No Imperialism, No Racism

Racial and economic justice, and the cessation of violent conflict! Abolition of an offensive economic, military-industrial establishment...

The enemy is not personnel. It is not personal. The enemy is ignorance. The enemy is fear, xenophobia, racism and other prejudice. The enemy is aggression and violence and hate.

Here are three copies of a video I recently made, my intent was to deal with the problem of an 'us v. them' mentality, privilege and oppression, wealth disparity, socio-economic harmfulness, and I suppose, violence in general.

Videos are below the fold.


Flickr embed


Facebook embed


YouTube embed

comments attached to videos:

Friday 4 March 2011, Olympia WA—Friday evening Olympia FOR (Fellowship of Reconciliation) weekly peace vigil...

"The rich are taking from the rest of us." While holding this sign I realized that I have a hard time with it. Why? Maybe it is because, in a universal/international sense I am part of the "rich." And then maybe it is also because the message is "us v. them." Which seems divisive.

The basic point that I believe is being made is that stealing is wrong. It is true that much of the world's wealth is based on systemic privilege, and the maintenance of hierarchical and oppressive and otherwise destructive/violent social structures. But the take home message is that stealing is wrong. And the use of an 'us v. them' argument might not be the best way to communicate the truth that stealing is wrong.

So the sign is true; right now we have a system where the rich are stealing from the poor—and that is so wrong! That needs to change.

But there might be a better way to communicate that message when standing on a street corner...

After all, we are all part of one family: the human family. Isn't it wrong when we steal from each other, or hurt each other in any way?

I recommend this article from Democracy Now! It's an interview with David Cay Johnston. And it talks about, among other topics, the dependency of some the largest and most powerful companies on public subsidies. Check it out!

http://www.democracynow.org/2011/3/3/really_bad_reporting_in_wisconsin_media

p.s. Tim DeChristopher, the environmental protector from Utah who out-bid gas companies at an auction in 2008 was interviewed on Democracy Now! Friday 4 March 2011. I recommend this segment. Check it out.