Week 7
Rubin “Hurricane” Carter (1937-2014) Eye of the Hurricane 

Rubin Carter was an African American prize fighter from New Jersey who was wrongfully convicted of a double-homicide, went to prison for 19 years, majority of it in solitary confinement, and whose conviction was overturned in 1985. During his imprisonment, he underwent a transformation of his whole being and became spiritual.

Rubin Hurricane Carter Interview, posted by Skavlan (Youtube will not let me link remotely).

Bob Dylan - Hurricane Lyrics, posted by Kerasole (Youtube will not let me link remotely).

Relation between Inner and Outer Awareness, the Individual and Society 

• Carter undertook, in turns, resistance against his imprisonment: physical, legal, and spiritual (101).
  
• He came to transform his understanding of imprisonment from outer to inner, even coming to view his physical imprisonment as necessary for him to break out of his inner imprisonment (57, 68, 102).
  

• In this course, Carter is one of several figures who does not adhere to one religion or ideology but comes to form his worldview through drawing on multiple sources, more so than most.
  
• He drew on many sources for insight and inspiration: the Bible, Viktor Frankl, the Daoist Zhuangzi, as well as the mystical writings of the Russian spiritualist and philosopher Gurjieff and his follower P. D. Ouspensky (128-129).
  
• Drawing on Gurdieff, he came to see himself and much of humanity as imprisoned in a state of 'sleep' and needing to 'awaken' to reality (61-62). 
• 
  The Storied Self: The Story of the Hurricane 
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• Key Turning Points 
• There are key turning points in the development of Carter's story including: Encounter with Muhammad Ali, Bob Dylan and other celebrities who took up his cause; Lesra Martin and the Canadians led by Lisa Peters, who continually fought for him through the legal system when others had given up; moment of awakening when he 'sees the light' piercing through the prison wall (126-128), subsequent mystical experience of the light of oneness (132), which he later describes as dying to his sleeping self and being spiritual reborn to his awakened self (255-9)(309).
• Rubin Hurricane Carter Interview, posted by Skavlan (Youtube will not let me link remotely).
• Bob Dylan - Hurricane Lyrics, posted by Kerasole (Youtube will not let me link remotely).
• "ExtraOrdinary Lives - John Artis" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68bEVP5lbgU)
• "When a crime becomes inspiration - John Artis" (https://www.thestar.com/entertainment/2014/10/17/when_a_crime_becomes_inspiration_john_artis_and_the_hurricane_carter_saga.html)
  
• "Lesra Martin: Never Stop Believing" (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=78wTJMS4pew)
  
• Themes of Darkness and Counterstories 
• Racism, tribalism, nationalism (105, 114) 
• The U.S. prison and legal system (105) 
• Issues of women and gender, by way of omission 
• Social consciousness and individual awakening
  
• The Stories Self: Religion, Love, and Death
  
• Religion – Rubin Carter’s personal spiritual vision helps him help others, including inmates 
• Love – Family, Friendship, and Spiritual Connection: Prime example: Lesra Martin 
• Death – Themes of physical demise, emotional breakdown, and spiritual abyss – spiritual rebirth