Ma's Place Opens

[AllenLowe]

thanks Jeff - there is a also a true and unspeakably awful story of a slave woman who drowned her babies rather than submit them to slavery. Sometimes I do think, given the negative political weight that that region continues to bear in this country, that we should have let the South Secede.

(as Phil Ochs sang, "here's to the land you've torn out the heart of....Mississippi find yourself another country to be part of")

[jeffcrom]

Sometimes I do think, given the negative political weight that that region continues to bear in this country, that we should have let the South Secede.

I could give a long, complicated response to this, but I'll just say, "Please don't."

[JSngry]

I could give a very short, and none-too-complicated response, but why bother?

[AllenLowe]

well, if the South had seceded, we would have a liberal government, healthcare, housing for everyone, equal economic opportunity, no history of lynchings - and thousands of Southerners (like Berigan and Weizen) trying to illegally cross the border under the cover of darkness, in order to partake of our much superior Way of Life in the North and West.

we would, of course, have accepted the large migration of African Americans, which likely, at first, would have caused some tensions, but ultimately things would calm down, and of course that block of voters would likely lead the progressive coalition that would run things in this NEW US of A.

and all those old blues records would still exist, because African American culture would thrive even more prominently in our Brave New World. Even more importantly, in this new society, Jazz Musicians would have a place of honor in every community, and be served by great staffs of tall virgins (so you guys might want to move here ASAP).

and don't worry, Jeff and Jim, should you decide to stay in that Southern Nation (named Thurmondia after the late Senator) we would still export all our wonderful television shows for you guys to watch.

Edited November 10, 2010 by AllenLowe

[JSngry]

Either that or else there would have been a massive slave revolt not put down by the USA, which would have led to a true African-American nation which would have spared us from the degradations resulting from all the endless soulless I-vi-ii-V variations and all the other moral & creative lynchings we've been forced to endure at the hands of "the music industry" all these years...

Think of it Allen - one more degree of separation between you and the music you live through/by/off of/etc.

Of course, that is all contingent upon the racist white North not coming to the aid of the racist white South to put it all down, and anybody who thinks that that wouldn't have happened don't know white people and power very well...

[AllenLowe]

"they got too much already and

besides we've got the cops"

[jeffcrom]

Meanwhile, back to Ma Rainey....

I revisited Columbus and points further south on Friday. I've posted some pictures here.

[papsrus]

Good stuff, Jeff. Love the photo of Rainey's piano.

Thanks!

[paul secor]

Jeff - Thanks for posting the photographs and the words. Great stuff!