#FeesMustFall #NationalShutdown Stand for Debt-Free Education Globally

 

                                                                    Wake up.

Detroit, Sugarman, and South Africa

A story strong to South's Africa heart beat, plays a different tune for Detroit's singer-songwriter Rodriguez.

picture jacked from Google.com

  Living in South Africa and hearing the impact of his music upon adults from that generation is fact to how powerful the powerful influence of music is to our collective history.  Music's language connects personal experiences across the world.

The locational link of this particular music story-South Africa and Detroit caught the interest of my dad, who grew up in Detroit.

 He recently forwarded me this article after watching the Documentary made about Rodriguez and South African listeners: Searching for Sugarman.

 Rodriguez' lyrics and music stretched beyond the artist's imagination into a moment of history that has been shared with the world.

  Click here to read the article:

   Long before Oscar-nominated doc, Detroit writer went on his own search for Sugar Man | Movies | Detroit Free Press | freep.com

You Can't See Me: South Africa Passes the Secrecy Bill

"You  must be going blind"

Criminalizing investigative journalism...a democracy-demolishing. This Tuesday's soundwave is sponsored by the Secrecy Bill passed in South Africa today "You can't See me."  The passing of the secrecy Bill in South Africa seeks to create a law-so that larger governing bodies to local municipalities, can classify a document 'secret' and place harsh penalties on whistleblowers.  Eish!

Messages on the wall: Public Street Art

Meeting Os Gemeos en Atenas in 2005 was a highlight-sharing my writing style with them, checking their sketches and the motivation behind the wall they were commissioned to paint lit my street art passion into a higher gear.  The wall they painted is the whole bus station that lines the...in Gazi.  It’s images of people riding bicycles in nature, using alternative methods of transportation than diesel-guzzling motors.  Like a photo, contrast is important.  

I wonder now if there is a bike lane on that road? :)

Now back in South Africa: 

 Fear is a prison.  Fear is in the woman dressed in pink.  She says, “Excuse me, do you have permission to paint on this wall?”

“Yes, we do” 

“No, you don’t!”

“Yes, we do.”

“I’m going to call the police and . . . . Blah blah blah.”  Fear is a prison, dear sister in pink. And thank you for wearing pink but your threats we do not fear. I may rather ask for what is threatening you?  Has anyone but yourself ever solved what it threatening you?  I assure you, police are just people like you and me, and so what is there to fear? Police, more art, silence, thought, there is nothing to fear.  Don’t make up threats unless do you believe you are not free? Oh so that is why you chose the prison and threaten others to join you? No thank, we do our best to stand free, come join us, you’ll like it.

“We’ve tried to uplift this area . . .” she later explained to a listening ear.

And so what is upliftment? 

To threaten your community members is not uplifting.

Use your anger to change something in yourself.

As we express ourselves freely, we uplift ourselves freely. And if we live in this community, that we can be brave and fearless in, we are uplifted because we are not threatened or threaten ourselves because we live in fear. Just like you dress in pink, you are expressing materially on your body canvas-go head! I’ll lend you my pink sweater next time I see you in the neighborhood. 

And if we live in this world, that free expressive vibration roots into each step-changing our geographical minds. And with each step, another one is taken and shared by another free individual that crosses our path, unthreatened.  And there, two souls, moving freely, uplifted by their own choices, their inspirations and individual motivations, transform, positively, the world we live in. Upliftment! 

So thank you for painting the wall red. The contrast is beautiful-uplifting-and for the next individual to say yes to the canvas, to spread their free public uplifting expression.

 And slowly, we will all move out of the prison.

The cradle of the West in flames: Another one tears from gas

 This image could be from anywhere at the moment.


Activists are coming out and protesting for what we believe we need as a greater whole. These aren't local issues. We may live within borders but global issues cross and today we are more interconnected to stand in solidarity of human rights than ever before. Greece has started to protest austerity measures implemented by the government which is another stand against a system that isn't working for the people.  The cradle of the west is in flames which well may be a foreshadow of efforts to spark change around the world.  Dictators are stepping down, corrupt governments are being pressured, a call for action towards change is in order.  How many more curtains of tear gas and Molotov cocktails will have to be thrown?

I came across this website: Tips to survive a tear-gas protest which lists first-aid to bring with you and a 101 of all things considered when protecting you from tear-gas at a protest.  We can come prepared and aware, but intuitively I think we are capable to act and stand for peaceful change, educate ourselves and eachother to communicate.  While protesters on ground level are burning and blinding eachother, how can another wave of activism support the same issues and combat on another level without tears from gas?

Inhumane Energy

Source: via Athena on Pinterest           How can we reverse damage already done to the environment in Ecuador and our brothers and sisters who have been affected by the pollutants?

We can start to clean what has already been damaged by not tolerating inhumane systems of power and economy. I hope this case is a call to form better plans for our future and take on our power to make a change.

“The case really sends a message that companies operating in the undeveloped world cannot rely on a compliant government or lax environmental rules as a way of permanently insulating themselves from liability,” said Robert Percival, a law professor and director of the environmental law program at the University of Maryland School of Law in Baltimore. Click for more 

An apology is due but the money stays in those deep pockets fueling more greed and manipulation. Read more en espanol 
 If business' continue to practice in inhumane systems, then a call for compassion and innovation is pending for us to make change.  Let's create a more sustainable form and can we agree on what is sustainable?  

 "Everything lost can be found again in a new form and a new way" -Roan Robbins

Tunisia ☑ Egypt ☑ Iran ☐

"We are great people and we did something great.  This is the expected end for every dictator." Mahmoud Elhetta, an Egyptian protest organiser.

Source: english.aljazeera.net via Athena on Pinterest

The bridge leading to peace is a strong image. My thoughts and solidarity are with protestors in Iran during anti-government protests and the struggle towards change.