tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555516329392912719.post3544636607920878673..comments2007-10-27T14:23:56.667ZRob Taylorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06507320627534702508noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555516329392912719.post-58117574123043470692007-10-27T14:23:00.000Z2007-10-27T14:23:00.000Z2007-10-27T14:23:00.000ZI am happy that 'Anonymous' reacted to our posting. The perennial problem we have had as a people is the inability to agree on one single issue. I do not see why it should be a problem for us poets to agree on issues. This is a break from the status quo, which is always a hub of contentious acrimony. <BR/><BR/>Yes, there is always a thin line between activism and politics. But does that mean we have to develop nonchalant attitudes to wrong things? Never. As long as we are humans, we will make mistakes: everyone, politicians, poets and all. We must thrive to keep a dialogue going that will translate into viable actions. We cannot keep on making the mistakes that our fathers did. The child must be the improved version of the parent.<BR/><BR/>Poets can be educators. Actually, everybody can be an educator if they so desire. It is the idea ofvocalizing experience and holding it in tangent with what is right or wrong. There surely can be a tendency to oversimplify but how can we talk about issues if they cannot be logical to a kindergarten kid? <BR/><BR/>I will apologize if there have been extreme opinions, but that does not take away the fact that our country and people deserve better treatment from our leaders. This is not politics; this is social justice.Prince Mensahhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07737004374153968130noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7555516329392912719.post-76285851597093583522007-10-27T05:29:00.000Z2007-10-27T05:29:00.000Z2007-10-27T05:29:00.000ZThe roundtable is a great idea. The poets seem like visionaries. The only problems is there is too much agreement in the dialogue. You seem to be oversimplifying the problem. First, dismissing politicians completely is pointless; by the look of things, you poets are likely to be in the ranks of politicians one day -- look at your credentials Julian! We need to remember that these politicians are usually elected to office and often operate within the dictates of the international political arena. Poet as educator sometimes is an impractical proclamation as it's shouted from universities rooms and Exiles. Edith, what is that you were trying to do in the village? You say you read what books? Does that turn you into your village's what? <BR/><BR/>In short, poetry is not CNN or BBC. It sometimes tends to look deeper beyond campaigning against a current president... <BR/><BR/>We want to see the roundtables more frequently, but let's put some depth in the discussion, not the easy route "they are bad" amd "we are the voice of the voiceless".Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com