Remembering Amiri Baraka and his poem ‘Somebody Blew Up America’ – Everything Law and Order Blog

Twenty years after 9/11, a chorus of activists, writers, and political prisoners remember Amiri Baraka’s influential and controversial 2001 poem “Somebody Blew Up America.” In this episode of Rattling the Bars, we hear from Baraka in his own words, as he speaks about America’s legacy of oppression and the path toward freedom.

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20 thoughts on “Remembering Amiri Baraka and his poem ‘Somebody Blew Up America’”
  1. Baraka was prescient about the sharp right we took in the Reagan era. His poem is powerful. Thanks to all of the readers and their brilliant rendition.

  2. Somebody blew up Iraq with 800 tomahawks missiles, I wonder who it was? Somebody blew up Japan with 2 nuclear bombs, I wonder who it was?

  3. Amen! If we have listened closely to this awesome, amazing but real poetry of reality. We all know "Who"… From the beginning of time to the present corruption, greed and supremacy always reared it's ugly heads. History will always repeat itself if on a small scale to the biggest. If me, you and all don't wise up! The answers and resolution is in every strand of our DNA. Fighting or resenting each other because of our race. Or which of us suffered more because of our ugly history… Is futile! The issue and problem lies within the walls of our skulls and deep within our spirit and heart. Suffering, supremacy, selfishness, ignorance, greed for power and control. Are the diseases that corrupt, deteriorate, and cause death to all. To entertain, partner and dance with it is the beginning of our end. And before anyone asks or judge me… I am a person of many colors and indigenous. Which makes no difference for what I speak… I speak from experience, trauma of myself and ancestors and wisdom that was not taught. But learned individually and together through what we are all born into. And I come through it all with love and forgiveness for all and myself! And maybe, no… not maybe is the only way and solution to heal…

  4. Amiri Baraka was my city's poet laureate… he came to my school to read this poem and it had a profound affect on me. It changed how I see the world and who's gaze ive been taught to seek and why. Clarity to so much confusion helps you move through this world. And this poem was clarity to me during the scary times of 9/11…

  5. You know just a helpful suggestion. Try to put as much effort into controlling and educating and actually improving your own people that you do pointing the finger at the white man. In other words insane people keep doing the same wrong thing over and over expecting a different result. Is clear to me the only path for your success is you improving you.

  6. If you want to know who treats the black man the worst in the world, all you have to do is go to Africa. If you want to see who treats the Mexican the worst, go to Mexico.

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