Meocha Belle 6/9
Today the seminar had the pleasure of having James Emmanuel read his poetry to us. He read by decade and went from the '50s through the '90s. I had to listen closely because he spoke so softly, but something that he said when explaining the motivation behind the making of his poem: To Kill A Morning Spider , really resonated with me. He said that "a real experience doesn't matter to the writing of poetry." This statement touched me because I found it very telling of how ideas travel and get documented as fact.
Regardless of writer's, artist's or anyone's intentions, sources or state of mind that have a following, many people do not analyze what is being told to them. Oftentimes, ideas presented are taken as actualities when even the person telling the stories knows that all pieces are not real or genuine. As we're learning about how the idea of a "color-blind France" came about, it is clear that people make large assumptions out of isolated events. These stories are then moved from person to person, place to place and labels are given regardless of their beginnings.
I do however, think that it is possible for people to speak out on things they do not experience first-hand. As long as there is intensive study, valid sources and clear analysis that backs statements and ideas, such is possible. The problem enters when black soldiers return to America from being in France and tell their friends and family that the French do not care about color and that blacks can and will be free there. This is what happened during wartime, what resulted was a huge immigration of blacks into France. Many of the black soldiers did not realize that they were only experienced favoritism because of their entertainment value to the country's people.
~Paris Noir 2010
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