass should hold no power over a culture that she hates. You can bet she WARNED the committee that this is “their last chance to comply” like she really gives a shit about the festival! This is our Canadian “government”. These people “govern” me / us!
Another example is that moron, City Councillor Jim Karygiannis, who is doing a back-slide on his statements about Beyone’s dancers’ costumes supporting the Black Panther movement. His idea was to ban Bey from coming to Toronto! THAT is hilarious! And there are no repercussions from the Prime Minister's or the Mayor’s offices for this idiot’s blatant racism! He won’t lose his job...he won’t even be reprimanded for the act because he is just another of this racist culture. One of many!
Let us discuss what the Black Panthers represent to black people. They want us to focus on the “violence” part of the Panther movement which for us is a source of pride: black people standing up against white supremacy, teaching defense of self to black children worldwide (I know that is dangerous in white world making black people think that they have power). Did this idiot not see the civil rights movement in the US in the 60s to the 70s where german sheppard dogs, high powered water hoses and police batons were turned on hundreds of thousands of innocent black people? The Black Panther movement made racist authorities think twice about attacking certain neighborhoods for a time. That’s what the Panthers mean to many of us. We were proud that Beyonce shows a level of consciousness in her art to bring that black pride forward, at the most watched event in North American world, the Superbowl! Beyonce Knowles should be applauded for her intelligence and self pride Mr. Kasrygiannis! But your racist ass would not know that.
The other aspect of that is that I didn’t even cast a second thought about their uniforms as I was watching the halftime show. I found out the next day that Councillor Kasrygiannis had an issue with the costumes. Two different worlds through two different set of eyes. To me it was cool costuming and an entertaining halftime show. Even today it stirs no feelings for me or any other black person to riot in violent support of the Panther movement. It was just costumes, dance and entertainment. This racist Kasrygiannis made it out to be something else.
Afrofest is a deeply cultural and spiritual experience for people with open minds and open hearts of all races, creeds and colors. It is by far the most so called ‘multicultural’ (detest that word / term) event in Canada today, pulling thousands of guests for twenty-seven (27) years. It isn’t just about black people if McMohan took the time to attend the festival. It is a family festival that is loved by all races.
As a matter of common decency, she should be made to make a public apology to the people of Toronto on the main stage of the festival this coming year. On both days!
She is a microcosm of Canadian government. There are MANY more like her!
Councillor Mary Margret McMahon should still be investigated as a racist public official in my humble opinion but folks will be so happy that the festival is back to a two (2) day thing, so this piece of crap individual will be forgotten about. Yet there are patterns in life and we will see her again I'm pretty sure!
There is also a real upside to her racist act. I can lay bets that this year’s Afrofest will have its greatest attendance so thank you McMahon for the financial boost that you have provided to the coffers of the festival as well as to the city of Toronto.
I had a conversation with a high ranking City official about why there is such a disconnect to black music, black culture and more closely to my work, reggae music and my answer to this person was “n*gger fear”! He knew exactly what I meant! Not that he could do much about it but I’m sure that he overstood my meaning. For those that do not get what that means, it is because you have zero interest in even hearing about it or exploring it. Racism works because it is a part of the fabric of Canada and those in power would prefer me and others to just accept our place in the large scheme of things.
“Heck, if you don’t like it, go back where you are from!” No thanks. I love Canada too but I do not have to love racism and I don’t and it is deep rooted into this culture. Folks are always asking me to “shut up” about it because they “are tired of hearing about it” yet I have no fucks to give about these people. I’m tired of living it! Daily! And expected to “accept my place”!
Well, the people have spoken. McMohan now has a target on her back! The people wrote tweets, retweeted, cried injustice in all kinds of social media to the offices of her and Mayor Tory. The people spoke! She was made to back down by the outpouring of support from many areas of the city, from all races of Toronto. Got to be proud of that aspect in Canada where some of us still want to believe in a democracy and one of the things that make many of us proud to be Canadian.
We should use “the people” more often for other important things like the treatment of our Native populations. The improvements we need there will not come from “government”, as it never has. It must come from “we the people”.
Her other cowardly, racist act was to hide behind “several yearly violations to the city noise ordinance!” That one always makes many of us black people smile and laugh at times at their / her pathetic, ‘covert’ racism. Huge secret, same sound company that does the Jazz Festival services Afrofest! Another secret, EVERYONE likes their music LOUD at a festival or concert! But not so loud that it wrecks the party. We fans love it loud yet like to hear the lyrics, the bass, the drum / s, the horn sections separated yet syncopated so it can’t be offensively loud! We want to dance and have fun! But not to the racist! They hate black folks and their music so much that any playing of it is too loud! Well in that case lady, just stay away! Don’t go where you can hear our celebration! Stay in your rigid safe world and stay out of human, spiritual celebration. It is certainly not your scene.
The decibel level of Afrofest is nowhere that of KISS or many heavy metal bands still performing today.
This is in fact the subliminal policing of the black race, letting us know that they have the power to not only have us turn the sound down, in an attempt to kill the vibe but also to let us know that they can always take the festival / any festival away from us on a whim (Who remembers Caribana?). Don’t fool yourselves into thinking that their “message” wasn’t sent. They are still our decision makers. They tell us when to party, where to party and how loud to play our music. Fuck her! Her scrawny racist ass should hold no power over a culture that she hates. You can bet she WARNED the committee that this is “their last chance to comply” like she really gives a shit about the festival! This is our Canadian “government”. These people “govern” me / us!
Another example is that moron, City Councillor Jim Karygiannis, who is doing a back-slide on his statements about Beyone’s dancers’ costumes supporting the Black Panther movement. His idea was to ban Bey from coming to Toronto! THAT is hilarious! And there are no repercussions from the Prime Minister's or the Mayor’s offices for this idiot’s blatant racism! He won’t lose his job...he won’t even be reprimanded for the act because he is just another of this racist culture. One of many!
Let us discuss what the Black Panthers represent to black people. They want us to focus on the “violence” part of the Panther movement which for us is a source of pride: black people standing up against white supremacy, teaching defense of self to black children worldwide (I know that is dangerous in white world making black people think that they have power). Did this idiot not see the civil rights movement in the US in the 60s to the 70s where german sheppard dogs, high powered water hoses and police batons were turned on hundreds of thousands of innocent black people? The Black Panther movement made racist authorities think twice about attacking certain neighborhoods for a time. That’s what the Panthers mean to many of us. We were proud that Beyonce shows a level of consciousness in her art to bring that black pride forward, at the most watched event in North American world, the Superbowl! Beyonce Knowles should be applauded for her intelligence and self pride Mr. Kasrygiannis! But your racist ass would not know that.
The other aspect of that is that I didn’t even cast a second thought about their uniforms as I was watching the halftime show. I found out the next day that Councillor Kasrygiannis had an issue with the costumes. Two different worlds through two different set of eyes. To me it was cool costuming and an entertaining halftime show. Even today it stirs no feelings for me or any other black person to riot in violent support of the Panther movement. It was just costumes, dance and entertainment. This racist Kasrygiannis made it out to be something else.
Afrofest is a deeply cultural and spiritual experience for people with open minds and open hearts of all races, creeds and colors. It is by far the most so called ‘multicultural’ (detest that word / term) event in Canada today, pulling thousands of guests for twenty-seven (27) years. It isn’t just about black people if McMohan took the time to attend the festival. It is a family festival that is loved by all races.
As a matter of common decency, she should be made to make a public apology to the people of Toronto on the main stage of the festival this coming year. On both days!
She is a microcosm of Canadian government. There are MANY more like her!
Councillor Mary Margret McMahon should still be investigated as a racist public official in my humble opinion but folks will be so happy that the festival is back to a two (2) day thing, so this piece of crap individual will be forgotten about. Yet there are patterns in life and we will see her again I'm pretty sure!
There is also a real upside to her racist act. I can lay bets that this year’s Afrofest will have its greatest attendance so thank you McMahon for the financial boost that you have provided to the coffers of the festival as well as to the city of Toronto.
I had a conversation with a high ranking City official about why there is such a disconnect to black music, black culture and more closely to my work, reggae music and my answer to this person was “n*gger fear”! He knew exactly what I meant! Not that he could do much about it but I’m sure that he overstood my meaning. For those that do not get what that means, it is because you have zero interest in even hearing about it or exploring it. Racism works because it is a part of the fabric of Canada and those in power would prefer me and others to just accept our place in the large scheme of things.
“Heck, if you don’t like it, go back where you are from!” No thanks. I love Canada too but I do not have to love racism and I don’t and it is deep rooted into this culture. Folks are always asking me to “shut up” about it because they “are tired of hearing about it” yet I have no fucks to give about these people. I’m tired of living it! Daily! And expected to “accept my place”!
Well, the people have spoken. McMohan now has a target on her back! The people wrote tweets, retweeted, cried injustice in all kinds of social media to the offices of her and Mayor Tory. The people spoke! She was made to back down by the outpouring of support from many areas of the city, from all races of Toronto. Got to be proud of that aspect in Canada where some of us still want to believe in a democracy and one of the things that make many of us proud to be Canadian.
We should use “the people” more often for other important things like the treatment of our Native populations. The improvements we need there will not come from “government”, as it never has. It must come from “we the people”.
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