From Ralph

05/11/04

A Letter to The New Yorker

Dear Owen

Nice to hear from you. We have all been busy and alarmed in this New World Order. You publishing that hideous picture of shame on your cover (Bravo!), and the rest of us waking up each day in a haze of News Cocaine, merely an alkaloid of the real thing, as in- happening to someone else, personally, physically- horribly. I am ashamed to be part of this Coalition. I was against it- and always was, from the very first time I heard the word WAR! I was four. We all know, for whatever reason, that some things are terribly wrong and we need to begin the process of putting things right- a kind of regeneration. But, it seems that annihilation comes first, then sensation, degradation, mutilation, immolation, termination-NATION!- and only then, explanation. By which time, we find someone who has the balls to apologize- a stomach-churning form of supplication. A relieving sound bite delivered by a significant someone in a chain of command, who lives with sweat on their brow. We need to see the sweat! Otherwise it isn't real. Particularly on TV, when we need to see everything, including the disemboweled detritus of some human-being's hopes and aspirations (nother - 'ation' word!) strewn out across a rubble dust piece of nobody's miserable back yard or Main Street. It doesn't matter who's it is, because we can't remember details. Tomorrow's news will give us fresh information(-'ation! ) and nothing is there to be digested. We cannot be expected to remember each day's crimes every day. Or any day, for that matter. It is horrible to realize that every single soul on this planet is a criminal. Thoughtless and cold. We are all part of the chain, all part of the disaster. All part of the aberration (another 'ation'!) that for some peculiar reason, WE are superior, or at least, some of us are! Let's not include the rest, eh?

Which brings me to Simon Scharma and his brilliant piece. So well written, and I was in mid-something else, still am. but thought, well, from the thrust of his piece, everything on board is so well described with actual presence and verbal eloquence- who needs pictures? What you need is the essence, the long view, of what he is saying generally. I humbly attach a suggestion- a floating snail. I also attach another thought which occurred at 5am. Our Moral High Ground. Not for that piece- but what an idea! I attach it. I also attach a poster just made for a performance of what it says on the poster. I am busy putting the world to right. I can't do everything, but with a little help from my friends, we can achieve so much. Thank God Rumsfeld isn't fat, and cannot sing, (as far as I know), otherwise it would be all over by now!!!

SONGAT!!

RALPHX