The Intercept’s Must-Read Articles: News & Analysis

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## Finding Resonance in Times of Crisis: june Jordan’s Poetry and the urgent Call for global Solidarity

The world feels heavy with conflict, and finding a moral compass can be overwhelming. Frequently enough, turning to art – specifically​ poetry – offers a pathway not just ⁤to understanding, but to *action*. June Jordan, a Black feminist poet, essayist, and activist, provides⁤ precisely that guidance, her work resonating with a fierce urgency that feels ​especially vital today.⁢ Her poems aren’t ‌simply observations; they are demands for reckoning and unflinching solidarity with those facing oppression globally.

### ⁢A Legacy of Confronting Power

Jordan’s work consistently challenged the United​ States’ role as an actor in genocidal horrors inflicted⁣ upon Black and Brown communities worldwide. she didn’t shy away from ‍naming the complicity – from past ties to apartheid South ​Africa to the ongoing, unconditional support of Israel’s occupation of Palestine. This wasn’t abstract political commentary for Jordan; it was a deeply personal and ethical imperative.

Her commitment stemmed​ from a profound belief in interconnectedness. This is powerfully illustrated in her 1985 poem, “Poem for South African Women.” ‍ You can find it⁣ [here](https://poets.org/poem/poem-south-african-women), and it’s a testament to the power ⁤of recognizing shared struggles.

### “I Am Become a Palestinian” – ‍Embracing Intersectional Solidarity

In her 1985 poem “Moving towards Home,” Jordan embodies‍ this solidarity with startling intimacy. She writes, “I was born a Black⁢ woman / and now / I​ am become a Palestinian.” This isn’t about erasing identity, but about expanding it to encompass the suffering of others.

Consider this a call to action. Jordan asks *you* to undergo a similar reckoning, starting with acknowledging⁢ your own comfort and safety – “the⁣ living​ room… where my⁤ children will grow without horror” – before turning‌ outward to the pain of the world. It’s a challenging, but‌ necessary, process.

### A Prescient‍ Warning: “The Bombing of Baghdad”

Following the U.S. bombing campaign of ​iraq,Jordan penned “The Bombing of Baghdad” in 1997.⁤ You can ​read the poem [here](https://poets.org/poem/bombing-baghdad). It serves as a chillingly prescient indictment of neoconservative policies – policies that, as noted, continue to shape U.S. foreign policy today. ‍

The poem’s most devastating lines cut to the core ​of willful ignorance:

> “And⁢ all who believed that holocaust means something / that only ⁤happens to white people / And all ⁢who believed ​that Desert Storm / signified anything besides the delivery of⁤ an American / holocaust against the peoples of the ⁣Middle East / All⁤ who believed​ these things / they were already dead / They no longer stood among the‍ possibly humane.”

Jordan isn’t merely condemning the act of bombing; she’s condemning ‍the *justification* for it, the selective ‍empathy that allows atrocities to be committed against certain populations.

### Finding ⁢Strength in Jordan’s Work

When your own writing ⁣or‍ thinking feels stagnant, Jordan’s poetry offers a vital re-centering. It’s a path back to yourself and to the urgency of liberation – a liberation rooted in affirming life itself.The final lines of “The Bombing of Baghdad” encapsulate this spirit:

> “And here is my song⁣ of the ⁤living / who must sing against the ​dying / sing to join the living / with the dead.”

This⁢ isn’t a morbid call, but a powerful assertion of⁤ responsibility. It’s a reminder that to be alive is to be obligated to fight for ⁤the lives of others. – ‍*Jonah Valdez*

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