Comments on: Billie Holiday and Strange Fruit in the 21st Century http://dissidentvoice.org/2007/09/billie-holiday-and-strange-fruit-in-the-21st-century/ a radical newsletter in the struggle for peace and social justice Sun, 22 Nov 2009 12:21:18 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: GILL DEACON http://dissidentvoice.org/2007/09/billie-holiday-and-strange-fruit-in-the-21st-century/#comment-13800 GILL DEACON Thu, 31 Jan 2008 21:18:46 +0000 http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2007/09/billie-holiday-and-strange-fruit-in-the-21st-century/#comment-13800 I have recently did the GCSE English course and this was a poem we read. It was very moving and thought provoking. Good for Billie Holiday for having the guts to sing it to the American population. I have recently did the GCSE English course and this was a poem we read. It was very moving and thought provoking. Good for Billie Holiday for having the guts to sing it to the American population.

]]> By: Ceri Cat http://dissidentvoice.org/2007/09/billie-holiday-and-strange-fruit-in-the-21st-century/#comment-6719 Ceri Cat Mon, 01 Oct 2007 11:14:14 +0000 http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2007/09/billie-holiday-and-strange-fruit-in-the-21st-century/#comment-6719 I've never heard the song, and wish I didn't know what lynching was, or had ever seen racism. But at the same time I can remember Billie Holiday's voice and picture her singing those words quoted all too well. When will we all grow up and realise race is a false concept, to swallow our irrational pride and accept our relationship with one another with open arms. I've often mentioned to my friends a song from Australia's years of music which is an inspiring piece which is called simply "I am Australian" which was first written and performed by the Seekers and had sufficient appeal that it has often been suggested to replace or mistaken for the Australian anthem. The chorus is nice and simple and in my personal favourite version sung by a youth choir and goes like this. "We are one, but we are many, and from all the lands on earth we come. We'll share a dream and sing with one voice. I am! You are! We are Australian!" I regret more people don't take this kind of message to heart, that regardless of where we're from, we are one. It's rare to see a white person be racist where I live in Australia, they're too scared to express any opinion that could be claimed as racist, while the aborigines and other "minority" groups have free reign and are frequently racist towards those they perceive as white. There is no such thing as reverse racism, it's just racism pure and simple, and nobody is innocent of it. I remember as a child being fed ridiculous dogma by people around me, thankfully my mother set me straight then and taught me to listen and form my own opinions, by the time I was in high school I only had one group I hated and that was anyone that treated others badly because they were different. I come from an ethnically diverse background with a Dutch grandmother who still has nightmares 60+ years later of waking up with a German pistol in her face, her second husband's (my grandfather) father was a black south African, whose genetic traits while not strong in my generation were enough for my grandfather to be treated badly by one of my neighbours as a child, somehow I doubt that man expresses his opinion too loudly these days given the horde of "darkies" just around the corner (ten years ago those houses were filled with white trash, now it's the half caste troublemakers). I look forward to the future with hope for a brighter tomorrow where maybe we'll learn to get along, I'm not going to hold my breath in anticipation though. I found this article well worth reading Alex, I'm going to have to try to find this song, seems too important a part of musical history to ignore. I’ve never heard the song, and wish I didn’t know what lynching was, or had ever seen racism. But at the same time I can remember Billie Holiday’s voice and picture her singing those words quoted all too well.

When will we all grow up and realise race is a false concept, to swallow our irrational pride and accept our relationship with one another with open arms. I’ve often mentioned to my friends a song from Australia’s years of music which is an inspiring piece which is called simply “I am Australian” which was first written and performed by the Seekers and had sufficient appeal that it has often been suggested to replace or mistaken for the Australian anthem. The chorus is nice and simple and in my personal favourite version sung by a youth choir and goes like this.

“We are one, but we are many, and from all the lands on earth we come.
We’ll share a dream and sing with one voice.
I am! You are! We are Australian!”

I regret more people don’t take this kind of message to heart, that regardless of where we’re from, we are one. It’s rare to see a white person be racist where I live in Australia, they’re too scared to express any opinion that could be claimed as racist, while the aborigines and other “minority” groups have free reign and are frequently racist towards those they perceive as white. There is no such thing as reverse racism, it’s just racism pure and simple, and nobody is innocent of it. I remember as a child being fed ridiculous dogma by people around me, thankfully my mother set me straight then and taught me to listen and form my own opinions, by the time I was in high school I only had one group I hated and that was anyone that treated others badly because they were different. I come from an ethnically diverse background with a Dutch grandmother who still has nightmares 60+ years later of waking up with a German pistol in her face, her second husband’s (my grandfather) father was a black south African, whose genetic traits while not strong in my generation were enough for my grandfather to be treated badly by one of my neighbours as a child, somehow I doubt that man expresses his opinion too loudly these days given the horde of “darkies” just around the corner (ten years ago those houses were filled with white trash, now it’s the half caste troublemakers).

I look forward to the future with hope for a brighter tomorrow where maybe we’ll learn to get along, I’m not going to hold my breath in anticipation though.

I found this article well worth reading Alex, I’m going to have to try to find this song, seems too important a part of musical history to ignore.

]]> By: judy corbin smith http://dissidentvoice.org/2007/09/billie-holiday-and-strange-fruit-in-the-21st-century/#comment-6604 judy corbin smith Fri, 28 Sep 2007 22:16:02 +0000 http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2007/09/billie-holiday-and-strange-fruit-in-the-21st-century/#comment-6604 Alex, my mother was a singer who loved Billie Holliday. In 1957 when I was 15 & watching TV as those poor 9 kids at Little Rock just tried to go to school - I was horrified at those ugly white people who shouted & raised their fists. My mother played Billie's 'Strange Fruit' so that I would know what Lynching etc. was all about. It was the most awful visual images that the song evoked. Thank-God, my mother was a good & righteous person. I can only hope, that I am righteous too. Alex, my mother was a singer who loved Billie Holliday. In 1957 when I was 15 & watching TV as those poor 9 kids at Little Rock just tried to go to school – I was horrified at those ugly white people who shouted & raised their fists. My mother played Billie’s ‘Strange Fruit’ so that I would know what Lynching etc. was all about. It was the most awful visual images that the song evoked. Thank-God, my mother was a good & righteous person. I can only hope, that I am righteous too.

]]> By: judy corbin smith http://dissidentvoice.org/2007/09/billie-holiday-and-strange-fruit-in-the-21st-century/#comment-6601 judy corbin smith Fri, 28 Sep 2007 20:50:08 +0000 http://www.dissidentvoice.org/2007/09/billie-holiday-and-strange-fruit-in-the-21st-century/#comment-6601 I mention Strange Fruit on an Imus site today & lo! & Behold - the story appears here! Thanks Alex I mention Strange Fruit on an Imus site today & lo! & Behold – the story appears here! Thanks Alex

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