FW: Conversation with Avi Mograbi
-----Original Message-----
Rosanne Altstatt
Sent: Monday, May 12, 2003 8:28 PM
Rosanne Altstatt In Conversation with Avi Mograbi
This interview with the Israeli filmmaker, artist and activist Avi
Mograbi was conducted for a retrospective exhibition of his work at the
Edith Russ Site for Media Art in Oldenburg, Germany. It will be
published by Revolver
Rosanne Altstatt
Sent: Monday, May 12, 2003 8:28 PM
Rosanne Altstatt In Conversation with Avi Mograbi
This interview with the Israeli filmmaker, artist and activist Avi
Mograbi was conducted for a retrospective exhibition of his work at the
Edith Russ Site for Media Art in Oldenburg, Germany. It will be
published by Revolver
Re: A Posteriori Art
sorry to up the ante,
(may be a little late) :
an uncle, who wasn't made out to be a career type, had a boring job in a
government department. he smoked a pipe. he wrote poetry all his life.
on random pieces of paper whenever he felt like writing, never collected
it. that's how it remained. he liked movies. then he died. he never even
tried publishing. I wonder if he ever thought about it. he read others
of course. people who knew him/heard his poetry said he 'was' a very
'good' poet, short of saying he was a 'great' poet, but when comparing
him with one of the greatest, said his poetry had 'that' particular
colour, taste, flavor.
In light of recent discussion this was:
1. a case of a posteriori art, posthumous art, or something else ? like
2. a matter of taste ? institutional or not !
++++
their cruelties are still the same, still the same my
self-restraint
they haven't changed, and neither has my desire to be content
and satisfied.
>y
(may be a little late) :
an uncle, who wasn't made out to be a career type, had a boring job in a
government department. he smoked a pipe. he wrote poetry all his life.
on random pieces of paper whenever he felt like writing, never collected
it. that's how it remained. he liked movies. then he died. he never even
tried publishing. I wonder if he ever thought about it. he read others
of course. people who knew him/heard his poetry said he 'was' a very
'good' poet, short of saying he was a 'great' poet, but when comparing
him with one of the greatest, said his poetry had 'that' particular
colour, taste, flavor.
In light of recent discussion this was:
1. a case of a posteriori art, posthumous art, or something else ? like
2. a matter of taste ? institutional or not !
++++
their cruelties are still the same, still the same my
self-restraint
they haven't changed, and neither has my desire to be content
and satisfied.
>y
FW: Patriot raid
// Patriot Raid //
By Jason Halperin,
Doctors without Borders, April 2003
> > >Two weeks ago I experienced a very small taste of what hundreds of
South Asian immigrants and US citizens of South Asian descent have gone
> > >through since 9/11, and what thousands of others have come to fear.
> > >I was held, against my will, under the Patriot Act. While I
> > >understand
the
> > >need for some measure of security and precaution in times such as
these,
> > >the manner in which this detention and interrogation took place
> > >raises serious questions about police tactics and the
safeguarding
> > >of civil liberties in times of war.
> > >
> > >That night, March 20th, my roommate Asher and I were on our way to
> > >see the Broadway show Rent. We had an hour to spare before curtain
> > >time so we stopped into an Indian restaurant just off of Times
> > >Square in the heart of midtown. I have omitted the name of the
> > >restaurant so as not
to
> > >subject the owners to any further harassment or humiliation.
> > >
> > >We helped ourselves to the buffet and then sat down to begin eating
> > >our dinner. I was just about to tell Asher how I'd eaten there
> > >before and how delicious the vegetable curry was, but I never got a
> > >chance. All of a sudden, there was a terrible commotion and five
> > >NYPD in bulletproof vests stormed down the stairs. They had their
> > >guns drawn and were pointing them indiscriminately at the
> > >restaurant staff and at us.
> > >
> > >"Go to the back, Go to the back of the restaurant," they yelled.
> > >
> > >I hesitated, lost in my own panic.
> > >
> > >"Did you not hear me, go to the back and sit down," they demanded.
> > >
> > >I complied and looked around at the other patrons. There were eight
> > >men including the waiter, all of South Asian descent and ranging in
> > >age
from
> > >late-teens to senior citizen. One of the policemen pointed his gun
point
> > >blank in the face of the waiter
> > >and shouted: "Is there anyone else in the restaurant?" The waiter,
> > >terrified, gestured to the kitchen.
> > >
> > >The police placed their fingers on the triggers of their guns and
kicked
> > >open the kitchen doors. Shouts emanated from the kitchen and a few
> > >seconds later five Hispanic men were made to crawl out on their
> > >hands and knees, guns pointed at them.
> > >
> > >After patting us all down, the five officers seated us at two
> > >tables.
As
> > >they continued to kick open doors to closets and bathrooms with
> > >their fingers glued to their triggers, no less than ten officers in
> > >suits emerged from the stairwell. Most of them sat in the back of
> > >the restaurant typing on their laptop computers. Two of them walked
> > >over to our table and identified themselves as officers of the INS
> > >and Homeland Security Department.
> > >
> > >While having some limited knowledge of the rights afforded to US
> > >citizens, I explained that we were just eating dinner and asked why
> > >we were being held. We were told by the INS agent that we would be
released
> > >once they had confirmation that we
> > >had no outstanding warrants and our immigration status was OKed.
> > >
> > >In pre-9/11 America, the legality of this would have been
> > >questionable. After all, the fourth amendment to the constitution
> > >states: "The right of the people to be secure in their persons,
> > >houses, papers and
effects,
> > >against unreasonable searches
> > >and seizures, shall not be violated; and no warrants shall issue,
> > >but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and
> > >particularly describing the place to be searched and the persons or
> > >things to be seized."
> > >
> > >"You have no right to hold us," Asher insisted.
> > >
> > >"Yes, we have every right. You are being held under the Patriot Act
> > >following suspicion under an internal Homeland Security
> > >investigation."
> > >
> > >The Patriot Act was passed into law on October 26, 2001 in order to
> > >facilitate the post 9/11 crackdown on terrorism. Like most
> > >Americans, I did not recognize the extent to which this bill
> > >foregoes our civil liberties. Among the unprecedented rights it
> > >grants to the federal government are the right to wiretap without
> > >warrant, and the right to detain without warrant. As I quickly
> > >discovered, the right to an attorney has been seemingly fudged as
> > >well.
> > >
> > >When I asked to speak to a lawyer, the INS official informed me
> > >that I do have the right to a lawyer but I would have to be brought
> > >down to
the
> > >station and await security clearance before being granted one. When
> > >I asked how long that would take, he replied with a coy smile:
> > >"Maybe a day, maybe a week, maybe a
month."
> > >
> > >We insisted that we had every right to leave and were going to do
> > >so. One of the policemen walked over with his hand on his gun and
> > >taunted: "Go ahead and leave, just go ahead."
> > >
> > >We remained seated. Our IDs were taken, and brought to the officers
with
> > >laptops. I was questioned over the fact that my license was out of
> > >state, and asked if I had "something to hide." The police continued
> > >to hassle the kitchen workers, demanding licenses and dates of
> > >birth. One of the kitchen workers was shaking hysterically and kept
> > >providing the day's date?March 20, 2003, over and over.
> > >
> > >As I continued to press for legal counsel, a female officer who had
been
> > >busy typing on her laptop in the front of the restaurant, walked
> > >over and put her finger in my face. "We are at war, we are at war
> > >and this
is
> > >for your safety," she exclaimed.
> > >
> > >As she walked away from the table, she continued to repeat it to
> > >herself? "We are at war, we are at war?how can they not understand
> > >this."
> > >
> > >I most certainly understand that we are at war. I also understand
> > >that the freedoms afforded to all of us in the constitution were
> > >meant specifically for times like these. Our freedoms were carved
> > >out during times of strife by people who were facing brutal
> > >injustices, and were intended specifically so that this nation
> > >would behave differently in such times. If our freedoms crumble
> > >exactly when they are needed most, then they were really never
> > >freedoms at all.
> > >
> > >After an hour and a half the INS agent walked back over and handed
Asher
> > >and I our licenses. A policeman took us by the arm and escorted us
> > >out of the building. Before stepping out to the street, the INS
> > >agent apologized. He explained, in a low voice, that they did not
> > >think the two of us were in the restaurant.
> > >
> > >Several of the other patrons, though of South Asian descent, were
> > >in fact US citizens. There were four taxi drivers, two students,
> > >one newspaper salesman?unwitting customers, just like Asher and me.
> > >I doubt though they received any apologies from the INS or the
> > >Department of Homeland Security. Nor have the over 600 people of
> > >South Asian descent currently being held without charge by the
> > >Federal Government. Apparently, this type of treatment is
> > >acceptable.
> > >
> > >One of the taxi drivers, a US citizen, spoke to me during the
> > >interrogation.
> > >
> > >"Please stop talking to them." He urged. "I have been through this
> > >before. Please do whatever they say. Please for our sake."
> > >
> > >Three days later I phoned the restaurant to discover what happened.
> > >The owner was nervous and embarrassed and obviously did not want to
> > >talk about it. But I managed to ascertain that the whole thing had
> > >been one giant mistake. A
mistake.
> > >Loaded guns pointed in faces, people made to crawl on their hands
> > >and knees, police officers clearly exacerbating a tense situation
> > >by
kicking
> > >in doors, taunting, keeping their
> > >fingers on the trigger even after the situation was under control.
> > >A mistake. And, according to the ACLU a perfectly legal one, thanks
> > >to
the
> > >Patriot Act.
> > >
> > >The Patriot Act is the just the first phase of the erosion of the
Fourth
> > >Amendment. On the congressional table this summer is the Domestic
> > >Securities Enhancement Act, also known as Patriot II. (Is it a
> > >missile or a piece of legislation?) Among other things, this act
> > >would allow the Justice Department to detain anyone, anytime,
> > >secretly and indefinitely. It would also make it a crime to reveal
> > >the identity or even existence of such a detainee.
> > >
> > >Every American citizen, whether they support the current war or
> > >not, should be alarmed by the speed and facility with which these
> > >changes to our fundamental rights are taking place. And all of
> > >those who thought that these laws would never affect them, who
> > >thought that the Patriot Act only applied to the guilty
should
> > >heed this story as a wake up call. Please learn from my experience.
> > >We are all vulnerable so speak out and organize, our fourth
> > >amendment rights depend upon it. ------------ Jason Halperin lives
> > >in New York City and works at Doctors Without Borders/Medecins
> > >Sans Frontieres (MSF)
> > >
By Jason Halperin,
Doctors without Borders, April 2003
> > >Two weeks ago I experienced a very small taste of what hundreds of
South Asian immigrants and US citizens of South Asian descent have gone
> > >through since 9/11, and what thousands of others have come to fear.
> > >I was held, against my will, under the Patriot Act. While I
> > >understand
the
> > >need for some measure of security and precaution in times such as
these,
> > >the manner in which this detention and interrogation took place
> > >raises serious questions about police tactics and the
safeguarding
> > >of civil liberties in times of war.
> > >
> > >That night, March 20th, my roommate Asher and I were on our way to
> > >see the Broadway show Rent. We had an hour to spare before curtain
> > >time so we stopped into an Indian restaurant just off of Times
> > >Square in the heart of midtown. I have omitted the name of the
> > >restaurant so as not
to
> > >subject the owners to any further harassment or humiliation.
> > >
> > >We helped ourselves to the buffet and then sat down to begin eating
> > >our dinner. I was just about to tell Asher how I'd eaten there
> > >before and how delicious the vegetable curry was, but I never got a
> > >chance. All of a sudden, there was a terrible commotion and five
> > >NYPD in bulletproof vests stormed down the stairs. They had their
> > >guns drawn and were pointing them indiscriminately at the
> > >restaurant staff and at us.
> > >
> > >"Go to the back, Go to the back of the restaurant," they yelled.
> > >
> > >I hesitated, lost in my own panic.
> > >
> > >"Did you not hear me, go to the back and sit down," they demanded.
> > >
> > >I complied and looked around at the other patrons. There were eight
> > >men including the waiter, all of South Asian descent and ranging in
> > >age
from
> > >late-teens to senior citizen. One of the policemen pointed his gun
point
> > >blank in the face of the waiter
> > >and shouted: "Is there anyone else in the restaurant?" The waiter,
> > >terrified, gestured to the kitchen.
> > >
> > >The police placed their fingers on the triggers of their guns and
kicked
> > >open the kitchen doors. Shouts emanated from the kitchen and a few
> > >seconds later five Hispanic men were made to crawl out on their
> > >hands and knees, guns pointed at them.
> > >
> > >After patting us all down, the five officers seated us at two
> > >tables.
As
> > >they continued to kick open doors to closets and bathrooms with
> > >their fingers glued to their triggers, no less than ten officers in
> > >suits emerged from the stairwell. Most of them sat in the back of
> > >the restaurant typing on their laptop computers. Two of them walked
> > >over to our table and identified themselves as officers of the INS
> > >and Homeland Security Department.
> > >
> > >While having some limited knowledge of the rights afforded to US
> > >citizens, I explained that we were just eating dinner and asked why
> > >we were being held. We were told by the INS agent that we would be
released
> > >once they had confirmation that we
> > >had no outstanding warrants and our immigration status was OKed.
> > >
> > >In pre-9/11 America, the legality of this would have been
> > >questionable. After all, the fourth amendment to the constitution
> > >states: "The right of the people to be secure in their persons,
> > >houses, papers and
effects,
> > >against unreasonable searches
> > >and seizures, shall not be violated; and no warrants shall issue,
> > >but upon probable cause, supported by oath or affirmation, and
> > >particularly describing the place to be searched and the persons or
> > >things to be seized."
> > >
> > >"You have no right to hold us," Asher insisted.
> > >
> > >"Yes, we have every right. You are being held under the Patriot Act
> > >following suspicion under an internal Homeland Security
> > >investigation."
> > >
> > >The Patriot Act was passed into law on October 26, 2001 in order to
> > >facilitate the post 9/11 crackdown on terrorism. Like most
> > >Americans, I did not recognize the extent to which this bill
> > >foregoes our civil liberties. Among the unprecedented rights it
> > >grants to the federal government are the right to wiretap without
> > >warrant, and the right to detain without warrant. As I quickly
> > >discovered, the right to an attorney has been seemingly fudged as
> > >well.
> > >
> > >When I asked to speak to a lawyer, the INS official informed me
> > >that I do have the right to a lawyer but I would have to be brought
> > >down to
the
> > >station and await security clearance before being granted one. When
> > >I asked how long that would take, he replied with a coy smile:
> > >"Maybe a day, maybe a week, maybe a
month."
> > >
> > >We insisted that we had every right to leave and were going to do
> > >so. One of the policemen walked over with his hand on his gun and
> > >taunted: "Go ahead and leave, just go ahead."
> > >
> > >We remained seated. Our IDs were taken, and brought to the officers
with
> > >laptops. I was questioned over the fact that my license was out of
> > >state, and asked if I had "something to hide." The police continued
> > >to hassle the kitchen workers, demanding licenses and dates of
> > >birth. One of the kitchen workers was shaking hysterically and kept
> > >providing the day's date?March 20, 2003, over and over.
> > >
> > >As I continued to press for legal counsel, a female officer who had
been
> > >busy typing on her laptop in the front of the restaurant, walked
> > >over and put her finger in my face. "We are at war, we are at war
> > >and this
is
> > >for your safety," she exclaimed.
> > >
> > >As she walked away from the table, she continued to repeat it to
> > >herself? "We are at war, we are at war?how can they not understand
> > >this."
> > >
> > >I most certainly understand that we are at war. I also understand
> > >that the freedoms afforded to all of us in the constitution were
> > >meant specifically for times like these. Our freedoms were carved
> > >out during times of strife by people who were facing brutal
> > >injustices, and were intended specifically so that this nation
> > >would behave differently in such times. If our freedoms crumble
> > >exactly when they are needed most, then they were really never
> > >freedoms at all.
> > >
> > >After an hour and a half the INS agent walked back over and handed
Asher
> > >and I our licenses. A policeman took us by the arm and escorted us
> > >out of the building. Before stepping out to the street, the INS
> > >agent apologized. He explained, in a low voice, that they did not
> > >think the two of us were in the restaurant.
> > >
> > >Several of the other patrons, though of South Asian descent, were
> > >in fact US citizens. There were four taxi drivers, two students,
> > >one newspaper salesman?unwitting customers, just like Asher and me.
> > >I doubt though they received any apologies from the INS or the
> > >Department of Homeland Security. Nor have the over 600 people of
> > >South Asian descent currently being held without charge by the
> > >Federal Government. Apparently, this type of treatment is
> > >acceptable.
> > >
> > >One of the taxi drivers, a US citizen, spoke to me during the
> > >interrogation.
> > >
> > >"Please stop talking to them." He urged. "I have been through this
> > >before. Please do whatever they say. Please for our sake."
> > >
> > >Three days later I phoned the restaurant to discover what happened.
> > >The owner was nervous and embarrassed and obviously did not want to
> > >talk about it. But I managed to ascertain that the whole thing had
> > >been one giant mistake. A
mistake.
> > >Loaded guns pointed in faces, people made to crawl on their hands
> > >and knees, police officers clearly exacerbating a tense situation
> > >by
kicking
> > >in doors, taunting, keeping their
> > >fingers on the trigger even after the situation was under control.
> > >A mistake. And, according to the ACLU a perfectly legal one, thanks
> > >to
the
> > >Patriot Act.
> > >
> > >The Patriot Act is the just the first phase of the erosion of the
Fourth
> > >Amendment. On the congressional table this summer is the Domestic
> > >Securities Enhancement Act, also known as Patriot II. (Is it a
> > >missile or a piece of legislation?) Among other things, this act
> > >would allow the Justice Department to detain anyone, anytime,
> > >secretly and indefinitely. It would also make it a crime to reveal
> > >the identity or even existence of such a detainee.
> > >
> > >Every American citizen, whether they support the current war or
> > >not, should be alarmed by the speed and facility with which these
> > >changes to our fundamental rights are taking place. And all of
> > >those who thought that these laws would never affect them, who
> > >thought that the Patriot Act only applied to the guilty
should
> > >heed this story as a wake up call. Please learn from my experience.
> > >We are all vulnerable so speak out and organize, our fourth
> > >amendment rights depend upon it. ------------ Jason Halperin lives
> > >in New York City and works at Doctors Without Borders/Medecins
> > >Sans Frontieres (MSF)
> > >
two interviews / visions of palestine
[from BBC]
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/features/visionsofpalestine/inde
x.shtml
Thursday 9th January 2003. T
The Council for the Advancement of Arab-British Understanding (CAABU)
hosted a cultural evening, called 'Visions of Palestine', at the
National Geographical Society in London. Academics, writers, actors,
activists and members of the general public gathered to hear a selection
of emotionally-charged readings, poetry and music celebrating
Palestinian art. But, underlying this, was the constant reminder of the
Palestinian struggle to resurrect their homeland.
Shazia Khan interviewed two writers who were involved in the event. She
asked them about their opinions on the struggle.
Ghada Karmi, Palestinian academic and writer
William Dalrymple, Historian
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/features/visionsofpalestine/inde
x.shtml
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/features/visionsofpalestine/inde
x.shtml
Thursday 9th January 2003. T
The Council for the Advancement of Arab-British Understanding (CAABU)
hosted a cultural evening, called 'Visions of Palestine', at the
National Geographical Society in London. Academics, writers, actors,
activists and members of the general public gathered to hear a selection
of emotionally-charged readings, poetry and music celebrating
Palestinian art. But, underlying this, was the constant reminder of the
Palestinian struggle to resurrect their homeland.
Shazia Khan interviewed two writers who were involved in the event. She
asked them about their opinions on the struggle.
Ghada Karmi, Palestinian academic and writer
William Dalrymple, Historian
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/features/visionsofpalestine/inde
x.shtml