18.
with these ideals in mind so that all peoples can fully appreciate the enormous responsibility
that we pass onto our children, so that we all may someday see our aspirations more fully
realized.
When this idea first occurred to me, i hoped to be able to arrange for this concert to take
place on January 2, 1980 as i felt the symbolism discernable form it taking place at that date
may be significant and inspirational. Now, however with schedules potentially conflicting and
with so little time left to plough through the intricate details, it may not be possible to
arrange it for that date.
However, the substance of the idea in the first place is still valid and if you will allow it,
the concert may still be called the January 2, 1980 concert for Rock Against Racism (or for
Children), no matter the date it may occur on if it is possible to arrange.
I had also considered attempting to arrange a concert to raise financial aid for beleaguered
children's aid agencies in the Toronto area as i have many friends in the area who may be able
to assist by performing for expenses alone and would do so willingly. Recently some of them
staged a Benefit for the Viet Namese(sic) boat people and earlier there was a benefit concert
to aid financially destitute victims of a flood in the area. However, again the time and
authority element is not up to me. My intentions are honourable. My actions on behalf of my
responsibilities speak for themselves, i feel and i hope therefore that you will sincerely
consider my petition of you.
Further in this regard i have enclosed the lyrics to a song that i intend to bring to the
attention of Rock Against Racism so that they can appreciate a significant problem that seems
to be prevalent in society over here and i suspect is a problem just about everywhere. The
core of Shaun Cassidy's audience is composed of very young girls and the kind of young men that
wear a suit to school everyday. To apply current jargon to describe them, they are not very
'hip' or 'cool'. But the depth of the perceptiveness in the lyrics he wrote when he was
nineteen years old, you can take it from me, is far more discerning than any i have heard from
people who've been through the same problem and who are twice his age, from the single
tingling word 'sensation' that is an exact description of the reality he lives in to the
chorus of 'yeah yeah yeah' that reminds me of nothing so much as the idols of fifteen years ago
that millions of people want to see reunited as if it will resolve all of the problems within
the world and within themselves that they have not had the courage to face themselves--the
Beatles.
Racism is not a pretty sight. About twelve years ago someone threw a Molotov cocktail
through my little brothers' window and it was with the blessings of the God that they lived.
It was apparent to everyone what had motivated the attempt on the lives of my brothers. Four
years ago a dear friend of mine was attacked outside a bar in Toronto by a man armed and
screaming the words 'nigger! nigger!' who injured him seriously because he happened to be
handy. My friend very nearly chose to return to the West Indies in fear for his life.
I have read reports that after each showing of the television programme Holocaust which
dramatizes the Jewish tragedy at the hands of the Nazis, there is an increase in the
expression of
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