Difference between revisions of "Amiri Baraka"
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| − | '''Amiri Baraka''' (born '''Everett LeRoi Jones''' in 1934) is an [[anti-Semitic]], [[black nationalism|black nationalist]] [[poet]]. He was Poet Laureate of [[New Jersey]] from 2002 to 2004. | + | '''Amiri Baraka''' (born '''Everett LeRoi Jones''' in 1934) is an [[anti-Semitic]], [[black nationalism|black nationalist]] [[poet]]. He was Poet Laureate of [[New Jersey]] from 2002 to 2004. He describes himself as a "[[Third World]] [[Marxist]]-Leninist." |
Baraka's poetry contains many anti-Semitic and anti-white rantings. There are also a lot of profanity, and it is laden with misspellings, bad punctuation, and improper diction. Overall, his poetry looks more like [[gangsta rap]] to some people. | Baraka's poetry contains many anti-Semitic and anti-white rantings. There are also a lot of profanity, and it is laden with misspellings, bad punctuation, and improper diction. Overall, his poetry looks more like [[gangsta rap]] to some people. | ||
Baraka was at the center of a controversy during his Poet Laureate tenure in 2003, over his poem "Somebody Blew Up America." In this poem, Baraka blames [[Israel]] under [[Ariel Sharon]] for the [[9/11 attacks]]. He also maligns [[Colin Powell]], [[Clarence Thomas]], and [[Condoleezza Rice]] in this same poem. Then-governor [[Jim McGreevey]] criticized Baraka's poem and attempted to remove him from the post, but found there was no legal way to do so. In 2003, legislation was passed allowing [[Jim McGreevey|Mcgreevey]] to abolish the title of New Jersey Poet Laureate, which he then did. Baraka sued to reclaim the title but the court ruled that state officials were immune from such suits. | Baraka was at the center of a controversy during his Poet Laureate tenure in 2003, over his poem "Somebody Blew Up America." In this poem, Baraka blames [[Israel]] under [[Ariel Sharon]] for the [[9/11 attacks]]. He also maligns [[Colin Powell]], [[Clarence Thomas]], and [[Condoleezza Rice]] in this same poem. Then-governor [[Jim McGreevey]] criticized Baraka's poem and attempted to remove him from the post, but found there was no legal way to do so. In 2003, legislation was passed allowing [[Jim McGreevey|Mcgreevey]] to abolish the title of New Jersey Poet Laureate, which he then did. Baraka sued to reclaim the title but the court ruled that state officials were immune from such suits. | ||
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| + | ==External Links== | ||
| + | [http://www.discoverthenetworks.com/individualprofile.asp?indid=2171/ Amiri Baraka Profile on Discover the Networks] | ||
[[Category: Poets]] | [[Category: Poets]] | ||
[[Category: Black Nationalists]] | [[Category: Black Nationalists]] | ||
Revision as of 00:34, June 3, 2008
Amiri Baraka (born Everett LeRoi Jones in 1934) is an anti-Semitic, black nationalist poet. He was Poet Laureate of New Jersey from 2002 to 2004. He describes himself as a "Third World Marxist-Leninist."
Baraka's poetry contains many anti-Semitic and anti-white rantings. There are also a lot of profanity, and it is laden with misspellings, bad punctuation, and improper diction. Overall, his poetry looks more like gangsta rap to some people.
Baraka was at the center of a controversy during his Poet Laureate tenure in 2003, over his poem "Somebody Blew Up America." In this poem, Baraka blames Israel under Ariel Sharon for the 9/11 attacks. He also maligns Colin Powell, Clarence Thomas, and Condoleezza Rice in this same poem. Then-governor Jim McGreevey criticized Baraka's poem and attempted to remove him from the post, but found there was no legal way to do so. In 2003, legislation was passed allowing Mcgreevey to abolish the title of New Jersey Poet Laureate, which he then did. Baraka sued to reclaim the title but the court ruled that state officials were immune from such suits.