Chris Hedges
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A sympathiser in Canada has alerted us to this video which he says is "most insightful and, hopefully, inciteful":
http://www.forbiddenknowledgetv.com/videos/activism/chris-hedges-on-empire.html
I agree. It makes some good points not just about war, but also about some of the things we've been discussing here: conspiracy theories (he doesn't think much of them) and revolution (how regimes fall when they lose majority support or acquiescence). I know he says he voted for the Green Party candidate in the last US presidential elections but he doesn't seem to think much of them.
Anybody know who he is or more about him?
Wiki to the rescuehttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chris_HedgesAlthough he does espouse a couple of conspiracy theories of his own when speaking of Bradley Manning and Julien Assange.
Chris Hedges first came to my attention when he deservedly attacked an infantile Fox News interviewer. But mainly when he described Black Bloc anarchists in Occupy Wall Street as a cancer in the movement, a statement which B Traven caught him red-handed and red-faced with when Hedges debated Occupy with Traven. See the video herehttp://www.worldsocialism.org/spgb/forum/events-and-announcements/crimethinc-debate-chris-hedgesThere's legitimate debate to be had over respecting diversity of tactics and choosing one over another does not automatically make you a "liberal" but calling black bloc a cancer seems too much to me. Something a commenter on Brixton Blog should have remembered before the hastily written comment they posted. We are not the party of Chris Hedges. We are not here to police the Black Bloc.
Thanks, but to tell the truth his criticism of the Black Bloc and defence of non-violent tactics in the interview was one of things I liked. Obviously we don't denounce them to the police, but that doesn't alter the fact that their tactics are idiotic. But, as you say, we've already had this debate.
ALB wrote:Thanks, but to tell the truth his criticism of the Black Bloc and defense of non-violent tactics in the interview was one of things I liked. Obviously we don't denounce them to the police, but that doesn't alter the fact that their tactics are idiotic. But, as you say, we've already had this debate.I agree I thought his argument was very convincing. I think John.D was saying at other times he has been a little over the top with his criticism, calling them a cancer. That is a bit much. I also think that calling black bloc activity violent is a bit over the top as well. To the ruling class property damage may be violence of the most horrible kind imaginable but personally I don't share their definition. As for run ins with the police we would not deny the working class the right to defend themselves with force when being physically attacked by the states henchmen. Having participated in Black Blocs I can tell you that most of the day is spent keeping as far away from the filth* as possible while they spoil for a fight. *read fellow workers
Ed wrote:Although he does espouse a couple of conspiracy theories of his own when speaking of Bradley Manning and Julien Assange.Can you elaborate on just why you consider Hedges and these legal cases are conspiracies theories ?
alanjjohnstone wrote:Ed wrote:Although he does espouse a couple of conspiracy theories of his own when speaking of Bradley Manning and Julien Assange.Can you elaborate on just why you consider Hedges and these legal cases are conspiracies theories ?
Sure thing, relevant part of the video is about 03:43. He states that there is a secret plan by the government to influence the sentencing of Bradley Manning to life without the possibility of parole, he then goes on to claim that this secret government plan extends to incarcerating Julien Assange for life when the only official charges levelled against him are those of rape allegations in Sweden. That, my friend, is a conspiracy theory.
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