Robert Franklin Williams...an amazing guy and a wild story. This is what resistance looks like.

As for the idea that "there's no power on Earth that will dare to attack us; we can destroy Russia or China or anybody else who tries this"...well, I realize that American triumphalism can be cute in a certain child-like way -- like corporate rappers on Viacom pretending to be bad-ass -- but at this point I'm not sure we can afford it much longer. Frankly Iraq is a major body blow to US imperial prestige. I don't know as much about Russia, but the truth is, while the old men in Beijing have no desire to stir up a direct confrontation with the US (they'd prefer a backdoor pass without the Americans even noticing), they're not intimidated either. China has a standing army of 5 million and full conscription in place on a population of 1.3 billion. And I can tell you that many Chinese generals have no fear of losing a few million soldiers; honestly, they figure that if they lose 10 for every 1 enemy they kill, they'll still prevail based on the numbers game. Plus, there's the whole thing about inter-continental nuclear power and satellite-busting capabilities that they've got in the back pocket. I mean, what the hell are we talking about here? Given the kind of death and destruction that's at stake, the very notion of war between the US and China is utter sociopathic catalysmic madness, pure and simple. It's a death wish projected upon humanity. And bloated losers like the guy interviewing Robert Williams toss such ideas about so casually, as if discussing a Super Bowl with an obvious outcome.

Anyway, thank you, Nez, for giving us this portrait of someone whose courage should continue to inspire us.

Given the kind of death and destruction that's at stake, the very notion of war between the US and
China is utter sociopathic catalysmic madness, pure and simple.

Yo se. That's it right there. And in my opinion, it would be the end. If it were not the end of the USA first, it would be the end of the world. Because I happen to think China, at least right now, would kick the living shit out of us. However, I also know that the USA will never let itself "lose" in a direct war with another strong country, esp if it comes to the continent. Yet, again, China is just stronger right now, all things considered. So it would be, as you say, "cataclysmic madness."

On RFW, I hear you. He is a slap in the face, or a blaring trumpet. A strong one, one that wakes you up a bit. And the pleasure is mine.

fuck yea. I've been revisiting a lot of writing from that time - poets, activists, orators - quoting a d levertov anti-war statement the other day at Manee's, it struck me just how poorly my generation had failed his - how our brightest, boldest dreams were buried & diffused - fyi, I've got a (long) piece up now about the black panthers w/ an excellent little sketch in it by Ammiel Alcalay that speaks to the hopes of that time, & what's happened to us since . . .

have you ever read/heard mumia's "black history month" piece?

Nezua, good post. I hadn't heard of Mr Williams before, but his ideas are along the lines of Dr King although Dr King was maybe less strident. I don't mean that as a criticism of Mr Williams. Different styles of expressing the same ideas. Dr King was SO ahead of his time in terms of opposing imperialism as well as being a civil rights leader.
We'd never tangle with Russia or China. Not only would it be suicidal for all concerned but it's not the US style. We don't pick on anyone near our size. Panama, Grenada, Afghanistan, Iraq. As for Iraq and Afghanistan-we just don't learn. We built conventional forces for a land war with the USSR. We're losing just like we lost in Vietnam.

Unfortunately even if you look at it like we're losing-the people we attack are losing so much more. In my somewhat addled and racially-biased opinion, our politicians only follow the lead of the ignorant and racist US public. Americans are anti-war not because of the horror we inflict on the Iraqi people, but because we are losing. Yeah the media is misleading them, but the same media goes to your house and my house and Sylvia's house and Kai's house-and we know better. So why arent' the rest of the people here listening too ? Sure if you're working two jobs at Wal-Mart and trying to raise a family as a single parent maybe you don't have time for politics-but if that's not the case then there's no excuse. There's plenty of us out here working suck jobs and single parents and we are paying attention.

Ok that's my rant.

en lucha,
PD

hola arcturus, graz. it's a beautiful time period in that people rose up so strong. i have not read mumia's piece...but i get the sneaking feeling i should.

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yes, i think RFW was listening and grooving to much that King was saying. and yeah, he was certainly a strong and brilliant force in his own right. i love how deadpan he is, his face...he is not a practiced orator, perhaps, i do'nt know. but i was trying to screenshot the vid and looking for a place he got empassioned (visually) and realized it just felt like he was, because of his voice and heart. his face stays pretty calm. and he really listens when Cohen is spittin his foolishness. i love that. that he listened so hard to what was being said. that right there says a lot.

and of course (good point) we dont fight people who have a chance of hurting us too bad. that's why the little snotkingbush got up on his Mission Accomplished aircraft carrier after bombing a starved and weakened country who had no chance of withstanding our shocking and awful barrage.... ooooh feel that Murkan Pride.

Yeah the media is misleading them, but the same media goes to your house and my house and Sylvia's house and Kai's house-and we know better. So why arent' the rest of the people here listening too ?

i wonder if there is one answer to this. i think it depends on so much. who you are inside, what you want from life, what you were taught, and how much the dominant culture offers a person should they continue to buy into the Lie.

but to answer the essence of tu pregunta: there is no excuse.

Mr. Williams is speaking in the abstract, while the reporter's spewing tripe about America emerging victorious when fighting against any and every country on the Earth?

The priorities and clashes of both men are jarring. One speaks of the unequivocal might of America without realizing his tacit approval of the atrocities America commits to attain that might; the other speaks of America's eventual dissolution without realizing the might needed for the type of overthrow he's identifying has diluted into caricatures of divisions among the people whom America has determined to matter. Powerful stuff when those two viewpoints face each other, and even more powerful declarations about what happens when a radical goes into exile -- especially when compared to the testimonies of moderates entering some of the countries that turned him away. Only desiring a certain type of change: a regime change, a temperament change...any other changes would require too much sacrifice.

I loved Williams' perspective on treason. The discussions surrounding Watada's stand and the perspectives of anti-war activists about supporting the troops, combined with the articles released today about the treatment of injured troops from the war, really brings the idea of what we're fighting into perspective. Thanks, Nez; that was a remarkably great way to spend an hour.

I have to put a damper on things, while I understand why he fled to the nations he went to, he had to know that those nations also have poor (if not genocidal) records on human rights. Not to take away anything of Mr. Williams said, for he spoke the truth, but how ironic that fleeing one set of circumstances, he then found himself in league with (at least in China) with those that would exploit his words and works.

As for American triumphalism, that is one thing that is not uniquely American (although it has a distinct American aftertaste). All Empires see themselves and the world as a man standing upon Everest, mighty, unconquerable, incomparable, always forgetting at that very instant that the very forces that push the mountains upwards always manage to grind them downwards.

here:

Another Side of Black History Month by Mumia Abu-Jamal:

the institutionalization of Black History Month, by corporate, and political America, has resulted in a kind of 'dead history', by which I mean the uses of advertising and even stamps, to promote historical figures, many from the distant past, who portray a 'safe' side to a history that was, and is, anything but safe.

Just heard it again (fri i think) on KPFA's HardKnock Radio - pretty sure you can find an audio file in the archives there

rafael, mi amigo, the man was fleeing. if you listen to the show, he went where he was accepted. one has to consider the time period and what was happening to blacks, and what would you do as a proud person not willing to be killed or hunted or hated in such a way? he went where he was offered asylum. i dont want to enter into a conversation about the countries' problems where he went because i think it misses the point i'm making here. again, if you watch it, you can see his take on mao's dillio, and what he knew and what he didnt' and what he felt, and why he kept moving.

and shifting the convo to "all empires" is sometimes helpful. but now we talkin bout Murka. and there's a reason for that topic in 2007.

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thanks for the quote and link, arcturus.

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sylvia you and me in the cool "we watched the show" club. aw yeah!

i love your second graf. so true. hey i loved the whole comment. good stuff, thank you yaself for the contribution. :)

Hell Nez, if someone where after my behind, I go as far to keep myself alive and fighting as possible. I just felt compelled to put in my two cents, kind of the old history student coming back and needling me. Again, thanks for the clip, and eye opener for sure.

Fantastic post.

I found this article interesting in light of your and Kai's conversation here, so I thought I'd share it with y'all. The article has that Friday morning quarterbacking tone.