A letter to the "Brotherhood"

A letter to the "Brotherhood" and to a dear friend.. brother Ed Michael.. Retired UP Locomotive Engineer... and a founding father of Railroad Workers United....(the guy in the red hat...)

I wrote this as a response to an article that a fellow railroader had posted about an issue of Gay rights on the railroad... I think stories are more effective than articles.. sometimes... I wrote a song about the story I tell below... i'll post it at the end of this blog... buy it.. it's a good one...wink wink...

Where the hell is her union?  Isn't it helping?

My mother died 2 years ago, but .. the local teachers union did not contact my mother or her partner, as far as I know… A large conversation in the USA at the time of my mother’s death,  was focused on Chic Fil A.. the question was… Can a business deny healthcare because of religious affiliation and faith?   I remember going into the locker room where I work and seeing a conservative feller I know who was eating “his” Chic Fil A.. I had been at the hospital all night… and was tired… I snapped…

 He is one of those “Republican railroaders” The kind that when the contract pertains to him.. the issue is front and foremost.. but “rights” and other issues.. of class.???. He is not so interested in thinking that others might enter into the conversation. Bring up guns and whether or not people should be punished.. sure you will get a passionate conversation… but he is what Upton Sinclair called.. a “Bootstrapper..”

Everyone has the same opportunity.. the “bootstrapper” religion is strong these days…

I told him that he was eating shit and told him that “his” Chic fil A was crap!  I told him about my dying gay mother and how I had a person in my life that was suffering… and how her partner was suffering from fear of losing her job…. and then asked him how his “Jesus” would feel knowing that a woman was going to lose her job for being by the side of a loved one.. suffering…. I almost got my ass whooped.. but I was pissed.. He for sure understood human rights, FMLA and Law. After my “freak out”… We are still friends.. mostly because I apologized days later for my “actions.”

While my mother was struggling in her last days.. a nurse…. (Who didn’t like my mother.. because she was gay and wore her Buddhist necklace proudly).. kept treating my mother like shit. She would make little comments here and there as she did her work. My family is very big.. and we all came together for my mother’s last days.. even my step family.. my step father and mother got involved in helping all of us out.  One nurse.. who was a lesbian too… demanded that she be the one who took my mother’s respirator off.. She had to fight with the hospital to come in on her off day.. so she could be there.. she won.. and the hospital let her come in on her day off.

On the last day.. my mother had had asked previously.. for me to stay and make sure she looked OK. Her mother had died of Cancer and she remembered as a kid.. seeing her mother after she had died.. laying in the hospital bed with her mouth and eyes wide open and hair all messed up..  She had also asked me to stay until everyone had left so I did what she had asked….She asked me to sing her favorite song before I left… Her favorite song was Bob Marley’s “don’t worry about a thing.. three little birds…”

After singing… I then said a little prayer.. and thanked God for me… being able to witness my mother’s last breath on this earth.. and suggested to God…. that she saw my first.. and that I had saw her last. And how my mother’s voice will live on in mine… I thanked the “Great Spirit” for the strength of my family.. and for my sisters and brothers.. all of them.. especially my “step brother and sisters”

After fixing my mother’s hair and saying some more words to her.. 

(I didn’t know that “the nurse” that had been being an asshole… was in the room.. behind a curtain doing paperwork. The whole time… that I had been singing and praying….)

and as I was getting ready to leave... The nurse peeped her head out of the curtain and scared me to death….and asked if I would stay for a minute. She then told me that she had just witnessed something profound.. our conversation went on for about 20 minutes at the foot of my mother’s death bed.. The nurse told me that she was a Christian.. and that she felt so sorry for being mean to my mom because she was a lesbian… this day and that conversation.. was probably THE most profound day of my life..  the nurse said that now she understood why people need rights.. and that her Jesus would never have allowed my mother’s partner to lose her job… she also talked about the LOVE that she witnessed.. the month.. my family basically lived in the ICU..

My mother was an activist.. she was always labeled too radical.. she was always pushing boundaries and taught me to fight for what I believe in.... sort of like what Jesus did… except that my mother was a Buddhist. Her honesty was deep. She was never afraid to tell someone her thoughts…… She was a fighter… My sister and I stood at the foot of her bed and .. when we knew she had taken her last breath.. my sister Karen.. jumped up and down and yelled… “ She won!!!” “She Won!!!”……… I asked my sister what she had won…. She said” That mom always wanted to die.. with her family and friends by her side” so.. my mother "Won" her battle against cancer…. With Respect and Dignity.. Love and Beauty!

So brother ED.. where is the union on many issues that are hard to talk about? Why do railroaders talk about PTI and other crew van haulers like they are “dogs”…. ??? Why are our unions allowing sub-contractors to cause serious stress on our Railroad Retirement.. Brother Ed, Where is the union? Most of the time?? Is the union “with” the congregation or “against” the congregation?

Brother Ed.. I have learned in 14 years of railroading.. that my “Brotherhood” could use a leader who is a lot like the Jesus that I was raised as a Christian to know.. A leader who is not afraid to take on serious social issues of race, poverty and human rights. A leader who passes on strength and love to the merry band… 

 A Leader who is not afraid to let others learn. A leader who is not afraid to give the power away freely.. to the flock…

We have a labor movement now.. that is playing too much politics. In my humble opinion.. pretty much a waste of time in this current climate. Our labor movement should be turning inward and empowering it’s members.. but it is not.. some leaders do.. most don’t… our "American" culture has become sick.. very sick.. from decades of greed and media re-tooling.. so…. I understand that re-tooling people to understand the importance of themselves.. opposed to corporate theft of public goods. Is a very hard job…. The call to the ballot box that our unions so desperately preach… is a waste of time.. the ballot box is not our box.. right now.. We unions should be doing the same things  Jesus suggested to the Church.. get money out of the “brotherhood”.. and back to where it belongs.. to the people.. power is in the people.. not in a political “FIX”….. at least not… yet….  I am not suggesting that we as a “Brotherhood” leave politics completely behind.. but I am suggesting a better way of “talking to people” Our Brothers… and Sisters in the “Brotherhood”

so all I can say.. is Brother… I hope my “Brotherhood” well.. but I fear for our future… the Railroads smell blood… and we might be “The Last Men Standing” but “United We Stand.. Divided We Fall…" I am from Kentucky you know.. that is our State Motto.... and 

“We are our Brothers (and Sisters) keepers” wink wink…

Solidarity Forever!!

JP Wright

BLET 78

The home of the Great Monin…

The Djembe, an organizers tool and a blog post in progress...

In or about 1994 I got my first Djembe... a wooden goblet style drum from West Africa.

This drum..

how could it be a tool for a union organizer?.. what is it about a musical instrument that would make it so important.. to the health and well being of a labor organization? I will in this post try to explain what 20 years of study of West African village and ballet culture has taught me about community...

I am sure my posts on my twitter from time to time about the Sun Ra Arkestra and pictures from my study of the Djembe get confusing to my union friends... but this work and study is pretty much all in the same. Unions are communities or at least they should be.

I have had the chance on two occasions to study with legendary Drummer Baba Olatunji from Nigeria. Baba was an important pillar in many a way. I asked Baba about Sun Ra... He said Ra would have been seen as some sort of healer or something like that. I suggested to Baba that his school in Harlem in the 60's might have had a big influence on Sun Ra's performances. It is about this time that the arkestra took on a very african style performance. Parades.. drummers.. fire. dancers.. Baba hired two of Ra's musicians to record on his recording Drums, Drums, Drums... so why Ra?

Sun Ra was the organizer of a collective house in Philly. His DIY style of business. He suggested to one of his band members to build a drum from a tree that had been struck by lightning....His band member got straight to work.... no questions asked...

He was the leader.. Revered by his band mates, but he frequently suggested that to be in his band.....
 one must not be righteous. He was the leader.. but.. it was an arkestra. He accepted into his band many folks over the years. Some were not at first the best players.. but he saw something in them. He felt that they had something to add.. Leadership is not something to be afraid of.. but a leader ship.. now we are getting somewhere...

Baba Olatunji was one of the first African drummers to rise to fame in the US. He had in his band Papa Ladji Camera from Guinea, West Africa. Possibly one of the first Djembe players to ever present this drum to American audiences. If not the first.. definitely one of the most important.

Until players like Mamady Keita .. and other west african players came along in the world music renaissance of the early 1990's..... Baba Olatunji was the man.. his recordings came first.. before Tito Puente and other mambo craze jazz folks.. made a scene out of it..

So there is a bit for the Jazz folks to chew on.. let's cut to the chase...... the Djembe.. the sound.. the community builder.. in the villages.. all the ceremonies of the culture include the djembe...

Rhythm.. Three "bass" drums usually company an ensemble..

These three drums lay down the foundation for the solo, if these three drums fall out... the whole ensemble knows it.. ..  the soloist is  always looking to the foundation... but there really is not a solo....

 The djembe drummer is supposed to respond to the dancers.. but the dancers also respond to the drummers... the same as any good "union leader" The Djembe is the tool that is being played by the leader.. but.. the song being played and the purpose is not to elevate the player. There is work being done. There are connections being made... some very deep. There is a massive conversation being made... even between the small sounds of the bells. the sound from the bells can penetrate and overpower the larger sound. The smallest instrument of the group sometimes is used to forward the tempo. Some say folks come to this conversation learning the bell parts first. Think about that.

The little people.. the overtones.. the tones that are only heard by the well trained and experienced leader... all have a place in the larger community. 

In some West African tradition. The tools, drums are not owned by the person who plays them. the tools are owned by the community. Personal ownership of a Djembe is not something that is sold.

The tools of the organization are given to the people who know how to use and respect them. 

The community. Isn't this what we are supposed to be afraid of.. when fear tactics were brought out against Obama... they did not forget to tell us that he was a "community organizer..."

The video above is an interesting look into the village life of Guinea. The Djembe player in the hat was a serious leader. He has passed, but Fadouba's sound can still be heard in his family. He was a very popular sound. His Djembe sound was passed onto several children in his village.

The strange looking person dancing is called a Kawa. The Kawa is the Sergeant of Arms for the meeting. He also is the keeper of the knowledge of medicines of the area. The song being played is the song that represent his work. When ceremonies are being made.. the Kawa watches over the proceedings... his dance is a very aggressive sort of dance. Like the Sergeant of Arms for the Union meeting.. if the Kawa calls you out... you better understand that your behavior has been ruled out of order. The little guy dancing.. is training to become the next Kawa.

In short... we are building a community as union organizers. We are not building a resume' .. at least [in my opinion] that should not be the aim of the work. The smallest voice must be heard and respected. We as leaders should not ever think that we own the tools.. we were given these things by teachers.. elders.. we pass on the collected knowledge. In African culture, a serious conversation is made that the ancestors are always watching... Our past community leaders and organizers are always watching... keep in rhythm with the community.. or the Kawa is gonna get you...

In the Dreamland prol sector... or Down by the Banks of the Ohio

20150131 - Louisville, Kentucky

Radical activist Nathan Salsburg was at it again... this time in the Dreamland prol sector of of Louisville, KY. That sounds crazy, but activist? and WHY Louisville? So, as the hipsters would continue, I’ll explain… folk stories are long.. so.. bear with me family....

Right…

I attended 7 years of Catholic school before my mother took us kids out and moved us into public school. Not only did I get to experience the public, but the school was an experimental school. The J.Graham Brown School, in Louisville, Kentucky was founded in the radical tradition that emphasized arts and music over sports. The Teachers were called by their first names and the classes were small. My English teacher started us reading George Orwell’s “1984” in 1984.

We debated, discussed and some slept on the couches and floor, ( wink wink..) This new freedom for me was too much to handle. I didn’t last but 4 years in this new environment, partly because I had fell behind in the previous educational venture……I did get a Library Card out of the deal.

I found in that membership card access to a treasure. A massive record collection of not so very fancy looking recordings at the Main branch of the Louisville ( FREE PUBLIC ) Library.  Some of them were missing the liner notes and many of them did not have covers, but a collected wealth was masterfully captured and labeled on simple blue labels. I remember spending hours listening to these documents and riding the bus home with a back pack full of Smithsonian FOLKWAYS recordings.

VERY IMPORTANT RECORDING!

 I remember one record that I think I might have stolen, was simply called… something like, a night at the jazz house… it was a hot blues 1930’s style blues and jazz concert. I would cringe and contort listening to solo after solo from the trombone and clarinet pro creation. To the public, I apologize for the theft of public goods, but.. I had to have it… some may say this is where I may have been infected by a publically transmitted disease, some call it jungle fever.. some might call it knowledge....Utah Phillips calls it the most radical idea in this country… The Long Memory.

Click here for this free education.... from Professor Bruce U. Utah Phillips 100 free classes

So, at the film festival in the prol sector, right,

we were told by one of the folks in the movie that Jazz was all about sex. If this is the case… then this comment is why I am calling Nathan a radical activist. We were subjected to this vile sort of public lewdness in the Ville last night in the form of an Alan Lomax film festival. 

Right? 

Hipsterly speaking… what we were really seeing was what “they” don’t want you to see. YOU! 

Remember… Big Brother is watching… YOU.

Some of the films I had seen already and many of the stories I already knew. Some of the stories I am living. We saw footage of little girls singing ride sally, and then my mind wandered back to my work with PNEUMA in the 90’s and the little black girls playing their hand games.

We saw footage of Jazz folks in New Orleans and then my mind wandered back to the outside steps of the Rudyard Kipling Folk Club and a sax player named Willie Little who used to work the clubs in the 80’s and 90’s.

Note - Willie used to tell me about his travels as a horn player and told me that the only way to get people to let you sit in was to bug them to death... all they are thinking about is... are the girls watchin me.. so sometimes you just have to inject yourself into the conversation! 

Note: I list Twice Told Books as where I went to College, but these steps I mention, is where I went to graduate school and got my PHD in street poetry and bullshitting for African drummers.) 

We saw footage of African Americans dressed as wild captured Sioux style mardi gras Indians mixed with footage of West African dancers and my mind wandered to my friend Moha Dosso who is a stilt walker initiated in his Ivory Coast tradition   who I work with in Louisville every spring through summer. We were watching footage that was filmed and documented using public funds. We were watching the work of one of our own…

 Kentuckian.. Jean Ritchie…

 Note: I was dancing and internally ravished.. crying out… YES! YES! More.. OH Baby… this is what I want! YES!!! Because this is what I have been Fucking….. Talking about!

Now, we have to ask, like this wonderful evening was a college course.  What did we learn? 

Right?

Hipsterly speaking or maybe a Genx er suggests...

We have to ask, What does Mr. Lomax want us to do?

Why did this man dedicate his life to this remembrance and documentation of who we are as a people?

Note to the public… It is no conspiracy to suggest that cultural preservation is viewed by some as radical… Just Ask Pete Seeger and Carl Braden what the HUAC hearings were about. 

Pete Seeger in "Wasn't That A Time" from Appalshop CMI on Vimeo.

Remember, this is the year of two centennials… Alan Lomax’s birth and Joe Hill’s death. To get even more romantic, I might suggest that we celebrate these two events for a reason.

One is born while the other did not die!

I suggest that “Railroad Music, is the Thread in the quilt that is Americana.” Utah Phillip’s suggests that “The long memory is the most radical idea in the land.” But here is what I want to say. Thank you Nathan Salsburg for what you are doing.  What you are doing for your community is important. They tried to close the Highlander School. We are being subject to an assault on public owned and operated goods. What you are doing is a continuation and preservation of the work of a great man.

And I might suggest to Nathan this…… brother..

I got my eyes on you, I got my eyes on you… everybody workin’ in this union has got our eyes on you! Except we call it the Common Wealth!

Fellow Workers!

John Paul Wright
at the away from home terminal.
Nashville, TN

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