swell proud joy - march today!

Para Patricia y para todos que sienten orgullo de nuestra America:

Todos en Fort Worth y Dallas estamos preparando para la gran marchas que van a comenzar hoy (domingo) el nueve de April in Dallas.

Thousands and thousands of people are expected to march. I am getting excited and noticing an increasing feeling of pride: funny, but it is a feeling of pride of BEING AMERICAN--U.S. American. For it is particularly when I am expressing myself, in full knowledge of my rights and privileges of being born in this nation, that I feel that something which I suppose could be national pride. Or perhaps it's something bigger than that--beyond ethereal and concrete fences of nation-state delineations--perhaps what I'm feeling is more like HUMAN PRIDE. Feeling like I am empowered enough to take my rightful place in a classroom, a jury box, voting booth, a job interview office, behind a steering wheel, on a bicycle, raising my fist, holding my picket sign, signing a petition, gathering in a park, shouting my existence, remembering my roots.

I feel like I belong---that I am the honored citizen that the Constitution was designed and signed to protect and respect. One of the most memorable experiences I have ever had is when I crossed the threshhold, passing a military officer (the final test!), to enter the Casa Blanca---la mera mera White House. It was amazing to realize that even someone like me--protest marcher, in-your-face spoken word artist, unabashed community leader--could step upon that White House welcome mat and be received as a guest, warmly and respectfully. That damn House is my house too. For I am part of the American Dream, right? I am here to protest or protect, as we see it and as we call it, so that those slogans and sound-byte exhortations come to have meaning (once more): land of the free, home of the brave, america the beautiful, let freedom ring...

I've decided to participate in the Dallas marcha. This afternoon. Angelique, Machete, Violeta are also planning to go to Dallas. So are the professors (from Denton and Arlington) who I met yesterday at the all-day teach-in on UTA campus. Machete's going with a UNT-Denton student group called MUEVE. I hope to hear more from this group in the coming months.

I will stand in my colors, with my compas and others, proclaiming our rightful place on this tierra--our original home continent--and we will do so as we yell, drum, sing, dance, wave flags, and celebrate loudly.

For evolution and revolution needs to be about dancing and living without shame. When I return from what promises to be an ecstatic event in Dallas, I will be super-charged to (continue to) do the work that I need to do in forte wes (FW). I need the surge of love and unconditional acceptance that marching will make me feel, and I have a right to walk with the proud masses gathering from all over the country. (Yes, I've heard that folks from out-of-state are driving to Dallas to make that march a special and huge procession.)

We will march for you, Patricia, and any other Americanos from this continent who want an opportunity and a kinship with the U.S. that will cause truer bridges to be made than those overseen by the migra and border patrol officers.