IN THE TIME OF SILENCING

 Hello friends and followers,

As many of you know, my Facebook account was "suspended" 3 weeks ago. As you might guess, it was because of a reference to my stand for Palestine. No more details needed, except to say there are people out there who are ready and willing to silence those who speak for justice (and some of them live in San Miguel.) 

Today, my friend Chloe in London who also spends time in Mexico, sent me the email you can read below, in solidarity and as a hope that perhaps with all of you who read this, I can regain my FB presence.  Granted, the Stephen Ellcock it refers to is well-known, and important, whereas I can only hope that I have been important enough in your lives, to imagine that you will  come to my aid by writing to FB about whatever you feel I have contributed that is important to you.

This "suspension" affects not only my outreach about Palestine, but for my well-being and my livelihood as well. If you feel called to read Chloe's suggestion, and the letter to FB that follows, please let me know if you're ready to stand by me with this effort on my behalf. 

It is in times like this that we stand together, because none of us knows when WE will be next. 

From Chloe:

"Quite by accident I came across a Facebook page set up by friends and followers of an author called Stephen Ellcock. His many posts of images have become books, and he is clearly well known. But Facebook blocked him for something or other. A group of friends then set up a Facebook page demanding his reinstatement. Something for you to consider? I have copied one of the main entries on that page. He is back on Facebook now, I see.

..........

Dear Facebook employees and adminstrators,

Mr. Stephen Ellcock is a digital archivist who, with responsible and intelligent curation has exposed thousands of online viewers throughout the world to cultural history.

His audience is worldwide and his methodology is based in exposing those seeking cultural edification to a vast array of aesthetics and cultural concepts and creativity throughout history. From writers and painters to caligraphic examples and musical samples ; his intentions have been honorable and have sought to expose and bring awareness to all the worlds great knowledge and it's creative treasures.

His aim is to expose and to share what is beautiful and thought provoking. Mr. Stephen Ellcock is

unpaid and is not seeking fame or some worldly fortune from his efforts; and he is not interested in what has become quite fashionable of late: divisive and argumentative hatred and an emphasis on a lack of intelligent discourse in favor of a ranting display of ill-conceived emotions.

There is nothing hateful or unkind about what he has sought to do. He is providing a valuable service that according to the most recent Facebook television commercials , he is seeking to emulate.

That is: to share life's important and beautiful moments. One his followers has obviously made it their intention to report him on illogical and ill founded grounds saying that his work in curation and archivist ethos is somehow hiding hatred or is seeking to influence or disturb people in a negative fashion.

Nothing could be farther from the truth. If someone is offended by, artwork created by the artist: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Heartfield for purposes of satire or work by the Italian painter, Francesco Goya, the person or persons who are filing a complaint are seriously misinformed as to the nature of the artwork being presented to the public which Mr. Stephen Ellcock has sought to display.

His purpose is to educate and show the vast artworks that were created by such artists struggling to challenge the predominant atmospheres of injustice and cruelty that the arts often had to work under during times of geopolitical strife and crisis.

Culture is not simple as presentation of the pleasant and unchallenging.

Art is often a medium that expresses sadness, despair and attempts to reflect the anger at the injustices of society. Life and art are unfortunately not all the domain of the happy few.

Paintings, sculptures, music, dance and the entire spectrum of the creative arts can often serve to bring attention to the ills and most uncomfortable truths of the world.

This is the nature of both art and life.

To block Mr. Stephen Ellcock's creative efforts in a manner that he cannot share anything at all is both unjust and unfair.

When the world is surrounded by so much despair, hatred and lack of thought it is offensive and ideologically unfounded to remove a person from such an important domain as Facebook based upon rather spurious and suspect critiques of his efforts.

His efforts are honorable in intention and are not meant to incite violence or espouse hate or intolerance. I hope that his status will be reconsidered and his important archivist activities will be reinstated for the world to enjoy and see as well as to delight in. Mr. Stephen Ellcock's work is important for the survival of creativity and art in the world."

I have faith that with your words of support, something will shift and I will soon see you again on FB. As you may know, Meta owns our / your Facebook, Instagram, gmail, google, this Google blog you're reading, and who even knows what else. We all must stand together if we ever want social media to be available to all. Thank you in advance, for whatever you can do. 

Lena, la Huipilista 

y una guerra de la paz y justicia.