After many years pondering why the world works the way it does, I have come to essentially the same conclusions as Ms. Johnstone. Rather than absolutely the problem, Capitalism is an expression of the psychotic element of humanity. Reading Michael Hudson’s book “and Forgive Them Their Debts” recently, it drove home that the roots of these psychotic elements’ domination can be traced back to the rise of civilization and the accompanying division of labor (thus creating classes) ten thousand years ago. It became clear that the creation of the Priesthood/Warrior class/Merchants in the birth of civilization was mid-wifed from the start by those elements of humanity drawn to power and domination. The kicker is that the rest of humanity . . . the normal part . . . acted and acts as enablers at almost every turn. The question then is why? Continue reading
Tag: culture (Page 1 of 2)
Recently, I learned that 71 percent of young Americans between 17 and 24 are ineligible to serve in the military. That is, over 24 million of the 34 million young people cannot join the armed forces—even if they wanted to–they’re physically unfit. Likely it is this unfitness for military duty of much of the young American population, rather than fake concern over Iranian lives, that contributed to Trump’s eleventh-hour decision to halt the recent intended attack on Iran. Continue reading
Note: This is from a discussion with a friend on the feasibility of reparations for the descendants of enslaved Africans. No doubt, it is a difficult, contentious and painful topic. It is now making headlines in the news as its done every few years since I can remember. Below is my thinking on the subject a few years ago the last time it was in the news followed by my thinking now.
I do not know if I’ve ever seen somebody actually workout the numbers R. However, in my case and the millions like me, there is a bit of the “devil is in the details” aspect. Half my ancestry is European (on my mother’s side) and he limits himself to those enslaved in the states. How about the rest of the African diaspora of the “New World” from which the other half (father’s side) of my ancestry stems from? Continue reading
Note: This is an older post from my Blogger days.
I commend Bill Van Auken On his piece “America on a Killing Spree” (http://www.wsws.org/articles/2004/nov2004/kill-n18.shtml). He is absolutely correct in saying that “That the massacre of an innocent people more than 5,000 miles away can be promoted as a means of boosting public morale and fostering national unity is an indication of a society suffering from protracted and profound degeneration.” This degeneracy was again made perfectly apparent domestically with the uproar over football player Terrell Owens and “Desperate Houswives star Nicollette Sheridan’s plug for her T. V. show before the start of MNF (ABC’s intro showed Sheridan wearing only a towel and provocatively asking Owens to skip the game for her as the two stood alone in a locker room. She then drops the towel and jumps into Owens’ arms). Never mind that Sheridan’s show is a monument to trash and that football is a very violent sport that glorifies war and militarism. What most of the mainstream press concentrated on instead was the trashiness of the plug while little was said of the raced based sexual taboos raised and the violent culture that helps make the NFL the most popular sport in the U.S. This whole episode is yet another example of how far off the moral compass of U. S. society is. This is particularly true in regard to race and this is where I believe Mr. Van Auken falters. While he touches upon many bases he does not directly address the endemic racism within U. S. society. It is racism, as well as militarism, nationalism and cultural hubris, that is a defining characteristic of the face that American society is now perhaps more clearly than ever presenting to the world. Continue reading
Note: This is an older post from my Blogger days.
What can be made of something like Air America? For those that do not know, Air America is the liberal answer to the right-wing dominated talk-radio world. Here in New York it airs on WLIB and has replaced programming that was geared to the Afro and Caribbean American community which had been a staple for years. Listeners from these communities, however, are crying foul! Instead of being able to listen to news, announcements, music and discussion of issues relevant to the Black community, whether Afro or Caribbean, we are treated to white liberals holding court. Only two of the hosts broadcasting during Air America’s allotted hours here in New York are black and they are stuck with white co-hosts. Continue reading
Note: This is an older post from my Blogger days. When I first wrote this piece a number of years ago I did not foresee the rise of Identity Politics and the weaponization of LGBTQ rights. While its good to see LGBTQ people become more visible in media, the Arts and elsewhere, it has in part come about via political forces that have hijacked the struggle for LGBTQ rights for reactionary purposes. A virtual Taliban has arisen that supposedly speaks in the name of the LBGTQ community but rather than fighting for the genuine inclusion of LGBTQ people in the life of the society, instead use it as a political battering ram to smear, browbeat, cajole and terrorize their political opponents. The aim here is not so much the advancement of the human rights of the LGBTQ community as whole, but the furthering of the political and economic interests of a complacent, smug and relatively well off, middle class segment of that community. Moreover, the ensuing divisive and diversionary discourse meant to divert people’s attention from the pressing political, social and class rooted economic issues is readily used by, as Gore Vidal put it: “the second most enthusiastic Capitalist party” (the Democratic Party), to dragoon people into its waiting, wide open jaws. My observations can also be applied to feminist and “anti-racist” movements such as #metoo and #blacklivesmatter. Figures such as Jussie Smollet and Rachael Maddow are poster children for this sort of “protest through identity.” Theirs, like most of their ilk, are grievances underlain by privilege, addressed through rank opportunism and always, always genuflecting in the face of power. Future movements, beyond the usual resistance to change, will have a rough time of it because of the harm, possibly irreparable, done by the recent wave of weaponized movements created under the auspices of Identity Politics. Continue reading
Note: This is an older post from my Blogger days.
In “The Affair” Courtney Vance (Travis) gives a strong performance as a Black G. I. stationed in England during W. W. II who meets and falls in love with a married Englishwoman (Maggie). It is a compelling story because it dramatizes how dangerous love, whether extra-marital or not, could be between a Black man and a White Woman. It should be recalled that during W. W. II black and white soldiers in the U. S. still served in separate divisions. Racism, though somewhat less pronounced, still was rampant within the U. S. military and with that came the usual strong prohibition against sexual relations between the races. However, war, perhaps more than any other setting, allows for all kinds of situations. It was within this volatile mix of war and entrenched racism that a Black G. I. meets and falls in love with White Englishwoman Maggie. Continue reading
Note: This is an older post from my Blogger days.
To begin, I am no a pacifist. Revolutions seldom reach their climax without plenty of blood being spilled. However, systemic change of the kind we desperately need will not come simply from random violence or guerrilla tactics. The state very much has the upper hand in terms of the means of violence. Any movement needs to consider a variety of approaches but always based on objective conditions at the time with an eye on the future. Continue reading
Note: This is an older post from my Blogger days. Sadly Joe passed a number of years ago. I really do miss his insights and straight from the heart delivery. RIP Brother.
What’s up Joe! It is your friend from Brooklyn wanting to say hello as well as weigh in on your latest piece. As always, you express your opinions in the most colorful manner. I am glad that in your piece prior to the present one you connected with folks from the other side of town so to speak. My parents are from Dominican Republic and when I was there last summer I witnessed the extreme poverty but also the greater sense of community. I mean people actually visit each other’s homes for no particular reason and social life is not mediated through the mall, the mass media/entertainment complex or cell phones. Continue reading
Note: This is an older post from my Blogger days.
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