american political poetry in the 21st century - STIBA Malang
american political poetry in the 21st century - STIBA Malang
american political poetry in the 21st century - STIBA Malang
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174 AMERICAN POLITICAL POETRY<br />
a task many artists view as difficult, a po<strong>in</strong>t I return to later <strong>in</strong> this<br />
section of <strong>the</strong> chapter.<br />
This message of community, though, is largely untenable <strong>in</strong> a realm<br />
o<strong>the</strong>r than <strong>the</strong> public space of <strong>the</strong> show, for example, <strong>in</strong> a <strong>poetry</strong> read<strong>in</strong>g<br />
or public speech when it can become uncomfortable when a poet<br />
grows preachy or didactic. For Arendt, <strong>the</strong> public space of <strong>the</strong> <strong>political</strong><br />
is a “realm of freedom and equality precisely because <strong>the</strong> realm dissolves<br />
when it is not <strong>the</strong> product of an <strong>in</strong>tersubjective ‘act<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong><br />
concert’ <strong>in</strong> which every participant engages will<strong>in</strong>gly” (McGowan 73).<br />
At a show such as Atmosphere’s, all participants engage <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> collective<br />
action will<strong>in</strong>gly. This enthusiastic “act<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong> concert” both<br />
enables <strong>the</strong> space to exist and is enabled by <strong>the</strong> space. Such will<strong>in</strong>gness<br />
makes tenable Slug’s attempts to mobilize youth for a cause. This tactic<br />
l<strong>in</strong>ks to Arendt’s efforts to th<strong>in</strong>k of a public space as a place<br />
where<strong>in</strong> citizens can <strong>in</strong>teract without <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>fluence of <strong>the</strong> state, <strong>in</strong>stitutions,<br />
and corporations, s<strong>in</strong>ce <strong>in</strong>stitutionalization, she believed, kills<br />
<strong>the</strong> spirit of action. This show encouraged audience members to harness<br />
<strong>the</strong> state (through vot<strong>in</strong>g and collective action) even as it<br />
circumvented <strong>the</strong> <strong>in</strong>stitutional, corporate <strong>in</strong>fluence that underm<strong>in</strong>es<br />
so many ma<strong>in</strong>stream musical acts. Record<strong>in</strong>g on an <strong>in</strong>dependent<br />
record label and perform<strong>in</strong>g at venues that are not sponsored by large<br />
corporations (such as large arenas, amphi<strong>the</strong>aters, and concert halls)<br />
may allow for more pierc<strong>in</strong>g social and <strong>political</strong> commentary and a<br />
<strong>political</strong> space unh<strong>in</strong>dered by overt commercialization.<br />
On September 30, 2004, <strong>the</strong> night of <strong>the</strong> first presidential debates,<br />
Cunn<strong>in</strong>lynguists opened for Brand Nubian at Cat’s Cradle. The show<br />
demonstrated <strong>the</strong> potential for what can be done when people “act <strong>in</strong><br />
concert.” Fur<strong>the</strong>r, it showed <strong>the</strong> Arendtian notion of power as a force<br />
“that makes it possible to achieve some ends that cannot be<br />
reached <strong>in</strong>dividually” (McGowan 75–76)—widespread social and<br />
<strong>political</strong> change as well as a collective experience of <strong>the</strong> <strong>political</strong>.<br />
Cunn<strong>in</strong>lynguists’ call-and-response “Fuck George Bush, say fuck<br />
George Bush” united a group of citizens <strong>in</strong> a coord<strong>in</strong>ated <strong>political</strong><br />
practice that is literally unachievable <strong>in</strong> an <strong>in</strong>dividual forum. The calland-response<br />
created collective motivation <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> audience. Creat<strong>in</strong>g<br />
<strong>political</strong> change at <strong>the</strong> highest level is not possible from an <strong>in</strong>dividual<br />
perspective, but collective identity and agency are capable of creat<strong>in</strong>g<br />
change. This show showed citizens act<strong>in</strong>g at a local site that makes<br />
possible “<strong>the</strong> direct participation” of citizens <strong>in</strong> “<strong>the</strong> public affairs of<br />
<strong>the</strong> country” (On Revolution 263). Though this type of participation<br />
is possible at <strong>political</strong> rallies, <strong>the</strong>se rallies are often party- or organizationsponsored.<br />
The hip-hop show, on <strong>the</strong> o<strong>the</strong>r hand, is an art form that