Bearing Witness #9
Bad Bunny, Tu B'Shevat, Visible Defiance, and the Rebel Alliance
Apparently I totally forgot to send the Shevat newsletter out.
Thank you to the person who checked in to make sure I was okay.
Physically, I’m fine.
But I’m not okay.
Are you?
Bearing Witness
This is the 9th in this series. They began as a way for me to document and process. An interesting thing happened less than 24 hours after this most recent piece was completed: Greg Bovino was sent packing from Minneapolis. Days later little Liam Ramos was released from the concentration camp and went home to his family. Yes. That doesn’t solve the problem. But it’s a chip in armor. And I just read that Elizabeth Zuna Caisaguano and her mother was released.
I’m looking at this work in a new way now and putting a different energy behind it.
Tu B’Shevat
I didn’t think I would be participating in a Tu B’Shevat seder this year, but at the last moment — some dear ones in DC made it happen.
We used the Tehomic Tu B’Shevat seder created by myself and Kohenet/Priestess Angelique. And even though she couldn’t be there, she was there through her fiery poetic incantations.
We never intended for the words from one year to be used the next. But this incantation she created last year, weaving the words of the participants together in real time is still so relevant, powerful, and necessary.
I share it with you here in the hopes that it will uplift, inspire, and provide solace.
Tu B’Shevat 5785: Prophesy of Personal Liberation
Prophesy O’ Children, let your breath be known
Name oh dear one what seed shall grow…
And we shall love as though our lives depend on it.
Feel in myself and lend to others the vision that WE are the pieces of Earth we must care for Through mutuality, trust in the process, bringing my full self to the worldOffering
Solace
Seeding
Joy and courage
Grafting Healing & growth
Every small action matters.
Speak. Act. Don’t look away.
ACT ACT ACTAll flourishing is mutual in community healing
The children have prophesied
Their breath has been known
These seeds shall grow
These seeds shall cause the overflow for all
The words are prophesied
And like the almond strong
Like the grape alchemical in many forms
As the apple abundant holding hope inside
As the date and the pear sweetness with careAnd lest we forget the pomegranates
The hope of a present and a future that brings us together
Juicy, abundant and always enough for many
Each of us holding life as seed
Gifting all the days with beauty,
Blooming as trees that have been watered by the rivers of the deep
I water you, you water me!
Psalm 104 and Jewish Magiq
Another thing that struck me at Tu B’Shevat was Psalm 104, which there is an Ashkenazic custom of reading on Tu B’Shevat.
In my reading, Psalm 104 is a love song to creation.
AND… it’s used in Jewish Magiq, historically, to get rid of enemies.
“The only thing that is more powerful than hate is love. So please, we need to be different if we fight, we have to do it with love. If, yeah, we don't hate them. We love our people. We love our family, and that's the way to do it. With love. Don't forget that, please.”
Interesting that what got covered in the news was Bad Bunny saying “ICE Out.” He did say that. And then he said a lot more.
The only thing that is more powerful than hate is love.
In psalmic magiq, we get rid of enemies through a psalm that revels in the joy of creation.
I will sing a song and rejoice in the wonder of Creation
Each day that I live
Let my praise and song be blessed by the Shekhinah
As I will feel blessed each day
Let all turn their faces to Shekhinah
Bless Shekhinah, my soul.
~final lines of Psalm 104, translated by Ketzirah
if we fight, we have to do it with love
It’s much easier to focus on the hate. That fire can feel warm and satisfying. Rage is a legitimate soul trait. But that fire that will eat you from the inside out; taking all that is good with it.
With love. Don’t forget that, please.
The Struggle
The struggle is real. I’m not going to front.
Today was the second time in a couple of weeks that I fell asleep crying and woke up crying. But, as the amazing R’Danya Ruttenberg regularly reminds us, the only thing that really helps is taking action. Last year I started creating slap sticker designs and sharing them for free, as well as putting a few up and about DC on my own.
VISIBLE DEFIANCE
Visible defiance is an option open to most everyone. And it helps. Slap a sticker. Wearing that t-shirt. Deface that “golden dome” ad you saw in the subway or the ICE recruiting ads on the buses (not saying I did this, of course).
When you see someone else wearing that t-shirt, button, or patch — how do you feel? When you see that slap sticker on a sign post — does it give you a moment of uplift?
I know from personal witnessing that my stickers also have the opposite effect on MAGA. There is one set of my slap stickers that I see posted at a particular subway station in DC every day. (admitting to nothing, I do give them away for free).
The design on the left is the current design. Originally it was the version on the right. And yes, it’s modeled off of a WWII anti-fascist propaganda poster. I noticed that the “maga” part kept getting scratched out. So I optimized it to make that the whole damn thing. Every time it gets scratched out or torn off, another one goes right back up the next day. (again, I am not admitting to vandalism - just saying this seems to happen.)
For real, I get a thrill seeing that it hits home. I fight with love and for love, but I’m fine if you MAGA has to deal with the reality and not the fiction FOX NewsMaxOAN creates for them.
If you are in the DMV and would like some - let me know.
Two new designs — hand drawn by me (no AI).
First is this Ace of Wands inspired FUCK ICE sticker. Available in my shop. Your purchase allows me to do things like donate them to fundraisers.
Yes. The flame of the match sparkles.
And lastly — you may (or may not) have see the “Rebel Loon” and state bird rebel alliance symbols on social media. DC isn’t a state, but we have a bird (wood thrush) and a flag (2 stars & 3 bars). I included no federal imagery because that doesn’t define us.
There are t-shirts for sale as a fundraiser for FLARE USA. Here are some of my favorites created by others.
Alaska (I bought one of these)
Midwest Collection including the original Minnesota REBEL LOON
Find soooo many: https://bsky.app/search?q=rebel+alliance+state+bird
These are ways I find to take action. Including sharing them with you.
What can you do?
I promise it helps you and the fight.
And remember: “if we fight, we have to do it with love. With love. Don’t forget that, please.” (Benito Antonio Martínez Ocasio aka Bad Bunny)
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