This week BAR readers discussed the Central Park Five, US support for jihadism, and Black Lives Matter. Strong comments arrived for “DA and Cops Led the Central Five Lynch Mob,” “How US Foreign Policy Spawned Terror and Trump,” and “Black Lives Matter Founder Launches Huge Project to Shrink Black Lives.”
“DA and Cops Led the Central Five Lynch Mob” by Glen Ford reviews the racist prosecution of the innocent black teenagers in the case and how prosecutor Linda Fairstein was rewarded for her miscarriage of justice.
Joe Kaye writes:
“As someone who participated in the struggle for the Central Park 5 at the time of their arrest, I can attest to the nefarious role played by feminist organizations (both Black and white, including leading figures identifying themselves as Black queer feminists) in joining the chorus of condemnation against the young men. In fact, feminist organizations decided to make of the boys poster children for a campaign on violence against women. Not only did they insist on the guilt of the Central Park 5, but they pilloried those who defended them.
“Among the most active defenders of the 5 were Elombe Brath's wife, who headed up a group called Mother Love; Father Lawrence Lucas, a militant Black Catholic priest, and Sally O'Brien, of WBAI. For some documentation of the above, see the contemporaneous articles and letters in the Guardian, of which I have copies in my possession.”
“How US Foreign Policy Spawned Terror and Trump” by Rod Such reviews Max Blumenthal’s latest book on US collaboration with jihadist forces to reach imperial aims in the Middle East.
George Boghozian writes:
“‘TRANSFER of DEMOCRACY’ to oil-rich countries (and countries rich in natural resources) is the ‘MORAL OBLIGATION’ of USCCCA (United States of Corrupt Corporate Capitalism of America) imperialists (no matter Liberal-Democrats or Neocon-Republicans) And for them goal justifies the means. So they achieve their goal either by direct military intervention through their murderous military machine NATO (North Atlantic Terrorist Organization) or by soft coup (i.e. color revolutions through sell-out mercenaries). However, there are countries that are exempt of ‘TRANSFER of DEMOCRACY’ because they're client states and staunch allies of imperialists. On top of them is medieval brutal murderous theocratic monarchy of Saudi Arabia!”
Bill Paci writes:
“So far I've read about a quarter of Blumenthal's book. Zbigniew Brzezinski, Carter's national security advisor was the main catalyst pushing for our intervention in Afghanistan; his extreme hatred of the Russians is what motivated him. He said something along the lines that he wanted Afghanistan to be ‘Russia's Vietnam’ — sucked into a war they could not win.”
In “Black Lives Matter Founder Launches Huge Project to Shrink Black Lives”Glen Ford discusses Alicia Garza and her associates new mass survey of Black political opinion and its glaring omission of questions of foreign policy.
Beverly Rice writes:
“The sad reality is US citizens, be they black or white, are ignorant and/or unconcerned about foreign policy. Black Agenda Report readers are the exception not the rule with regards to being concerned and knowledgeable about US foreign policy and how it affects domestic issues at home. Ask 20 black or white people on the street (regardless of socioeconomic demographic) about the issues covered by BAR or any other indy media source and you will get 2/3 or more deer-in-headlight stares or ignorant responses derived from the person's use of the presstitute media for news info.
“And yes, a thumbs down to the totally co-opted BLM dog and pony show for not educating the public on foreign policy issues. But this is not surprising. The BLM misleadership comes from the above-mentioned ignorant/misinformed population so it is not surprising they are unable to connect the dots between foreign and domestic issues. Further, BLM misleadership was bought and paid-for early on by the likes of Soros and the DNC so it may not be an issue of being ignorant of the facts but following the globalist script to keep such matters off the public's radar.”
Michelle Gales writes:
“I am a white subscriber and I am grateful for the insights in the Black Agenda Report. I completely agree with the your analysis of how foreign policy and military spending are scandalously excised from opinion surveys. In addition to pretending that the rest of the world is not important to us and creating war and disaster in other countries does not concern us, there are so many ways this impacts even on domestic issues : lack of funds for education, health and welfare, inventing new technology for police and prison control, luring unemployed youth into the armed services in the hope of getting education or job skills during or after their service and generally encouraging the militarized psychology and the ‘us and them’ attitude of our society.
“In every survey of all the just causes the Democrats or ‘Progressives’ vow to defend (which after you tick off the long list, you are supposed to contribute money,) cutting military spending and challenging the prerogative of military and / or undercover intervention overseas are never mentioned. We can add them in ‘other’ but they do not exist for the poll ‘designers.’ Thank you for calling out our supposed political allies on this problem which definitely concerns us all.”
It remains a huge task to clarify the question of war and peace for the masses. Your comments help us in that struggle.
Jahan Choudhryis Comments Editor for Black Agenda Report. He is an organizer with the Saturday Free School based in Philadelphia, PA
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