What is the best way to counter a human tragedy?
One of my proudest life achievements is being included in Matt Warshaw’s epic Encyclopedia of Surfing (subscribe here already). The world’s greatest and only surf historian describes me thusly:
Bright, hyper-ironic surf journalist, author, and bon vivant from Coos Bay, Oregon; frequent contributor to Stab magazine, contributing editor at Surfing magazine, and co-founder of Beach Grit, a surfing website.
And while I’m only “bright” when juxtaposed with Stab’s utterly retarded staff and while, for reasons unbeknownst to me, I don’t contribute to them quite so much anymore and while Surfing magazine is totally dead in the grave, I did co-found BeachGrit and I am hyper-ironic. So hyper-ironic, in fact, that I can rarely discern what I actually believe about any given topic.
It’s anti-depressive!
But son of a bitch this last week has kicked me in the gut. Between a massive American shift toward identity politics and Presidential incompetence and terrorist attacks in Spain and ignorant babbling on the right and panicked screeching on the left, it all feels like a mess.
The thing that gets me most, though, isn’t happening in North America or Europe and it isn’t on the front page of any American newspaper and nobody is ignorantly babbling or panically screeching about it.
It’s happening in Yemen where Saudi Arabia, for no even halfway good reason and with the United States’ support, has bombed the country into the worst humanitarian crisis in the entire world. And today it was revealed that the Saudis are targeting children with their bombs.
And it crushes me. I’ve been to Yemen six or so times in my life. It was where I got my start as a “surf journalist” writing the worst thing ever for Australia’s Surfing Life. It was there I first shot an AK-47. There I first shook hands with a man affiliated with Al-Qaeda. There I first saw a tree bleed. That initial trip was from Sana’a, the capital, down to Aden and then along the entire coast, for three months, all the way to Oman.
Subsequent trips involved riding motorcycles from edge to edge, driving a Land Rover from edge to edge and sailing along its Red Sea coast.
It was always wild, magical, brilliant. Untethered. Yemen is not blessed/cursed with oil like its Arabian peninsula neighbors and has a rough, independent people so was mostly left alone over the last few centuries. My three friends and I were the first white men ever seen in some of those far off towns. At the time I thought it was a fun footnote. Today I think I am one of the few westerners on earth who know what Yemen really is. Like, really really is, and I have a responsibility to say something about its destruction.
But what?
What works? I have no idea how to cut through the clutter, how to get anyone’s attention. I suppose I’ve reached a desperation point and no longer care what works. I’m going to start doing what I know. I’m going to start posting stories about those trips. About the waves, the people, the architecture, food, customs, religious practices, color, spark, life. I am going to spend the next six months painting a non-ironic picture of the country I love most right here.
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You got my attention.
I find this story nice. Not ‘ugly ginger Ed Sheeran’ nice, rather more ‘pressure bandage on shrapnel wound’ nice.
Ironically and depressively, US will sell $100 billions on arms to Saudi Arabia in the next few years.
MAGAYW: Make America Great Again and Yemen Worse
S’funny, when I read some of those early Yemen pieces ….and then years (was it years? felt like years) later came across the hyper-ironic Chas Smith I simply thought they must have been two different people writing under the same name. There just seemed no common thread between the two, in the writing style, tone, point of view etc etc etc.
It’ll be interesting to see the hyper-ironist go back to the source material and treat it…..how?
Surely the Washington Post or some other big leaguer would be interested in linking or coming along for the ride…..that might get some people paying attention, maybe some pressure could be brought to bear on Saudi Arabia?
Fuck would I know, I’m just a dirtbag sitting in a rented house in the bush.
Take us to Yemen Chas.
It was years! I first went to Yemen 15 years ago and didn’t write that many… that I recall… but cringe at that early tone. I think I was so shrill and annoying. Cloying. Time has seasoned my perspective and has also made me realize those trips were truly remarkable. I hope that telling some of the untold stories will be, at the very least, interesting.
Anything off limits?
I think maybe yes but I’m telling anyway… with changed names.
The best way to counter human tragedy? Give humans the freedom and opportunity to better themselves.
No, no, no, you don’t understand this generation at all. Freedom and human dignity is sooooo 18th century. We’re Romans now. As long as we have our bread and circuses, er, I mean pot and Beachgrit, we’ll comment away as it all burns down.
The callfree freedom and opportunity helpline is probably not readily available in many Middle Eastern phonebooks… but nice sentiment nonetheless.
Fools rush in where angels fear to tread.
I’ve always wondered if Chas is an Angel or Fool. I suppose we’ll find out.
I’ll cut the anticipation! A fool!
You would think rich Arabs killing kids would cut through the clutter. Sadly not. If child murder doesn’t move those who can actually do something, I’m afraid a bright, bon vivant from Oregon might be pushing shit up a lonely hill. Don’t let that stop you though.
Not to undermine the serious message here….. but DAAMMMnNNn I bet an AK-47 pairs well with a HELMUT LANG T-shirt
It would have that first trip but I was true to Op and wore strange collared things. Later, though, I did shoot an AK wearing a Helmut button-up.
Did you at least do the obligatory Aloha Akhbar as you fired?
That could potentially be even better
Thank you
Thanks, I look forward to these.
Didn’t think there was any room for a heart on that sleeve of yours.
Sincerity’s okay sometimes.
(PS: targeting children and hospitals)
The bits and pieces of the stories we get of your travels there are fascinating. Have you considered writing a book on it? In the meantime, we shall be here with you, taking in your stories, for the next six months.
I haven’t because the place means too much to me and I haven’t wanted to fail it…. but I’m gonna start swinging now before it’s too late.
I can respect that and look forward to what you have to share!
You write, we’ll read.
https://www.youtube.com/wat…
its about time…..
That must have been one hell of a wine bender you had last night. I look forward to the short reads. Sometimes you got to tell YOUR story as a journalist/author. Your authentic story for better or for worse. No one can fault you much you when open up like that.