Transcription: Lincoln, Lonnie, and Me: A Story in 5 Parts, 2012
[Carrie Mae Weems] Fourscore and seven years ago our fathers brought forth, on this continent, a new nation, conceived in liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived, and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives, that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate, we cannot consecrate—we cannot hallow—this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us—that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they here gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom, and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.
[Lonnie Graham] If you’re speaking about certain situations...when I understand...I generally go into a situation knowing that there’s no change that’ll happen. At this particular point in my life I—and that’s why that particular story about the woman was so pivotal. Because I knew at that particular point that there was no way that I was going to be able engage any individual if they had these preconceived notions in their mind. So, at that point it became, like you said, it was it was really an issue of management. So because I really understand that there’s no change, it’s really an issue of management, there’s no change that will happen. The curtains won’t part. The lightning won’t come from the sky. The light bulb won’t illuminate above that person’s head. Nothing necessarily is going to happen to make that person have any kind of radical change because what they know and what they understand is so deeply rooted in their personalities and society. I may contribute to some level of another kind of understanding they might have, but I’ve given up serious hopes of making any sort of sweeping change or augmenting any particular person’s perception of one particular group or another.
[Boxer] Stay nice and loose. I’m alright. Yeah, yeah I can continue. I ain’t gettin’ hit by that again. He’s gonna come out hard. Block it. That’s it, cover up, cover up. He’s coming in. He’s countering off something, comes in, that’s it, one punch. That’s it right there. Now he’s thinking of something. That’s it. Remember he’s coming in hard. When he throws that hard right, slip those. That’s it. Now he’s off. Now he’s off. Keep them jabs coming. I’m scared, he’s scared. Keep him thinking of something to do. That’s it. He don’t wanna throw no punches now. Now who’s scared? Now who’s scared?
[Weems as Joker/Trickster/Faust character] I was with you...I have seen you for a long time. And I know you. I know you. I want a crack at you. I want to know you. I’m gonna shred you. I’m gonna kill you. I’m gonna brand you. And I’m gonna destroy you, cuz I know you. And I see you. You don’t believe me? Huh? No, you don’t believe me do you. But I’m gonna take you, and I’m gonna break you, I’m gonna destroy you. Because I want you to feel the suffering that I know. It’s not gonna be pretty. Revenge is a muthafucka.
[Urge Overkill, “You’ll Be a Woman Soon”]
Girl, you’ll be a woman soon
I love you so much, can’t count all the ways
I’ve died for you girl and all they can say is
“He’s not your kind”
They never get tired of putting me down
And I’ll never know when I come around
What I’m gonna find
Don’t let them make up your mind
Don’t you know, girl, you’ll be a woman soon
Please, come take my hand
Girl, you’ll be a woman soon
Soon, you’ll need a man
I’ve been misunderstood for all of my life
But what they’re saying girl it cuts like a knife
“The boy’s no good”
Well I’ve finally found what I’m a-looking for
But if they get their chance they’ll end it for sure
Surely would
Baby, I’ve done all I could
Now it’s up to you, girl, you’ll be a woman soon
Please, come take my hand
Girl, you’ll be a woman soon
Soon, you’ll need a man
Girl, you’ll be a woman soon
Please, come take my hand
Girl, you’ll be a woman soon
Soon but soon, you’ll need a man
Girl, you’ll be a woman soon
Please, come take my hand