Book Review:
Jailbreak Out of History: the Re-Biography of Harriet Tubman
Butch Lee writes, primarily, for revolutionary, working class, and progressive women. Not being a woman, but attempting to qualify for the adjectives, i think her works are some of the most important contributions to worldwide revolutionary theory & practice to come out of the u.s. empire today. Why? It's her voice - so rarely heard that it's hard to hear. Don't get me wrong, this is entirely my problem. i'm used to hearing people who sound like me, and see things and experience things the way that i would. A woman is not like me. When you're used to reading stuff where you're the primary audience because the authors are - for the most part just like you - picking up something where you're not the first person that the author is talking to takes some getting used to!
"patriarchal capitalism, which only wants Amazons to be exotic myths from exotic ages, have hidden Harriet Tubman in her own fame. They both trivialize and exceptionalize her. These are tools of oppressor culture
"to trivialize Harriet Tubman the capitalist patriarchy pictures her as an idealized woman by their definition, who makes a life of helping others. Thus her deeds are squeezed into womenıs assigned maternal role as nurturer, helper, and rescuer of men (who then go on to do the important things). But Harriet wasnıt repping Mother Teresa. She wasnıt even any kind of civilian at all. She was a combatant, a guerrilla, a warrior carrying pistol and rifle, fighting in her peopleıs long war for freedom. A war that rocked the foundations of Amerikkkan society and that has never gone away." (pps 2-3)
i've felt like this before - with Barbara Smith, bell hooks, Paula Giddings, Alice Walker, Barbara Neely (Be like Blanche!) - notice anything? Have you heard of these people? Have you read any of their work? There's a lot of people who have. The last time i've felt this feeling so profoundly was when i read the essays in BottomFish Blues: The Coming of Black Genocide. This is a good feeling, you oughta try it; if you want a new society, i think you'll like it.
"Harriet wasnıt leading the weak. No, thatıs got it backwards. She was leading the strong. The great anti-slavery struggle was a movement of the best and the bravest, the most serious-minded folks of that day. And it was among these, the strong, that Harriet was a leader. She was an Amazon player in the political decisions that determined the ending of the slave system."
Jailbreak Out of History is a totally fresh look at the life and work of Harriet Tubman. It attempts to de-iconize her & make her a real person to be emulated, supported, and reproduced. What would it be like to have an army of Harriet Tubmans? It would be like having an army of Kuwasi Balagoons, or Sundiata Acolis, Atiba Shannas, or... Butch Lees. This is what We need & say We want, but We've got to learn to listen to all the voices with the capacities & potentials for this. The bottom line is that revolution without women STILL ain't happenin'!
Re-Build!
hondo
Links
Jailbreak Out of History is available from The Radical Bookshop at stoop sale books
or through kersplebedeb
...also, the text is also available online: Butch Lee's work in progress