nam-myoho-renge-kyo

I would have used this pic but I needed at least one of the faces to be colored.

Since my cable is temporarily out (didn't have insurance so DirectTV is trying to charge me 100 dollars to come out and fix their half ass constantly malfunctioning shit and I'm not having it) and sis has been gracious enough to share her Netflix membership with me (luv ya much!) I've seen a lot of movies: Good Night, and Good Luck., Thelonious Monk: Straight No Chaser, Walk The Line and Favela Rising to name a few. None of the films dissapointed and I was particularly impressed with Walk The Line but I haven't been able to get Favela Rising out of my head and not on account of Anderson "Integrity" Sa's compelling story (he's an incredible human being) or the filmmakers decisions to donate all profits to AfroReggae (very commendable). I can't seem to figure out how in the 21st century you can make such a masculinist movie. I mean are there no young women involved in AfroReggae? Do no women live in these Favelas? Are they not involved in crime? Are they not affected by poverty? What has been their response to the lawlessness and corruption? I saw a few little girls practicing on their drum kits in the backround during some footage? What's their story? Were these questions asked and edited out? Were these areas explored? What the fuck? Book after movie after article from both well meaning progressives and conservatives disregard women's existence on the planet. I won't list them here (for the sake of self-preservation*) but even most progressive male critics and scholars I read should be ashamed of themselves. They all know how to play lip service--name checking Angela Davis or Asha Bandele--but still tell the same old stories never interrogating their privileged narrow interpretation of life and reifying it in to the annals of history.

*but some of us are not brave