Talking About War, War Culture, Police, and the U.S. Military
On finding a better way forward for America
I recently sat down with Jim Wohlgemuth and Harvey Bennett with Veterans for Peace. We talked for about an hour and covered many topics I’ve written about here at Bracing Views and also at TomDispatch.com. Here is the link:
I’d like to thank Jim and Harvey for inviting me on their show and for their interest in my writing, but most especially for their work on promoting peace and sanity. Special bonus song at the end of the interview!
Good podcast. The listening time went by pretty quickly, actually. Two thoughts. One is that your host(s) seemed to be unaware of Tucker Carlson as basically the only big media anti-war spokesman (and it seemed to me you, Bill, were tempering your praise of Carlson as well). The fact is that there is no left wing anti-war movement now as there was in the 60s. Any antiwar movement to be effective will have to have as allies people like Carlson, even if he is on the other side of the partisan divide, as they say. And even if he is on FoxNews. The other thing is your comments on police acting as the military on events like protests. I think part of the message of the Jan. 6 committee is this: all protests must conform to the values of the Democratic Party. Or else. Protesting as black lives matter is acceptable, as is protesting about climate change. Protest against war or our war against Russia and you risk being treated like the Jan. 6 protesters: labelled insurrectionist and sent to jail for a year or more "awaiting trial".
Thank You, Bill, for sharing that. You guys covered a lot of territory, and it was good to hear You range across a variety of topics, as opposed to the singular focus in BV articles.
First and foremost of all, Thank You for the bonus song at the end of the conversation.
It’s been a while since i’d listened to and heard that; and remembered instantly [on the third or fourth chord] exactly how powerful and moving that piece was, is, and ever will be. Here’s an old video of the Youngbloods doing it in concert that adds a whole new dimension to the music: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34YUI3CmckA
Having said that, permit me to offer a comment on two of the assertions that You made in Your chat with the folks at VFP/The Hector Black Chapter:
~ 1. i believe ~ and am prepared to argue ~ that the MICC/National Security State is merely the Fifth branch of the federal government; not, as You said, the Fourth. The Fourth is The Federal Reserve, without whom the MICC/NSS could do absolutely nothing without keeping the rest of the government less than even moderately functional. [Which is about what it is now, eh?]
~ 2. Eisenhower did not “keep us out of Vietnam.” He refused to honor the Geneva Accords ending the French War ~ which we bankrolled up to the bloody, bitter end under his command. He then installed Diem and initiated the buildup of American military support for the regime. The only reason the Pentagon and CIA were able to try to push Kennedy into Vietnam was because of what was already on the ground and ready to go when Ike was calling the shots.
Having said That, You said a three things that really caught my attention, Bill, and have given me something to chew on, particularly number 3:
~ 1. For Peace to have even the slightest chance of ever happening, You said, it’s “Gonna take people marching like back in the 60s… .”
~ 2. You spoke of a Nation and People “divided and distracted” which can easily lead to “depression and despair.”
~ 3. And then You concluded by calling for a “different way forward” to capture [or re-capture] the Potential that Americans have to confront and effectively deal with what they ~ the American People ~ have permitted America to become: a Flailing and Failing Nation State and Empire.
i look forward to learning more about this “different way forward.” Thanks again for sharing the conversation.