(Why am I naming days?) (And what does it mean to “Help build the honeycomb?).
8/13/13, Day 13, 615: The Ground On Which I Stand versus Stand Your Ground
Yesterday at TCG I listened to the audio recording of August Wilson’s keynote address at the 1996 TCG National Conference. These were the remarks that became his seminal book, The Ground on Which I Stand. The recording had been lying in the vault, and we’ve finally unearthed it and are figuring out the best way to share it.
It is one thing to read his remarks, quite another to hear them in his own voice, and something else again to hear how they rally and challenge that audience of theatre leaders. I was reminded of how far we’ve come, how far we still have to go, and how much true heroism is possible if we are willing to share our truths openly, boldly and with compassion for those who do not yet understand them.
And I could not help but think about the difference between the legal power of Stand Your Ground laws, and the very different kind of power in The Ground on Which I Stand; and I believe it is that latter power that will in the end prevail, and bend the moral arc towards justice, and hearing Wilson speak, I am renewed in putting my shoulder to bend that arc with greater urgency.
So…
…looking back at yesterday, August 13, what small things did I do to help build the Honeycomb?
- The #Trayvon series on the TCG Circle continued. If you want to write for this series, or any TCG Circle series, email me at gschulenburg@tcg.org.
- I signed a birthday card to support the strengthening of Social Security (happy 78th, Social Security!)
- I spent two hours preparing for the annual Flux Retreat.
- I asked the NYC Council to build on Judge Scheindlin’s ruling and overturn Bloomberg’s veto of the Community Safety Act, and place greater restrictions on Stop and Frisk.
- I sent my notes to my dear collaborator Sol for the latest cut of our film Old Maid.
- I added my name to the HRC petition to the IOC to speak out against the human rights violations in Russia.
- I ate vegetarian, including veggies from our local, organic CSA.
- I composted, and created no additional direct food waste from plastic bags, plastic bottles, or any other wasteful packaging.
Technique never stands still: it only advances or retreats…
Writing: 2 days in a row
Yoga: 2 day2 in a row
Spanish: 2 days in a row
Corinna Schulenburg 
Trayvon stood his ground just as well as Zimmerman. So, if Trayvon had killed Zimmerman…well…you’d have to pursue the murder charge against Trayvon, wouldn’t you? If Stand Your Ground’s the great evil everyone says it is. I think even August Wilson would grasp that much.
Thanks for your comments! My intention to juxtapose the two has more to do with the difference between changing the world through poetic truth (The Ground on Which I Stand) versus legalized violence (Stand Your Ground). I believe the first is what will ultimately lead to a more peaceful world by changing the stories we tell about each other, and the way we value the lives of others. That’s where I believe true peace will be found, not in a false safety of institutionalized violence and fear.