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Reply to Frank LeFever by Albert Baron Solomon, Sunday, 2008-01-12:
Re: Town Hall meeting yesterday afternoon.
NEW: Re: anybody going to the Town Hall meeting? *LINK*
Albert Baron Solomon <Send E-Mail> (24.90.254.248) -- Sunday, 13 January 2008, at 5:04 a.m.
Thirty-five people? In the audience?
Yup.
Were they speaking up, asking questions or making speeches?
Mostly speaking up and being goodnatured and ignorant.
Were they for or against wealthy Jewish puppeteers? For or against Bernard's fiefdom?
Nothing about wealthy Jewish puppeteers. A few for Bernard's fiefdon, none against.
Did they express any concern about the state of the station? (other than its being under attack by racist you-know-whos?)
Yes, definitely, in spite of Baruti
and Nia and Vajra having established to their satisfaction that there
was nothing to be concerned about.
Ask any questions about fiscal stability?
Not until the floodgates were opened by Monroe, and then only a few knew anything.
Any questions about LSB elections?
Bob made a statement about it, same
as Siegel's, but not many questions. Kathy's speeches were impressive
and accurate as always. Something right-on about the coup and the
countercoup . . .
Any suggestions re programming?
Yes quite a few. Don't remember
them. Don't disparage my work or I'll tickle your ribs until you giggle
yourself to death. One of the last speakers was a woman who had made a
list all night of all the things she would suggest. The camera has an
excellent sound system, it just doesn't come through on the web. Try
the sound on a hi-fi stereo amplifier some time! As to the story, I can hear anything-- try me out. I'm a professional transcriber.
[Don't rely too much on the video to tell the story unless audio has much improved.]
What was really good about the
meeting, as I said, was the feeling that although the audience
maintained a respectful distance, it was obvious to everyone that there
were some great gaps in credibility, though not exactly what they were.
If
y'r interested in the writer of the verses in the Series, we looked on
the web for his name. Couldn't find the date for Mayn Rueh Platz,
our theme song, but we did find this:
MORRIS ROSENFELD, 1862-1923
http://www.gutenberg.org/dirs/etext04/slbpm10.txt
Could not find date of "Mayn Rueh Platz"
A Fellow Slave
Pale-faced is he, as in the door
He stands and trembles visibly,--
With diffidence approaches me,
And says: "Dear editor,
"Since write you must, in prose or rhyme,
Expose my master's knavery,
Condemn, I pray, the slavery
That dominates our time.
"I labor for a wicked man
Who holds o'er all my being sway,--
Who keeps me harnessed night and day.
Since work I first began.
"No leisure moments do I store,
Yet harsh words only will he speak;
My days are his, from week to week,
But still he cries for more.
"Oh print, I beg you, all I've said,
And ask the world if this be right:
To give the worker wage so slight
That he must want for bread.
"See, I have sinews powerful,
And I've endurance, subtle skill,--
Yet may not use them at my will,
But live a master's tool.
"But oh, without avail do I
Lay bare the woes of workingmen!
Who earns his living by the pen,
Feels not our misery."
The pallid slave yet paler grew,
And ended here his bitter cry...
And thus to him I made reply:
"My friend, you judge untrue.
"My strength and skill, like yours, are gain
For others... Sold!... You understand?
Your master--well--he owns your hand,
And mine--he owns my brain."
The title of this poem reminded us of "A schlaf bin ich" (I am a slave)
in the second verse of our above-mentioned theme song. Which, by
the way, has four verses which are quoted below, like in English and
Yiddish (by the way, the English has been changed a little bit by
us). But you've gots to hear the melody to
really get the impact of this really moving tune which I know I'll
never get completely out of my head, and what really killed me was that
in the last verse it turns from a lament and a labor song into a love
song, which by the way is why it is in the movie!
Mayn Rueh Platz*
(My Rueful Place)
Verse 1
Nit sukh mikh vu di mirten grinen
Gefinst mikh dortn nit mayn shatz
Vu lebens velkn bei mashinen
Dortn iz mayn rueh platz (x2)
Don't look for me with green myrtles
You will not find me there my love
Where lives wither at machines
There I find my rueful place (x2)
Verse 2 Nit sukh mikh vu die feygl zingen
Gefinst mikh dortn nit mayn shatz
A shklaf bin ikh vu keytn klingen
Dortn iz mayn rueh platz (x2)
Don't look for me where birds are singing
You will not find me there my love
I am a slave where chains are clanging
There I find my rueful place (x2)
Verse 3 Nit sukh mikh vu fontanen shpritzn
Gefinst mikh dortn nit mayn shatz
Vu trern rinen, tseyner kritsn
Dortn iz mayn rueh platz (x2)
Don't look for me where fountains sprinkle
You will not find me there my love
Where tears are flowing, teeth are gnashing
There I find my rueful place (x2)
Verse 4 Un libstu mich mit varer libeh
Toh kumm tsu mir mayn guter shatz
Un hayter oyf mayn harts dos tribeh
Un makh mir zis mayn rueh platz (x2)
And if you love me with true love
Oh come to me my own sweetheart
And make light my heavy heart
And make sweet my rueful place (x2)
*Thanks to Peter Schlosser and the New York City Labor Chorus for bringing this little treasure to our attention.
