YouDoit

By Ilana Panich-Linsman

Time Magazine named You the person of 2006. With the already enormous and ever-growing popularity of user-created content sites like YouTube, MySpace, Wikipedia, etc., we are entering into a more democratic state of media -- with infinite possibilities.

With these modern tools of communication come certain responsibilities. There is no longer an excuse to ignore racism, sexism, homophobia, and ignorance in main-stream culture. YOU have the power to write about it, respond to it and do something about it at your fingertips.

Take a look at how Beau Sia, a poet in New York, has used the power of YouTube to get his response to a racist event in the media heard. This is the 18th most viewed video this week:



Mr. Sia clearly explains that it is not simply the racist comment that was offensive to so many of us, but mostly Rosie's ignorant and defensive response to her critics.
Beau Sia has taken it upon himself to start a dialogue with the YouTube community, (who is, let's face it, a lot of us: Beau's video currently has 332,892 views and about 4,500 comments), and with the popularity of the video, elicited this response from Rosie:

2 day i found
beau sia
poet
on you tube

with great delivery
wonderful editing
set in a school room
he spoke

an open letter to all the rosie o’donnells

“ching chong ching chong
is not an accent
it is a racist interpretation of a language
often associated with
being buried alive in a mine shaft”

“i would never make fun of who u r
and then make u feel wrong
for just trying to inform u
of y i shouldn’t say
whatever it is i am about to say
about plus sized lesbians”

“so listen 2 me
because i dont think ur evil
i dont care if ur mean”

“learn from this rosie
apologize darling
tap into the humanity
i know that u posses”

2 beau
an open response
to ur informative creative
and quite beautiful video

i apologize
for any and all pain
caused to any and all
by my comments
ignorance
lack of compassion - empathy
understanding

u r right
i didnt get it

i know
my intent
was not to harm
yet obviously i did

there ya have it

and beau
before u refrain from all observations
comments or comedy
in any context or capacity
about the queer community
in all it variations

arttst 2 artist beau
say whatever it is u need
i trust
after seeing u 4 all of 3 minutes -
ur soul is in the right place
ur aim is 2 enlighten
not debase
as is mine

peace out
rosie o’donnell - plus sized lesbian

And while Rosie could have taken a little more time to say, compose a more thoughtful letter or use a spellchecker, she obviously understood the gravity of her racist remark and defensive response to that remark, and apologized for it.

So, can we, as individuals that comprise this online community, take it upon ourselves to make it our RESPONSIBILITY and our priority to use the tools of modern communication be critical, analytical and to challenge the main-stream norm? Let's see to it that we all employ the resources available to us, as Beau Sia has done, in order to earn our Person of the Year title.

Resolutions That Matter

"Thanks, Al Gore" collage by Ilana Panich-Linsman

What are your energy-saving resolutions for the new year? Check out 2006 Top Green Tech Ideas by Kelpie Wilson, t r u t h o u t's environment columnist.

Moving Forward and Giving Back (A More Convenient Truth)

By Ilana Panich-Linsman

I spent May to August adjusting and readjusting my bum on my bicycle seat. My friend Colin and I went on a grueling cross-country journey from the Atlantic to the Pacific, on bicycle, raising money for Hurricane Katrina victims.

My decision to make the trip evolved gradually. At first, I was part of a crew, not biking, but documenting through photography what was sure to be an adventure of a lifetime. Then I realized that I could probably do it.

In the months leading up to our departure, all of my energy, time, and money was spent preparing for the trip. There was the fundraising. There was the promotion. I had to find the right bike(s) at the right price. We had to get all the right camping equipment. My local REI
practically knew my name when I walked in the door. We made countless lists: things we had to do/buy/plan/map. And, after my daily hours were logged planning, I had to go to the gym and train. My daily life was consumed with preparation. I felt exhausted but excited.

The trip began and we hurt and we whined and we rubbed cream on our butts and took ibuprofen by the bottle. I kept thinking (because there's not much else to do when you're on a bike for 8-12 hours a day) about my reasons for biking all these miles. I wanted to make a
difference in the lives of people who lost homes, dignity, and families during Hurricane Katrina. I wanted to accomplish something for myself. I wanted to document just how wonderful/interesting/beautiful/unique/sad this country and this trip were.

In Missoula, Montana we took two days off to cool our heels, eat sushi and see a movie.

"I heard this was good," Colin, my partner in crime said, pointing to the movie theater marquee. I had never heard of “An Inconvenient Truth.” Actually, I was surprised Colin had heard of it — considering we had been limited to only each other's company for weeks.

We sat in the theater, enjoying our respite from the heat and our few moments without the responsibility of our bikes and our belongings. (bikes were locked outside the theater and our belongings awaiting us at our campsite) We watched intently as Al Gore clearly and plainly explained not only global warming, but also, inadvertently, the purpose of our trip.

You see, never before Missoula had I considered why the trip seemed the right thing to do. I knew about global warming (well, I knew it was happening — somewhere out there). I knew about Katrina and I knew that by making myself extremely uncomfortable for an entire
summer I was somehow doing something good for the world and myself. But I hadn’t put the pieces together.

Al Gore pulled all the aspects of our trip together into one neat package. Our trip was symbolic. It was a symbol of the solidarity we felt with our fellow Americans who were victims not just of a natural disaster, but also of our government. The trip was a symbol of our personal futures, and the future of our nation. After all, as Mr. Gore explains, if not for global warming caused by the world's pollution, Hurricane Katrina may not have been quite so devastating.

We traveled East to West, just as our forefathers and foremothers did hundreds of years ago. We literally saw what western expansion looked like. We saw the land of this truly beautiful country rich with history. We saw that this same land, once home to Native Americans, was now paved over and clogged with thousands of RVs. These were the RVs that nearly ran us off roads, and the very same RVs that contribute to global warming.

We were taking a stand against global warming and for the first time I knew why that was important. And when people asked Why Bikes, instead of saying Why Not? I could tell them how biking positively changes the world. Even if just a tiny bit.

It was a sad trip in many ways. We saw how the country's lack of protection for its land and its people have caused overdevelopment, the worst excesses of corporate America, poverty, and sadness. But we also saw a land rich with people who encouraged us on our journey and
literally picked us up if we were down.

We learned that each of us determines our future relationship with the earth. It is up to us to inform ourselves, and others, about the human footprint on this earth.

With our bikes beneath us, and our bums only slightly more comfortable, we pedaled to the future: a place where we might save our mother earth by joining the crew that will lead to sustainable energy. Moved by the generous humanity I saw on this trip, I am inspired to help others when they’re down.

Go Further

By Ilana Panich-Linsman

The film Go Further (2003 Sphinx Productions) by Ron Mann chronicles Woody Harrelson and an assortment of friends as they bicycle from Seattle to Los Angeles followed by a bio-fueled bus. Harrelson and company hope to inspire action and dialogue about sustainable living. The film is not only inspirational but humorous and appealing, with some brilliant musical performances.

The principal travelers (on bicycle or in the bus) include Harrelson himself (who speaks at colleges along the way), a yoga instructor, a vegan chef, an environmental activist and Steve, a self-described junk-food addict who eventually jumps on the bio-fueled bus and adopts the mantra, "Say no to corn dogs!" by the time the film ends.

Harrelson and his posse cycle eight hours a day, do yoga, and eat raw food as they travel down the Pacific coast speaking with students, organic farmers, solar energy experts and others. In one snippet of Harrelson's college lectures, the actor explains, "The most significant thing you can do for your environment? Look at your diet and demand organic."

The crew meets Anuradha Mittal, co-director of an organic farmers' market, Food First. "We live in a country where we've been told freedom really means having the choice of choosing between twenty different kinds of toothpaste," she says. "We have not been told that freedom really is knowing what we're eating, what is in a food, is it safe for us to eat."

This film was inspirational to me. I will be evermore conscious of my personal consumption habits, and eager to get the word out about our options in combating global warming. I sense that with the recent turnover in Congress, environmental activists throughout the country have the opportunity to speak out and educate now more than ever. U.S. citizens now face the responsibility of generating answers to questions surrounding the global warming crisis.

I don’t think perfection is the goal here. Individuals, though, can make an attempt to make better decisions regarding their personal environmental footprint. Whether this means recycling, buying locally grown food, switching off a few lights, unplugging some appliances or educating ourselves and our friends by seeing documentaries like Go Further or An Inconvenient Truth (which takes a more scientific look at the causes and effects of global warming). We can all do little things, the sum of which will amount to significant results.

Remember: Just say no to corndogs.

For more information about Go Further:
Sphinx Productions: Go Further

For more information about how you can take action against global warming:
Take Action

Seeds of Tolerance

By Ilana Panich-Linsman

The Seeds of Tolerance Contest
Current TV started a contest in June and asked contestants to make a video about the issue of tolerance. They’ve narrowed it down to six entries. The winner will receive $100,000 in cash and an additional $15,000 to donate to the charity of his or her choice. Two finalists will also receive $10,000 a piece. The awards will be presented at a film-screening event in Los Angeles in December.

The current video in the lead is "The Making of a Girl" produced by Jillian Buckley. In it, the founder of Girls Education and Mentoring Services or GEMS narrates the hypothetical life a young girl who is seduced into a world of sexual exploitation and abuse. GEMS is a “non-profit organization whose mission is to empower young women, ages 12-21 years, who have experienced sexual exploitation and violence to exit unsafe and abusive lifestyles and to develop their full potential. GEMS provides young women with empathetic, consistent support and viable opportunities for positive change."

Please watch the videos, vote in this contest and help support GEMS in its crucial mission. (The videos "Darfur Rising" and "One Nation Under Guard" are also excellent). You must register to vote, but Current TV is a great website to explore and participate in anyway, so go ahead, register, vote. Do your part in helping to support girls and women who have experienced sexual exploitation and violence.

"California," 2003

Photographs are from the series "California," 2003 by Ilana Panich-Linsman. All images copyright of the artist.