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[alvarobarrington]

THE RALLY PARTY FRIDAY SEPT 6th 2-4 Hoxton Sq With DJs @kloseone @mmijthedj @jordss.dj @teddybonesbaby @celestekdoig @kelman.duran @alexandernut FREE TO EVERYONE BUT RSVP ESSENTIAL LINK IN BIO https://www.residentadvisor.net/events/1312631 (at Hoxton) https://www.instagram.com/p/B16oqjqFC9K/?igshid=1mrpqm89snhj5

[alvarobarrington]

[alvarobarrington]

Coming from LOVE ❤️ not going back and forth with you (at London, United Kingdom) https://www.instagram.com/p/B0A9Y6hl8ZL/?igshid=eurd1417oysd

[alvarobarrington]

@ucomcarnival @socaholicuk @fitzjack @hypemas (at Notting Hill Carnival) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bzk4RyBFsJi/?igshid=4ylidgrcisbm

[alvarobarrington]

Hahahahaha😂😂😂😂 sounds about right definitely had to google jojo siwa https://www.instagram.com/p/BzFprTIFS4E/?igshid=1ir4jfvwifcm7

[alvarobarrington]

Deadass I’m a Christian and believe very much in forgiveness but I will never fuck with Joe Biden and any of the people black white green people with power who back then and today have decided that hurt people (fathers daughter sons children moms) need to be punished and locked away. I believe in accountability and healing and community.i love black people I love poor people I love brown people I love everybody and that means at your lowest I will always advocate for your healing for ability to be whole. Joe Biden and all those in power trusted to make the best decisions for the global community cause America is part of the global community those with power who advocated for locking people up for punishment need to need to find out how to be accountable to those people those communities and be in those communities doing ground work for these folks healing. I use to be a social worker worked with children who had been locked up and were trying to reintegrate back in society. I saw failures and demons that I couldn’t imagine. Kids who were so used to hurt and violence that every situation was read through those lens. I saw kids fight their way out of those place through health engagement accountability and love. The highest concentration of rape survivors is in prison. From them I learnt how rape can fuck you up. You lock a kid up at a time when they are developing social skills and norm and then expect that somehow that person will be a healthy individual. You cannot love black people you cannot love brown people you cannot love poor people and believe in prison. That is a lie that has been told and inherited from slavery. To believe in prison is Love a tribe, your tribe and tribe I’ve learnt a lot of times did include those I love, they are not part of your tribe even if I am and I will never go anywhere without my brother. Those of us not in power have to unlearn that lie and imagine a society of accountability not punishment and hold our leadership to those standards. (at Rikers Island) https://www.instagram.com/p/Bwr2BzTFri7/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=99swq67kh98

[alvarobarrington]

Michael Jackson “Leaving Neverland” and What’s at stake

On one end we are in unprecedented moment in terms of shaping the conversations about sexual assault and power. a door has slightly opened for many of those who have been sexually assaulted to have a voice. We are at the tip of the iceberg because that history and those responsible for that violence goes deep and in many ways many of us are implicated and responsible in shaping healthy conversations about sexuality and violence. that river is deep and wide.

A success for “Leaving neverland” can be judged in many ways including shifting the time line for when one can bring up a sexual assault charge. One of the reason the case against Michael was dismissed was that it passed the legally allowed time. Sexual assault should not have a time limit so a case that sets to change this is incredible important.  anyone who has been sexually assaulted or cared for someone who had been sexually assaulted understands that healing can often be a life long journey and so a criminal justice system that absolves someone without ever holding them accountable because 7 years have passed makes no sense.

As Oprah stated “Leaving Neverland” did what she tried to do in over 217 episodes of the Oprah show about sexual assault. herself being a victim of sexual assault. for her the awareness of pushing this conversation forward the millions of those affected by sexual assault is worth Micheal potential innocence dispute the films inherent biases.

Reparations

Michael’s family and his children controls and or benefit from his creativity financially through the will and estate which the two accusers are suing. should they win the case someone who has made a large fortune but was a violent person, even though they are no longer alive can be sued for said violence, this money will most likely come out of his corporation which generally is set up to separate and protect either business or individual in case of these types of wrongdoing. what does that mean for corporations institutions etc who leaders have committed violence against individuals or communities. Can the victims of Harvey Weinstein sue Miramax? does this case set a new precedent for reparations at a time when for the first time many major political candidates claim they believe in so sort of reparations for descendents of slavery. or will this simply be large transfer of wealth from Michael (a black man) to his alleged  (white) victims on essentially what would be a he said/) which brings me to the other side

On the other end what does the assault on Michael Jackson legacy hold at stake.

For years I’ve always just assumed Michael had sexual assaulted some young boys, and while today i no longer believe he did I am aware that i simply do not know and there it is equally likely he did or didn’t.  But when I watched the director a white male explain why he decided to not include any possible defense of michael, or anyone who possible will cast doubt of the two mens story, that shit made me go naw, when the fuck should it ever be appropriate for a white person to accuse a black person of a crime and insist that a black person or their representative should not have a voice in their defense? The answer is NEVER, i will never allow any white person to define black people or my understanding of black people. as DL Hugley said the most dangerous place for a black person is in the imagination of a white person. Just as i would never allow men to define women for me or straights to define being a gay person for me or a cis person to define a non-cis person for me.

The first problem is that in order for one to believe Michael sexually assaulted those boys a very one sided often out of context story has to be told, which is essentially what “Leaving Neverland” does. for example one fact that gets thrown out as a set up to Michael guilt and its often intentional done out of context is that Michael settled and paid a $23 million dollar sexual assault lawsuit, which simply stated without context makes that person seem guilty, who would settle if u are innocent? According to Michael’s family, he was facing two charges a the same time a criminal and civil case. In a civil case the prosecutors have a right to a video tape deposition as well as the right to call you to the stand, where as in a criminal case they do not. Michael’s lawyer advised him to settle the civil case because Michael would have potentially opened himself up a wide range of issues including any revelations that may completely destroy him and his family legacy. The Jackson family has always been very private what happened in the family stays and is worked out within the family. Michael should he have gone through with the civil case would have to been subjected to questions about his family his skin disorder, what happened to him as a boy etc. In a worst case outcome a civil case along with a criminal case would mean Michael would pay large sums to the victim open his family up to a large set of issues including exposing Janet Jackson and the rest of the family for things they may not want public and also he would go to jail destroying his career, and putting billions of dollars at stake. The smart thing to do was settle the civil case and then prove his innocence in the criminal case because confronting the criminal case you essentially are proving your innocence. The 2nd time Michael faced the same situation he decided to fight it and won because as he stated if he didn’t fight this it would keep happening. why did he win that case? Many reasons but one main one was it was revealed that the mother had another recent case that was dismissed because she was kicked out of a store then accused the security of sexual assault and trained her children to lie that they saw their mom being sexually assaulted. 

 The director claims that this isn’t about Michael Jackson but about these two individuals and the assault that happened to them of which the only two people who knows the truth is the accusers and Michael and therefore it is pointless to have to interview anyone to defend Michael because Michael is dead or anyone who would cast doubt on the accusers don’t know what happened, because the only two folks who knows what happened is michael and the men cause they were the only ones in that room, yet he interviews the mens parents and grand parents only folks who essentially serve as character witness to prove the mens point by illustrating the system that Michael built to get away with his crime. This is an incredibly problematic standard. although racially many could argue the defecto policy of america is white folks historically accusing and convicted black folks without black people having any say. so the optics of two white men accuse a black man without any given opportunity for the black man to defend himself plays into a long history of how black folks especially men are judge. This isn’t a precedent it is the norm of which all black folks live in this country.

Money

they are several claims this is not about money because the men did not get paid by HBO or anyone directly involved in the documentary but it continually in almost every reporting points out that the Jackson family sued HBO for 100 million to prevent the doc from showing. the suggestion being what do they have to hide. It rarely if ever points out that after Michael died Wade failed at getting a very lucrative job of directing a play of Michael and shortly after sued the family for 1.2 billion dollars for the sexual assault a case is currently in appeals because it originally dismissed.

public opinion moves laws and this documentary has the potential to do just that. its simply inappropriate to suggest that only the Jackson family is concerned with money.

We live in a world that struggles to tell the collective story of blackness and our contribution. music has been our greatest documented achievement over the last hundred years yet few black folks have financial benefited from their creativity. few blacks have been credited for their creativity and we have not figured a way to celebrate black musical contributution in a meaningful inclusive way what we have figured out how to honor great painters like Da Vinci etc. Michael is the largest exception. The Michael Jackson estate co sponsored a large exhibition at the National Portrait gallery in London that highlighted Michael influence through “fine art.” Museums have many functions including records of culture. In practically any museum you can find the greatness of white men and the active erasure of others including black folks. how to document our accomplishments in music and dance have been a big challenge. 

 The thing that I really had to challenge myself on was my own biases especially around black males and that meant thinking about is it possible for a black men to be in bed with kids and it not be sexual. does black maleness in my imagination always have to include sexuality. Because i don’t know Michael personally but Michael and many of the folks who knew him speak about how he protect children against sexual inappropriateness that he wanted to create a space when the tension of sex wasn’t present. in America black males are so locked out the collective imagination of intimacy without sex even in the imagination of many progressive individuals. The fact that Michael and most of those who knew him continuous lived his life to show that was possible and that we as a society has continually questioned that started to feel uncomfortable for me. We accept that his troubled youth must make him a predator, we cover our white supremacy with in the idea of sympathy or understanding. Its ok Michael you couldn’t help yourself. we arrogantly argue that because Michael saw and experienced so many things as a child that he must repeat those same acts, its impossible for him to a look at how violence affected him and decide not to repeat it. yet when we are given the resources to end cycles of abuse we take great pride in our ability to do so. So why is Michael given all the evidence not given that possibility.  

[alvarobarrington]

In an age of one the highest homeless rate ever recorded in nyc, schools literally falling apart, housing projects breaking down, poisoning kids with lead paint. This city has decided hundred of thousands of dollars should be directed to calling for the arrest and conviction of an 18 year old kid for jumping a turnstile @nycmayorsoffice (at Far Rockaway, New York) https://www.instagram.com/p/Buzo3LvlzqG/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=vq60sxm0jxxd

[alvarobarrington]

In an age of one the highest homeless rate ever recorded in nyc, schools literally falling apart, housing projects breaking down, poisoning kids with lead paint. This city has decided hundred of thousands of dollars should be directed to calling for the arrest and conviction of an 18 year old kid for jumping a turnstile @nycmayorsoffice (at Far Rockaway, New York) https://www.instagram.com/p/Buzo3LvlzqG/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=vq60sxm0jxxd

[alvarobarrington]

Been through some things but can’t imagine my kids stuck at the border #21savage @unitedwedream https://www.instagram.com/p/BtdqopZFLx6/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=4rbxlndzoknw

[alvarobarrington]

Facts or Faxxxx I hate when anyone say Giuliani cleaned up nyc. The community cleaned up the community and all the leadership that’s think prison isn’t violent fuck you. Prison is hella violent humans are not meant to be in cages. also on that note all the brown folks who got locked up and forced to become violent to survive in prison or become victims and then deported back to Central America to countries that had no support structure to help reintegrate people who hadn’t been in those countries since they were kids this country and leadership owe you more. Reimagine Justice reform reimagine black and brown humanity

[alvarobarrington]

Facts or Faxxxx I hate when anyone say Giuliani cleaned up nyc. The community cleaned up the community and all the leadership that’s think prison isn’t violent fuck you. Prison is hella violent humans are not meant to be in cages. also on that note all the brown folks who got locked up and forced to become violent to survive in prison or become victims and then deported back to Central America to countries that had no support structure to help reintegrate people who hadn’t been in those countries since they were kids this country and leadership owe you more. Reimagine Justice reform reimagine black and brown humanity

[alvarobarrington]

Facts or Faxxxx I hate when anyone say Giuliani cleaned up nyc. The community cleaned up the community and all the leadership that’s think prison isn’t violent fuck you. Prison is hella violent humans are not meant to be in cages. also on that note all the brown folks who got locked up and forced to become violent to survive in prison or become victims and then deported back to Central America to countries that had no support structure to help reintegrate people who hadn’t been in those countries since they were kids this country and leadership owe you more. Reimagine Justice reform reimagine black and brown humanity

[alvarobarrington]

Facts or Faxxxx I hate when anyone say Giuliani cleaned up nyc. The community cleaned up the community and all the leadership that’s think prison isn’t violent fuck you. Prison is hella violent humans are not meant to be in cages. also on that note all the brown folks who got locked up and forced to become violent to survive in prison or become victims and then deported back to Central America to countries that had no support structure to help reintegrate people who hadn’t been in those countries since they were kids this country and leadership owe you more. Reimagine Justice reform reimagine black and brown humanity

[alvarobarrington]

Facts or Faxxxx I hate when anyone say Giuliani cleaned up nyc. The community cleaned up the community and all the leadership that’s think prison isn’t violent fuck you. Prison is hella violent humans are not meant to be in cages. also on that note all the brown folks who got locked up and forced to become violent to survive in prison or become victims and then deported back to Central America to countries that had no support structure to help reintegrate people who hadn’t been in those countries since they were kids this country and leadership owe you more. Reimagine Justice reform reimagine black and brown humanity

[alvarobarrington]

Facts or Faxxxx I hate when anyone say Giuliani cleaned up nyc. The community cleaned up the community and all the leadership that’s think prison isn’t violent fuck you. Prison is hella violent humans are not meant to be in cages. also on that note all the brown folks who got locked up and forced to become violent to survive in prison or become victims and then deported back to Central America to countries that had no support structure to help reintegrate people who hadn’t been in those countries since they were kids this country and leadership owe you more. Reimagine Justice reform reimagine black and brown humanity

[alvarobarrington]

Come see me tonight 6-8 @mendeswooddm might have to cop a silk green Versace button up with @living_life_alleycat and dance for y’all to some 112 (at Mendes Wood DM)