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"Power!" Activist | Executive Producer | Writer | Poet Bruce George | myspace Page 1 | 2 | 3 Lee: In regards to your life, how would you interpret the thought of survival and the presence of a pen and a pad? Bruce George: Its been said “The pen is mightier than the sword.” Survival is our basic human need to exist. Mumia Abu-Jamal stated that to not resist is to acquiesce in our own oppression! Art is an indispensable revolutionary tool of struggle, and the artist has always been a cajoler of history, and the defender of ones basic human rights, which is self-determination, and freedom from oppression! L: In an interview that was conducted through Planet-Hip Hop (http://www.planet-hiphop.com) you talk about the influence of your mother, Elaine George (poet/writer). During your childhood, how did your mother feel about the education that you were being presented with through the public school system? B: My mother raised me, and so she had to play the role of the father as well. She did the best she could to raise me in the limited time she had to monitor my movements. As most inner city kids, I fell victim to peer pressure, which can dominate even the best of two parent family homes where the parents raise their kids by the ancestral book. Actually I had gotten kicked out of “Samuel Gompers H.S.” for inciting a riot. Samuel Gompers, when I was there it was an all boys school located in the South Bronx so when you put all boys together with issues revolved around their situation of circumstance; it has the potential to be inflammatory! My mother never believed that the public school system fostered a proper education for students, but she had a lot of faith in me to make the best of my education as possible. Samuel Gompers H.S. is built like a penitentiary, with bars and gates around the entire school. The atmosphere was very caustic, and had and still does have a “Survival of the fittest” nuance! L: I visited your website, http://www.brucegeorgemedia.com, and I browsed the “About Bruce" link which brought up a great deal of information on your active involvement and accomplishments in not only the world of literature, but with television, performance, radio and more. Between 1970 and 1990, what would we find “About Bruce”? B: Well when I had gotten kicked out of HS, in 1/27/81 I was sent to Glenmont Job Corps 5 miles west of Albany. Even though I was selling drugs, fighting and setting fires I had the opportunity to get a G.E.D. and my drivers license, at which upon graduation I went on to college to graduate from Niagara University in Niagara Falls, NY which is a private Catholic college. Job Corps I feel saved my life by the grace of God! That education catapulted me into the arts and sciences, and made me mature as a young man. L: In what ways does the experience and credibility of the Founder/Managing Editor come into play when taking on a project like The Bandana Republic, An Anthology of Poetry & Prose by Gang Members & Their Affiliates? B: It plays a personal role for me because I did that, done that! I was a member of no less than 5 street organizations “gangs.” Its been said that ones culture, plus experience equals ones frame of reference. So lets say I had a lot to refer to. LOL! I grew up in the west Bronx, and I was exposed to a myriad of gangs, and gang culture from the likes of, The Savage Skulls, The Savage Nomads, The Javelins, The Black Spades, The Fordham Baldies etc… they were our role models. To this day I remember being in the house of some gang members, and watching the women sow their gang colors into their denim jackets. I used to also see them come back beat up from what we called “Rumbles.” Even though it was a dangerous life, they were family and they took the place of that missing father figure. So it was a very natural progression for me to take on The Bandana Republic, since I knew first hand about gang culture, and due to my career in the literary world. L: What challenges does a literature project like The Bandana Republic face in regards to promotion? How do you feel about the phrase “target audience” in regards to this project? B: It’s been a real arduous task to find a publisher. The fact of the matter is that gang culture is so misunderstood and so stereotyped! Shit, the American geopolitical system was built by “Gangs” such as the Dead Rabbits, the Plug Uglies, the Bowery Boys etc… they were instrumental in putting major politicians into office, as well as playing a major role in law enforcement and the fire department. The difference is that we as people of African descent were not able to track from “gangs ” into the fire department, politics or law enforcement due to racial bigotry. Our target audience for The Bandana Republic is anyone who has been in a street organization or affiliated with one. So this is a very wide target, because the range cuts across race, age and gender. A lot of major politicians and TV anchors were involved in street organizations in their youth. The Young Lords, The Black Panther Party, as well as the Skull and Bones gang, upon which George Bush Jr., and John Kerry were and are devout members. L: In an interview I conducted with Luis Rodriguez we talked about the public schools in Texas, Michigan, Illinois and California that attempted to remove his book, Always Running; La Vida Loca; Gang Day’s In L.A. from public school libraries. What is your opinion on that? B: Well that means to me that his book had much truth to it! We are all living in a hostage state. America has been on code red from the time it colonized its first state. It has always been about containment! It has always been about “gate keeping” anyone or anything that detracts from the status quo. The gatekeepers in school are the teachers/professors. And the warden is the Dean. Outside of the educational system the gatekeepers are the critics. The critic is the gatekeeper to the state, who is the gatekeepers to the ruling class. Regardless if the critic is for fashion, literature, entertainment, culture etc… they all have the same job description. I know I’m doing my job as a socialist/activist, when I get resistance. Like Garvey said “Agitate, agitate, agitate.” L: What are your thoughts on the implementation of The Bandana Republic in public school libraries? B: That’s where it should be! It’s literature! We are going to prove all those wrong that don’t believe that gangs and literature coexist! That gangs and literature are an oxymoron. The most profound literature was produced in prisons across the world. The best literature was created out of struggle. Miguel Pinero said that he had to do bad in order to write well. Mahalia Jackson told the New York Times in the early 1960’s “what we have is trial and tribulation music.“ L: In the planning of this project what kinds of support and criticism did you receive? B: We didn’t get too much out right criticism about the project, but lets put it this way. I have saved all of the rejection letters from all of the mainstream publishers that felt it was too over the top! Too gritty! We don’t take it personal because they are just doing their job, which is being a gatekeeper. We have however gotten tons of support from members as well as ex-members of gang culture. The Bandana Republic has many celebrities who have made submissions such as Gil Scott-Heron, Ruby Davis, Malik Yoba, Mumia Abu-Jamal, Jim Brown who is writing the “Foreword” to The Bandana Republic, and the list goes on. L: Could you provide a few names and information on some of the other writers that are included in The Bandana Republic? B: Luis Rodriguez, Fred Hampton Jr., Dead Prez, The Zulu Nation’s Lord Cashus D etc. They will have their prose/story in the Bandana Republic!
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