We’ve lived so long under the spell of hierarchy—from god-kings to feudal lords to party bosses—that only recently have we awakened to see not only that “regular” citizens have the capacity for self-governance, but that without their engagement our huge global crises cannot be addressed. The changes needed for human society simply to survive, let alone thrive, are so profound that the only way we will move toward them is if we ourselves, regular citizens, feel meaningful ownership of solutions through direct engagement. Our problems are too big, interrelated, and pervasive to yield to directives from on high.
—Frances Moore Lappé, excerpt from Time for Progressives to Grow Up

Friday, April 16, 2021

Posts that I especially recommend for Friday, April 16, 2021

Back in the good old days, when things were more innocent and simple, the psychopathic Central Intelligence Agency had to covertly infiltrate the news media to manipulate the information Americans were consuming about their nation and the world. Nowadays, there is no meaningful separation between the news media and the CIA at all.
 
They not only have taken over media corporations, but they and other agents of the ruling capitalist class have set up fake left media organizations and websites (Spectre is a recent prime example) posing as left-wing organizations critical of US interests but really serving as issue gatekeepers to the ruling class. Amy Goodman and her weblog "Democracy Now!" is a prime example. Goodman does not allow anyone on her show that is critical of the government's narrative on 9/11 or the major assassinations (John or Robert Kennedy or ML King). As I've reported in 2015 Goodman and her show along with others has been generously funded by "philanthropic" organizations. Wikipedia is another example (See this, this, this, this, and this.) Also, The Intercept, owned by billionaire Pierre Omidyar, is another similar project. But probably worst of all, they've revised history books, history as portrayed in films, etc. to reflect their self-serving propaganda.
  • The Hawks Who Want War With Iran Are Working Overtime by Medea Benjamin and Ariel Gold from Jacobin. My reaction: The hawks are working overtime to stave off defeat everywhere that threatens their US/Anglo/Zionist Empire--and they are threatened everywhere. Remember "America is back!" As the transnational capitalist directors of the Empire are seeing their empire go into decline, their actions speak of desperation. Because we as families enjoyed some of the stolen wealth because of residing in an empire, we citizens of the Empire are destined to go down to defeat with them.
The Empire's appointed leaders cannot ever tell the truth because if they told the truth we would immediately rebel. So, they continue to lie to us and we continue to believe them ... as long as enough of their goodies pour in. Ah, but there is the catch! The Covid-19 pandemic is the perfect excuse that the ruling class has for the deterioration of the economy.
 
💥If you want to hear an important, but longer analysis and related matters by a well-known socialist, Brian Becker, you should listen to his 33 minute interview on Lee Camp's show Redacted Tonight via a YouTube video. This is a best post.
  • Australia Buries Afghan War Crimes, Toes U.S. Hostile Line on China by Finian Cunningham from Strategic Culture Foundation. My reaction: Of course, Australia being an integral part of the former British Empire, they are now an integral part of the existing US/Anglo/Zionist Empire and they follow the diktats of the transnational capitalist directors of the Empire.
  • The CIA Armed Libyan Terrorists with Carlton Meyer narrating a 10:53m report from a YouTube channel "Tales of the Empire" about Edwin Wilson, a former CIA agent, who was caught supplying Libyan terrorists with explosives.
  • When We Go Extinct by Prof. (retired) Guy McPherson, an independent scientist who has focused on the climate crisis, from his YouTube channel. 
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