The Liberated Master of the Universe

Posted on | September 29, 2008 |

Naming is an important.  Naming a child, naming a school or scholarship fund.  Naming a pet or an event.  And before leaving Yellow Springs we had the pleasure of meeting Pegah’s parents - Iranian immigrants whose commitment to revolution brought them to the states.  Her mother has the most inspiring revolutionary name I’ve ever heard - Azadeh Jahanbegloo.  Or, The Liberated Master of the Universe.  She is a professor and explained that she has had a number of students who have named their daughters Azadeh - after her.

She and her husband were a part of the Iranian revolution over 30 years ago.  Mrs. Jahanbegloo is extremely passionate about humanity, freedom, equality, and the institutions that impact or influence those things.  She believes that there will be a revolution in the United States if Barack Obama is not declared our next president on November 5th (since we know something will be off until after midnight).  Though all of us in the HURRICANE SEASON crew have admitted to our belief that that be so, it is in our lifetimes that we’ve seen a stolen election, and the apathy of the following one.  We have a bit of cynicism over the passion with which this millenial generation has, and the extent to which we’d be willing to go if such belief is not actualized.

I am beginning to take a closer look at what our generation considers a movement.  If it isn’t e-mailed, posted as a bulletin or on Facebook, if it isn’t text messaged, or made into a music video how effective is it?  Pretty much ineffective.  Word of mouth is now word of cyberspace.  And though it means we can get a message out faster, with little to no misinterpretation in its spreading - how many will actually step out of their homes, change their shopping habits, turn off their televisions or radios, travel a distance to make a difference?  How many?  It is possible to stop this system in one day.  One.  Yet we have not been collective in our energies or efforts to make any one demand plainly evident to the dominant paradigm… ahhhhh! soap box…

Another world is possible - I keep that as a mantra when feeling overwhelmed or disheartened by my own train of thought.  Tetris told me that the Zapatistas (a revolutionary group of indigenous people in Mexico who in 1/1/94 had an uprising against the oppressive, internationally-owned Mexican government) have built a movement through poetry.  Subcomandante Marcos delivers speeches to the people and the Mexican government in poetry!  (Can you see Bush spitting anything lyrical?!)  Named after Emilio Zapata, I’m told the leadership is 50/50 male to female.  Though I know I romanticize indigenous people all the time, believing that the “old ways” were better ways - I know when hearing the Zapatistas’ story and their current actions that another world truly is possible.  (Great resource: Left Turn Magazine for more info)

This mantra becomes even more evident when Tetris and I begin looking at a treehouse book.  It’s a book of “grown people” treehouses, some with extremely elaborate hook ups, others remind me of the dope treehouses of the rich kids in my childhood.  She says she wants to build one one day.  And after witnessing the creation of the set for HURRICANE SEASON, I know it’s simply a matter of her finding the time to do it!

Pippi for the first time ever, drops the transmission pan.  Our very own Grease Guru is turning into a true to life Grease Mechanic!  After the parts are put back together, Huey jumps in the driver’s seat for the first time and pushes on the gas… pushes on the gas… pushes on the gas… lol  The thing isn’t catching into first gear.  We pull over and subsequently reverse all the way back into Pegah’s yard.  Another unexpected night in Yellow Springs.

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