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Politics : PRESIDENT GEORGE W. BUSH -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: MulhollandDrive who wrote (350889)	1/31/2003 10:20:57 AM
From: Poet	Read Replies (3) \| Respond to of 769670

Baraka is indeed a poet. He holds positions that may offend you, but that doesn't change the fact of who he is. If you're going to comment, then at least post the facts about the debacle in New Jersey: New Jersey lawmakers vote to abolish poet laureate position December 17, 2002 After unsuccessful attempts to fire Amiri Baraka as poet laureate of New Jersey, the Senate State Government Committee voted for a bill that will abolish the position altogether. Amiri Baraka caused a scandal last September after a public reading of his poem "Somebody Blew Up America". The poem contains the lines Who knew the World Trade Center was gonna get bombed Who told 4000 Israeli workers at the Twin Towers To stay at home that day Why did Sharon stay away? He was subsequently accused of antisemitism, and was asked to resign. When Baraka refused, the New Jersey government started looking for legal ways to oust the poet laureate. Last Thursday, AP reports, "the Senate State Government Committee voted unanimously to amend a bill that would have allowed for Baraka's removal from the position. Now, the bill calls for elimination of the position itself." Senator Garry Furnari, the co-chairman of the Senate committee, said the poet laureate position has failed in its goal of promoting poetry: "He has created a great deal of discourse, but I'm not sure he created any interest in poetry." Baraka has stood by his interpretation of the attacks on the Twin Towers. He told New Jersey newspaper The Star-Ledger that "The Israelis knew about it just like Bush knew about it, just like the Germans knew about it, just like the French knew about it." Baraka also maintains that no Israeli citizens died in the attack. In fact, two Israeli citizens died in one of the hijacked planes; another five died in the WTC towers. Baraka and his supporters have accused campaigners and politicians that are demanding his resignation of threatening free speech and artistic expression.