Ignoring Trump's Lies

I have written posts about this event before and I'm going to do so again. On June 15, 2017 I moderated a panel discussion with Ray McGovern and Mark Crispin Miller at All Souls Unitarian Church in New York City. The talk was called Making News, Faking News and I urge you to watch it all at your leisure. It was a very illuminating evening for me and for everyone lucky enough to be there.

I was particularly struck by Mark's comments that begin at around 42 minutes and continue until about 47 minutes. I have transcribed most of his words here. I thought of his words again today as the corporate media felt compelled to create news where there is none.

"President Trump admits Don Jr.'s Trump tower meeting was to get info on Clinton" reads just one headline. This is not news. Not at all. Donald Trump Jr. received an email invitation to a 2016 meeting where he, his brother in law Jared Kushner and campaign aide Paul Manafort were promised "incriminating" information on Hillary Clinton from a Russian lawyer. He replied "...if it's what you say I love it." He later released the emails himself so this is definitely not new information.

The stupid Trumps lied for no reason when the intent of the meeting and Trump Jr.'s response were well known for the last year. When Trump, Sr. claimed not to know about that meeting no one believed him either because he is a relentlessly stupid liar.

Keep this in mind when reading Mark's words. Also keep in mind that the Democratic National Committee paid a former British MI6 agent, Christopher Steele, to get dirt on Trump and used it to get FISA court permission to spy on Trump aides. They did so without revealing the source of their information to the judge who approved the warrant to gather surveillance.

“Fake news is the horrible off spring of conspiracy theory. It has come to dominate many minds because of the rise of Donald Trump. Whose function has been, he has several functions, one of them has been to, I call him the deodorant in chief. Because he sanctifies the entire rest of the system. Because all of these people now think two things. They think that the CIA and FBI are on our side. “They believe in democracy. Thank God they’re there to protect us from Russia.” This is liberals now, this is liberals saying this.

And his other function has been to make people think that the New York Times and CNN and MSNBC and NPR tell the truth. And they have taken ferocious advantage of this delusion by constantly reminding us how dear to us they are because they tell us the truth, unlike Trump who is always lying.

Trump. Yeah he lies all the time. I mean If his lips are moving he is probably lying. But the lies that Trump tells are mostly trivial lies, stupid little lies. Like there was a terrorist attack in Sweden when there wasn’t one. Or he had you know 70 mill people at his inauguration when he obviously didn’t. I could go on. …

Far more dangerous than any of his flagrant and trivial idiotic lies are the whoppers that have been successfully put across by the corporate press and the left liberal press in many cases such as Putin invaded Ukraine right, such as there are moderate rebels in Syria’s “civil war” and we are protecting the Syrian people from this dictator who’s massacring all of them. Right. Those are dangerous lies. Russia hacked the election is a dangerous lie because it is war propaganda. That’s what it is. It is war propaganda.

Now I have to say this having studied the media for decades. Having grown up in the country and having absorbed what the media pumps out since I was a child I have never seen a moment like the present. I have never seen a time when the delusion is so total where the lies are so dangerous and where contradicting them is so intensely reviled and this all the doing of liberals. That’s what’s unusual about this. That’s what makes this so different from the first Red Scare not the first Red Scare but the one after WWII when it was mostly troglodyte right wingers and demented Birchers and so on.

Now its democrats and some progressives and its not just the corporate press as I say it’s the left liberal press as well.  And it’s not just the left liberal press and the corporate press but its our premier comedians. It's Stephen Colbert it’s Bill Maher its Saturday Night Live which if that’s not a propaganda instrument for the deep state or whatever you want to call it I don’t know what one is. Because they’ve done frequent bits vilifying Putin and Russians generally they’ve done parodies of Dilma Rousseff. It is non stop State Department propaganda coming from our most important weekly comedy revue show. You find stuff like this on house of cards where Pussy Riot play themselves. There’s a kind of evil Putin character who fits directly in the New York Times version and so on and the propaganda juggernaut even includes Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch.

So what we’re talking about is an enormously successful inescapable propaganda machine that must have Dr. Goebbels grinning ear to ear in his birth in hell because it has actually managed to determine the furnishings of countless minds of our fellow citizens. I fear to disastrous effect.

As Ray McGovern says the only real salvation that we really have is online. It’s in those websites that have somehow managed to maintain a certain amount of journalistic integrity and it’s in the young people who now have a tremendous amount of facility with the internet and have discovered that you can find the other side of the story in seconds. I take great hope from that and I hope that you can share that hope with me. Thank you.”

Vigil for Julian Assange

"We (Black Agenda Report) have to support Julian Assange and others like him."

I was invited to participate in a 50 hour online Vigil for Julian Assange. The Ecuadorean government recently said that he will have to leave its London embassy. He is in grave danger of being arrested by the U.S. government as soon as that happens.

You can see my comments here. The online vigil lasts until midnight, eastern time, on Monday, August 6th. You can see all of the #Unity4J online vigil interviews here.

Syria: the Cartoon

I'm enjoying this animated video made in 2017. It tells the story of the war against Syria carried out by the United States and its allies. Syria has still not conquered all of its territory so the happy ending is still premature. Aside from men trying to speak as women and children it is interesting and a welcome change to see world events told from a different point of view. Enjoy.

Black Agenda Radio with Glen Ford

Glen Ford and I had a great conversation on Black Agenda Radio. We discussed the systemic separation of black families, the primacy of anti-black racism, hypocritical white liberals, and the compromised and dangerous Congressional Black Caucus. Well worth 18 minutes of your time.

Presstv Immigration Debate

I was a guest on Presstv debating the issue of immigration and Trump's policies of separating families. I sat in a studio in New York staring into a camera with a guy talking in my ear. An interesting experience. I hope I did the subject justice.

"Stop the Wars at Home and Abroad" - Left Forum

On June 2, 2018 I participated in the jointly sponsored United National Antiwar Coalition (UNAC) and Black Alliance for Peace (BAP) panel, Stop the Wars at Home and Abroad, at Left Forum.
I was joined by Joe Lombardo, Ajamu Baraka, and Efia Nwangaza. We talked about the Philippines, the recent election in Venezuela and other topics. Take a look.

"The Death of Principled, Non-Partisan Journalism" - Left Forum

I was honored when Joe Lauria invited me to participate in a Left Forum panel entitled, "The Death of Principled, Non-Partisan Journalism." Joe Lauria is Editor in Chief of Consortium News and the panel was held in honor of that site's founder, the late Robert Parry. We had a great conversation and good audience participation. Please enjoy at your leisure.

Russiagate: Muzzling the Black Left and the March to War - Left Forum

The Black Agenda Report team was once again at Left Forum. You can see our panel Russiagate: Muzzling the Black Left and the March to War. Glen Ford, Bruce Dixon, Nellie Bailey, Ajamu Baraka, Paul Street, Danny Haiphong, Raymond Nat Turner, Marsha Coleman Adebayo and yours truly. We all raised different issues regarding the democratic party instigated Russian collusion story. Enjoy.

P.S. Use this link if you want to watch one speaker at a time.

Windrush and Britain's Crimes Against Black People

The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland committed numerous genocides and wars of aggression over many centuries. The British role in the trans Atlantic slave trade and the existence of its Caribbean economies are some of the worst crimes against humanity ever committed.

We must keep this in mind as the scandalous treatment of Caribbean migrants is exposed. The events surrounding the so-called Windrush generation are part and parcel of that criminality. It was the subject of my latest column in this week's Black Agenda Report. Please read it here.

Presstv Interview

I was asked to comment on the annual State Department report on human rights around the world. The United States has a dreadful human rights record but it always escapes notice. China and others point out the hypocrisy of the U.S. daring to criticize others in this regard. I'm grateful to Presstv for inviting me once again.

Syria, Western Propaganda, & U.S. Imperialism

I had a great conversation with Solomon Comissiong of Your World News. We discussed the propaganda which makes the case for the continued war of aggression against the Syrian people. I also wrote about this issue in my most recent Black Agenda Report column, Syria and Press Propaganda.

American media wrong on Syria coverage – NYU professor

"The American press does a more efficient job of propagandizing its people than RT could ever do because RT's connection to the Russian government is explicit. It is Russia Today. It is like Voice of America or BBC. We know about the state connection. What makes the American propaganda so much more compelling and persuasive to countless Americans especially the best educated ones is the myth that we have a free press and that there is no connection between the state and these corporate outlets." 
Mark Crispin Miller


I had the pleasure of meeting Mark Crispin Miller when I joined him and Ray McGovern on the panel Making News, Faking News last year. He is a professor of media studies at New York University and is always worth listening to. Miller appeared on RT yesterday and
made very important points. Please watch.

Presstv April 14, 2018

Last night Donald Trump announced that the United States, France and Britain carried out missile strikes against Syria. I was asked to comment on Presstv Iran. They were having audio and video problems but you can hear and eventually see me. You can hear me for about the first minute. I return at 5:00 minutes until about 9:00 minutes audio and video.

Black Agenda Report and CPR News: Yaser Murtaja and Marie Colvin

This week I covered the stories of Yaser Murtaja and Marie Colvin in my Black Agenda Report column. Yaser Murtaja was a Palestinian journalist who was clearly identified as such when Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) shot and killed him. Marie Colvin was an American reporter embedded with the Free Syrian Army in 2012 when she was killed by missile fire. Her family filed a $300 million lawsuit against the Syrian government claiming that she was deliberately targeted.

One person is minimized and eventually erased while the other is elevated. One is inconvenient and the other presents an opportunity for war propaganda. I also discussed with Don DeBar on CPR News.

No war on Syria! Spring Actions 2018

No war on Syria! Or anywhere else for that matter. There are actions across the country this weekend. Find them on the Spring Action 2018 website. Join me in New York City on Sunday, April 15.

Black Agenda Radio Interview with Glen Ford

Tomorrow is Wednesday, otherwise known as Black Agenda Report day. I spoke with Glen Ford on Black Agenda Radio about police murder, the evil concept of American exceptionalism, internet censorship of the left, gun violence and state violence. Twenty minutes of a wide ranging discussion.

King's Legacy Betrayed

I was honored when Joe Lauria, the new Editor in Chief of Consortium News, asked me to write about Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on the 50th anniversary of his assassination. In King's Legacy Betrayed I point out a very sad truth.

Black people in this country are worse off, by every measure, than we were in 1968. We have fewer living wage jobs, a 700% increase in the prison population, the destruction of the social welfare state and the resurgence of United States imperialism. All of these setbacks were deliberate and were intended to undermine the gains of the liberation struggle.

By the way, 700% is no typo. When King was alive the total number of incarcerated persons was just 300,000. It is now more than 2 million.

Popular Resistance Interview

I had the pleasure of talking to Dr. Margaret Flowers and Kevin Zeese of Popular Resistance recently. We discussed the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) and the increased militarization of Africa. Margaret and Kevin also spoke with Maurice Carney from Friends of the Congo about that nation's role in African history and the consequences of its colonial and post-colonial subjugation. Great conversations.

Cities Race to the Bottom for Amazon

Amazon announced with great fanfare that 20 cities are finalists for its new headquarters. But the winner will be the loser. That is because Amazon requests and gets huge subsidies of public land and money. I analyzed the grand theft in my latest Black Agenda Report column, Oligarch Jeff Bezos.

Black Alliance for Peace: AFRICOM the Invasion of Africa

I was on the Black Alliance for Peace panel at the Coalition Against U.S. Foreign Military Bases conference held recently in Baltimore. Ajamu Baraka, Netfa Freeman, Maurice Carney and I spoke about various aspects of United States involvement in Africa.
Please take time to watch videos of all the panels. You can find them here.

President of the United States calls African countries "shithole"

My take on Trump's comments in a Presstv interview.

Political Gingervitis: Episode 19-Margaret Kimberley and Dr. Tony Monteiro

I talked to Andrew Stewart on the Rhode Island Media Cooperative podcast Political Gingervitis. On the day we spoke Erica Garner was alive but unconscious. She passed away two days later.

Andrew and I discussed black politics, the dismal failure of the democratic party, Ta-Nehisi Coates, and Russiagate. A good convo.

No Foreign Bases Conference

The No Foreign Bases Conference is happening January 12 through January 14th in Baltimore, Maryland. We begin with a rally on Friday, January 12 from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Centre Street and N. Charles Street. 

Interview on State of the City

Listen to "S0C SAT 1-6-18" on Spreaker.

Today I was honored to appear on the Baltimore based program State of the City with Daren Muhammad. We talked about my latest Black Agenda Report column on the life and death of Erica Garner. We also touched on charter schools, the black misleadership class, commemorating Martin Luther King, the need to resist the democratic party, Obama/Clinton foreign interventions, police killings, Al Sharpton/Jesse Jackson duplicity, Russiagate, and the upcoming No Foreign Bases conference.

Erica Garner

Eric Garner was killed on video by NYPD officers in 2014. His last words as he was being choked to death were, "I can't breath." A grand jury refused to indict the officer and the Obama department of justice declined to prosecute, although they had jurisdiction and could have prosecuted the killer cop in this or any other case.

His daughter and namesake Erica Garner became the champion of his case. In 2016 she was invited to a presidential town hall broadcast by ABC. It was held on the second anniversary of her father's murder but she was not allowed to ask a question. She felt used and she said so. Eventually she was able to speak to the president.

On Christmas Eve the 27-year old Ms. Garner suffered a heart attack and today she was declared brain dead with no chance of recovery. She was also the mother of an 8-year old and a 4-month old baby. According to her mother Ms. Garner was diagnosed with an enlarged heart during her recent pregnancy and suffered a previous heart attack after the birth.

This family's plight tells us so much about how black people are treated in this country. Police murder and poor health care. Now two motherless children.

But I return to Barack Obama. In eight years his justice department only prosecuted two cops. He only spoke to Ms. Garner because she protested at the 2016 town hall. His response to her can only be described thusly. "I'm sorry for your loss. Fuck you."

Erica not letting @ABC or @BarackObama play her.  I was so proud of how bold and fearless and relentless she was. pic.twitter.com/xummLgafdH

— Blackstar Flower (@BlackstarFlower) December 28, 2017

Erica Garner asked, "A black person has to yell to be heard?" The answer to that question is always yes.

First They Came for Jill Stein

We must defend Jill Stein. Russiagate is being used to silence the left but we can't let that happen. I had a few thoughts to convey on Black Agenda Report.

Contradictions in White Supremacy

I forgot to post a discussion I had with Don DeBar a few weeks ago. We talked about a Black Agenda Report column I wrote back in November, Contradictions of White Supremacy. I was inspired after the New York Times publication of a controversial interview with an Ohio Nazi. The brouhaha was predictable and necessary but there are aspects of white supremacy which can't be hidden because of outrage generated by the existence of overt racists. Millions of people are racists or benefit from racism yet clutch their pearls because of a guy who owns Nazi memorabilia. They should not have a get out of jail free card.
You can listen to us here.

Interview on Earthwise

I was invited to appear on the program Earthwise, which is broadcast from Christ Church, New Zealand.  Lois and Martin Griffiths read my Black Agenda Report column AFRICOM is the Question and asked if I would join them. We touched on many other issues too, such as Black Lives Matter, which is known world wide. Listening to our conversation is a good use of 20 minutes. Enjoy. Just click on this link.

Indie Media Report: Margaret Kimberley - Now Age TV

Another great conversation with Craig Gordon of The Now Age Press. We talked about politics and the need for and the needs of independent media. Craig was kind enough to show you how to donate to Black Agenda Report too. Put something in the Now Age Press tip jar while you're at it.

As usual we covered many topics, including the election, inequality, the levels of indoctrination among the American public, political propaganda, and celebrity worship too. A great use of 45 minutes. You won't be sorry.

AFRICOM is the Question

That is the title of my latest Black Agenda Report column. The back and forth about what Donald Trump said to Sgt. La David Johnson's widow should not be the central issue. Congresswoman Frederica Wilson and the rest of the Congressional Black Caucus have an opportunity to raise the issue of U.S. imperialism directed against African countries. But as I have pointed out they are among the worst democratic party hacks. We'll get no useful information or leadership from them.

Read my column here and listen to my conversation with Don DeBar here.

Conference on U.S. Foreign Military Buses

The Coalition Against U.S. Foreign Military Bases will hold a conference in Baltimore, Maryland January 12 - 14, 2018. You can see registration and other event information here. I'll have more to say as the event approaches. And I will be among the speakers.

Russiagate Brings Black Caucus to a New Low

I haven't been on Don Debar's CPR News program for a few months. Today I was back to talk about my latest Black Agenda Report column, Russiagate Brings Black Caucus to a New Low. While you're reading BAR also check out Glen Ford's column House (of Representatives) Negroes Rally Against Russia. The Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) deserves a double beat down this week. They are a great danger to black people.

Listen to my conversation with Don here.

Resist War and Racism Rally in New York City

Yesterday I joined this rally in New York City along with one hundred other people. It was one of many that took place across the country to protest the 16th year of the American occupation of Afghanistan. I represented both Black Agenda Report and the Black Alliance for Peace as I made my remarks. I start at about 37 minutes into the program.

You'll notice that there is footage from the Korean parade interspersed. Their event was ending as ours began. Enjoy that slice of New York City life too.

Margaret Kimberley on White Supremacy, the Duopoly, BLM, US Imperialism

I had a great time discussing a wide range of issues with Trish Roberts on her show The Naked Empire. Thanks to Real Progressives for the Facebook Live access.

Presstv Interview

I appeared on Presstv to discuss the March for Racial Justice which was held in Washington DC. Unfortunately my remarks were edited, a lot. I only spoke for about 3 minutes and they only used a snippet. Oh well.

There was controversy about the march taking place on Yom Kippur but organizers chose the date of September 30 for a very good reason. On September 30, 1919 a massacre of black farmers took place in Elaine, Arkansas. An estimated 100 to 200 people were killed after they attempted to protest against the sharecropper system by forming a union.

Black Agenda Report needs your support.

Do you love what we do at Black Agenda Report? Of course you do. Put something in the tip jar. Donate button is on the upper right hand corner of every page. Thanks everyone.

Interview on This Is Happening on KPFK

I enjoyed appearing on KPFK's This is Happening with host Jerry Quickley. I start at about 6 minutes 35 seconds.

Black Agenda Radio

Did you listen to Black Agenda Radio this week? Don't miss out. Hear what Glen Ford, Nellie Bailey, Omali Yeshitela, Ajamu Baraka, Takiyah Thompson and yours truly have to say.

Obama and Black People - Photo Worth 1,000 Words

obama to the black community pic.twitter.com/rbcxCi75PA

— tired (@ugsadkid) June 10, 2017

Guest on Freedom is a Constant Struggle

I had a blast talking to Kiilu Nyasha about a variety of topics, most of which were subjects in my recent columns.

Trump and America are White Supremacist

Glen Ford and I discussed my most recent Black Agenda Report column Trump and America are White Supremacist.

What's Wrong with Julian Assange?

I always had a great deal of respect for Julian Assange. His work at Wikileaks exposes what powerful forces want to keep hidden and that makes it inherently valuable to the world.

He always said he would face rape charges in Sweden if that government would promise not to turn him over to the United States. Even after those charges were dropped the U.K. and the U.S. are still intent on punishing him and his lock down in the Ecuadorean embassy in London continues. This is a great injustice to Assange and a warning to anyone who intends to expose criminal wrong doing committed by states around the world.

But lately Assange has made some highly questionable statements. Perhaps the imprisonment has taken its toll or maybe revealed what was already there. Perhaps he always was a misogynistic racist who parrots white supremacist talking points.

These are just two recent tweets from Assange. In the first he sounds like an old school fascist. White women must eschew feminism, go to church and make babies in order to keep the migration of brown people at bay. Oh yes, and white leaders must make babies too. Cuz brown people.

As if this wasn't vile enough Assange chose to wade into the murky waters of American history.

Warfare was the only way to end slavery in this country. The confederacy struck first at Fort Sumter. They actually began seceding immediately after Lincoln was elected. Lincoln was not anti-slavery and his dream was to send black people out of the country. But the south gambled on war because even Lincoln's limited goal of stopping the spread of slavery was too much for them. They refused any offer to be compensated for their enslaved property. They refused to accept keeping slavery where it already existed. So yes, the military defeat of the confederacy was the only way to end slavery.

I'm always suspicious of white people who make this argument. Not only is their understanding of history suspect, but they are also admitting that they don't think slavery was such a bad thing. 

I know black people who never trust white people of any political stripe. Assange certainly makes the case for that point of view.

Presstv Interview on Police Brutality in America

In my latest Presstv interview I discussed protests against
police brutality in St. Louis and throughout the country.

Nazi Punched in Seattle

In general I have ignored the questions about punching Nazis. But if you are walking around with a Nazi armband a beat down is well deserved. I have seen many stories about this incident which took place in Seattle.  The Root has the best and funniest report.Unfortunately the video is no longer available but the photo is worth 1,000 words.

Thank you Seattle!

Presstv Interview on DACA

I appeared on Presstv last night to discuss the Deferred Action on Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program.

Because Assad is Winning

My column in this week's Black Agenda Report is entitled "Assad is Winning." The recent Syrian Arab Army victory in Deir Ezzor was just the latest indicator that the United States backed jihadists are on the run and that is very good news indeed. The people of Deir Ezzor certainly think so as they celebrate their government's victory.

Why are there suddenly stories about rapes committed in Syrian jails? Because Assad is winning. Why does the United Nations say that the Syrian government committed chemical weapons attacks? Because Assad is winning. And why does the Intercept suddenly claim that president Assad is beloved by American white nationalists? Because Assad is winning.

The story of sexual assault bears further inspection. It strikes me as being similar to tales of Iraqi soldiers tossing Kuwaiti babies out of incubators or Gaddafi giving his soldiers viagra. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, one man living in the U.K., is a part of this story as are others among the usual suspects supportive of U.S. backed regime change.

As for the Intercept, the story is is particularly disappointing. Essentially a couple of American crackers said they like Assad and presto! We have proof that the Syrian government is a hotbed of redneckdom. Moon of Alabama discusses mistranslation of an Assad speech which is used to bolster an anti-Syrian screed.

It is quite shameful that even those allegedly on the left support American imperialism. The regime change plot failed but the U.S. won't give up easily. So sad that there are willing helpers to a crime committed against an entire nation. But don't be surprised. This sorry spectacle won't end anytime soon.

Solidarity & Fightback Toronto Conference Communique

You can read the full report on the Solidarity & Fightback: Building Resistance to U.S.-Led War, Militarism and Neo Fascism conference here. More photos, videos and the Call to Action.

Solidarity and Fightback: Building Resistance to U.S. Led War, Militarism and Neo-Fascism

I was honored to participate in this amazing conference sponsored by the International League of Peoples' Struggle (ILPS) and the International Women's Alliance (IWA) which was held in Toronto, Canada on August 5 - 7, 2017. In the first video I'm speaking at the Hiroshima anniversary action on Sunday. I wanted to quickly convey the danger of nuclear war that exists today.

A travel delay prevented me from speaking on one of the Saturday morning panels, The Many Faces of War Militarism and Neo-Fascism. My remarks addressed the plight of people of color in the United States and made the case that there is nothing "neo" about American fascism and that Donald Trump is no aberration. He provides more continuity than most people want to admit. I'm the first speaker on the video below but please listen to the rest of the panelists too. They were kind enough to make room for me on their panel Geography of Struggle - Wars of Aggression and Peoples' Struggles. They discussed Egypt, the Korean peninsula, Palestine, Europe, the state of the U.S. anti-war movement and the local struggle in Toronto. Enjoy and learn.

I was also a participant in the workshop, The Role of the Media in Movement-Building. I'll post video when it is available.

The conference brought people together from all over the world who are struggling and working on a wide variety of issues. You can see posts, photos and video on the event Facebook page here. All the information is well worth your time.

The capitalists and imperialists want us to be isolated and to feel alone. That is why it is so vital to join with comrades and friends from around the world. We experience our power every time we work together in this way.

Long live international solidarity!

Kurt Eichenwald's White Privilege

"A New York Times reporter [Kurt Eichenwald] not only gave money to a child pornographer, but did business with him and even signed on to an illegal porn website as a member and administrator, documents unsealed yesterday in a federal criminal proceeding in Nashville reveal. He claims in one court document, he only 'posed' as a pedophile." Counterpunch 2007

Just when I begin to think that my web surfing and social media usage are time sucking addictions, I sometimes find out something very useful from these activities. Hence the addiction. Bear with me as I weave a tale of privilege and how white people can get away with doing terrible things without risk to their lives or careers.

First, let's observe how black people are treated when they do things they should not. Janet Cooke was a Washington Post reporter who fabricated a story about a child drug addict in 1981. Unfortunately for Cooke, the story won a Pulitzer prize. She was fired and never worked as a journalist again. Jayson Blair was a New York Times reporter. He fabricated stories and was fired in 2003. He has not worked as a journalist since that time. As I said, Cooke and Blair are both black.

Kurt Eichenwald was a New York Times reporter. In 2007 it was discovered that he administered a child porn website and paid an 18-year old who appeared on that site $2,000. Debbie Nathan reported the story in Counterpunch 2007. But others like New York Magazine excused Eichenwald and repeated his claim of wanting to save a child from the porn industry.

Eichenwald was forced to leave the Times but he went on to Newsweek and to Vanity Fair. He has also been a contributor to MSNBC. The child sex scandal was a bump in an otherwise successful career.

In 2016 Eichenwald libeled Bill Moran, then a reporter at Sputnik News. Moran was reporting on the DNC email hack and mistakenly attributed an Eichenwald quote to Clinton ally Sidney Blumenthal. He realized his mistake within 20 minutes and deleted his post. But in the fast world of the internet it was still too late. Donald Trump quoted the incorrect information at a rally that very day. Eichenwald and Newsweek claimed that Moran's error proved a link between Trump and the Kremlin. Eichenwald retweeted what Moran himself admitted was a mistake more than 37 times. Newsweek and Eichenwald continued to use Moran's mistake as proof of a Trump/Kremlin connection even though they knew the story was reported as false almost immediately.

Moran lost his job at Sputnik. In a series of emails Eichenwald threatened Moran if he went public but sweetened the deal with an offer to help him find another gig. As I said, the child sex scandal didn't hurt Eichenwald. He still had connections to offer up.

Unfortunately for Eichenwald, Moran is also an attorney. He represented himself in court and succeeded in getting a settlement from Newsweek.

I also discovered that Eichenwald's porn interest continues. He took a photo of his computer which showed he had accessed something called tentacle porn. I have no idea what that is. I don't want to know. Don't tell me what it is. It isn't my business but Eichenwald revealed it himself and then used his wife and kids as his excuse. For real.

So what does any of this have to do with white privilege? I started out by saying that Cooke and Blair never worked again. Ever. Eichenwald administered a child porn site and kept working as a journalist. Newsweek knew he lied in libeling another journalist and assisted him in telling what they all knew to be a lie.

It appears that Eichenwald is no longer at Newsweek. He doesn't mention it on his twitter profile. He still lists himself as a contributing editor at Vanity Fair however.

So I'll just cut to the chase. White people can get away with a lot and never pay a price. Eichenwald has apparently departed Newsweek but I'm guessing he didn't leave empty handed.

Eichenwald had powerful defenders and friends who helped him keep working whether he paid for child porn or libeled a fellow journalist. Cooke and Blair can't get arrested all these years after their mistakes.

And that my friends is what white privilege is all about.

U.S. Targets Russians Accused of Cyber Crimes

Stanislav Lisov is a Russian citizen who was arrested in Barcelona, Spain earlier this year. But the arrest warrant did not come from Spanish authorities. He was wanted by the United States. American prosecutors are going to great lengths to capture Russians charged with cyber crimes. Lisov is among those accused of running multi million dollar bank, credit card and identity theft schemes.

Roman Seleznev is another unlucky Russian who fell into the hands of the American prosecutors. In 2014 he was visiting the Maldives, an Indian ocean nation with no extradition treaty with the United States. But officials there cooperated with Americans and snatched him from the airport before he could enter that country. He was sent to San Francisco to face charges, was convicted and recently sentenced to 27 years in prison.

There is a long list of Russians who have been arrested by the United States if they leave their country. They have been captured and transported to the United States from the Maldives, Finland, Thailand, Czech Republic, Norway and now Spain, which recently granted the U.S. its request to extradite Lisov.

It is very suspicious that at the moment when the United States is most hostile to Russia that its citizens accused of theft would be treated so harshly and with such determination. The Unites States has the biggest prison system in the world, with more than two million people incarcerated. It is known for its draconian sentences, prosecutorial misconduct and a system weighted heavily against defendants.

If these cases are worthy of prosecutions a country other than the United States should carry them out. America's motives should always be suspect, particularly now that Russia is accused of interfering in the recent presidential election. That nation and its president, Vladimir Putin, have been demonized to an extent not seen in recent history. It is difficult to believe that suddenly individuals accused of even large scale theft would suddenly be pursued with such ferocity.

American bankers committed vast crimes when they created the 2008 financial collapse. But they went unpunished. Why is it now so important to catch Russians accused of crime? The answer is obviously political. These people are being used to punish their nation because it refuses to be subordinate to the United States, which continues its provocations against the Russian government.

Associates of Bill Clinton admitted to interfering in Russia's elections in favor of Boris Yeltsin in 1996. Since that time the United States has expanded NATO, unilaterally withdrawn from a missile defense treaty, instigated a coup in Ukraine and attacked Syria, a Russian ally. It is difficult to believe that there is no political motivation for these arrests.

Unfortunately the propaganda has been successful. Russians are assumed to be evil and guilty and there are few Americans knowledgeable enough to call attention to these questionable prosecutions. If the United States had not declared their nation an enemy the crimes they are accused of committing would be ignored. At the very least  another solution would have been worked out at high diplomatic levels. But Lisov and others are pawns in a political struggle.

These prosecutions are highly politicized and of dubious value. Given the nature of the U.S. criminal justice system and the level of  hostility between the two nations, these prosecutions should be stopped and these individuals should be returned to their country.

Black Folks in Dark Times

This is a blast from the past which I recently had recent to recall. I had an amazing experience in April of 2014. I was invited to join a  powerful group of black thinkers at a symposium entitled Black Folks in Dark Times. It was  held at Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee. I was joined by conveners Peter James Hudson and Jemima Pierre along with Glen Ford, David Austin, Kevin Edmonds, Sokari Ekine, Kevin Alexander Gray, Aaron Kamugisha, Emira Woods, Maboula Soumahoro, Naomi Reed, Christina Sharpe, Rinaldo Walcott and Johnny Eric Williams.

Unfortunately there were technical problems which prevented all remarks from being recorded. But there is audio for comments from Kevin Alexander Gray, Christina Sharpe and Maboulah Soumaroo. Listen here beginning at about 19 minutes.  You can also get a good idea of what took place on this storify link courtesy of Peter Hudson.

Black Agenda Report and CPR News: Nancy Pelosi Sends Democrats Over the Cliff

I now think that the title of my latest Black Agenda Report column is somewhat unfair. One cannot blame Nancy Pelosi for all of the democratic party's problems. She has had lots of help in bringing the democrats to their lowest point in recent history. But she is a fair target. Whenever anyone asks why she remains that party's house leader despite her failures we are told that she raises lots of money. That is true. But it doesn't seem to help them win. In fact I believe that the money is itself a problem. The 1% aren't going to vote themselves out of existence and that is exactly what the people want. Read my column here and listen to my discussion with Don DeBar here.

Making News - Faking News

Yes I already posted this video of a panel I moderated with Ray McGovern and Mark Crispin Miller. It was the Facebook live feed, not as good as Joe Friendly's work. Much better quality here.

Seymour Hersh Exposes Lies about Syria

On June 15th I moderated a panel sponsored by the Big Apple Coffee Party entitled "Making News - Faking News: How Disinformation Corrupts Democracy." Mark Crispin Miller and Ray McGovern were panelists.

During our talk Ray mentioned a forthcoming article from investigative journalist Seymour Hersh. Hersh was once published in the New York Times and in the New Yorker but that was some years ago. He then went to the London Review of Books but apparently now they reject him too. The German newspaper Die Welt published his reporting on the Syria chemical weapons story today.

No need to wait for a punchline. We were lied to by the Trump administration and by the corporate media. Their actions were very dangerous and risked war between the U.S. and Russia. Please read Seymour Hersh's story here and McGovern's analysis here.

Black Agenda Report and CPR News: UNAC Brings Power to the People

The United National Antiwar Coalition (UNAC) conference was held in Richmond, Virginia last weekend. It was my third UNAC conference and each one has been amazing. More than 300 people attended the 2017 conference from 31 states and 9 foreign countries. I wrote about it in my Black Agenda Report column entitled, "UNAC Brings Power to the People." And as always I discussed it with Don DeBar on CPR News.

Panels were live streamed by Other Voices, Other Choices and the quality was excellent. Check out the videos on Youtube.

UNAC conference

I love the UNAC conferences. That is all.

UNAC Conference 2017 - 3rd Plenary: Domestic Issues

I started off a panel on domestic issues at the UNAC conference. I discussed human rights violations in the United States. My comments start at about 5:55.

UNAC Conference 2017 - Welcoming Remarks by UNAC Members & Allies

Moderating two nights in a row. First at the Big Apple Coffee Party event with Ray McMcGovern and Mark Crispin Miller on June 15th. Then the United National Antiwar Coalition (UNAC) on June 16th. It seemed crazy and I regretted making two important commitments back to back. But it all worked out and it is all important work.

The two day event was live streamed and I got it all started along with wonderful brothers and sisters in the struggle. We have many hours of footage so check it all out on youtube at your leisure.

Left Forum 2017: Jill Stein, Chis Hedges, Media Benjamin, Yours truly

I was on a great Left Forum panel with Jill Stein, Chris Hedges and Medea Benjamin on June 3, 2017.

Making News Faking News

I moderated a panel on this subject with Ray McGovern and Mark Crispin Miller on June 15, 2017. We discussed media/elite collusion, propaganda, stolen elections and why Obama was more effectively evil than Trump. We had an engaged audience at All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church. Event was sponsored by the Big Apple Coffee Party.

Black Agenda Report and CPR News: Under the Democrats' Bus

Hillary Clinton spends $1 billion and ends up the loser but somehow the left is to blame. But of course the democratic party wants to end up on the right anyway so that twisted logic isn't surprising. That was the theme of my column in this week's Black Agenda Report and the topic of discussion with Don DeBar on CPR News.

Zero Squared Podcast: Comey's Dismissal and Trump's Incompetence

A few weeks ago I talked to Doug Lain on his Zero Squared podcast. I always laugh a lot during our conversations, even as I discuss serious matters. I guess Doug brings that out in me. Anyway we did have a fun but serious conversation. Enjoy.

Black Agenda Report and CPR News: Climate Agreement Smoke and Mirrors

Donald Trump withdrew the United States from the 2015 Paris climate agreement. Bad news but so is the agreement, which gives rich nations cover as they continue warming the globe. There is a lot less here than meets the eye as I said in my Black Agenda Report column and in conversation with Don DeBar on CPR News.

Left Forum 2017: Black Agenda Report panel

I love this video. Why? Because it starts before we were ready and you see the Black Agenda Report team acting very human. LOL. Plus good words from Nellie Bailey, Danny Haiphong, Glen Ford, Dahoud Andre, Ajamu Baraka, Bruce Dixon and poet Raymond Turner. I love our Left Forum panels.

Enjoy.

Black Agenda Report and CPR News: Obama vs. Trump

Trump's foreign policy in Saudi Arabia is no different from Obama's. Yet the corporate media hope that you won't notice that or other elements of continuity. "Obama vs. Trump" is my latest Black Agenda Report column. As always I discussed it with Don DeBar on CPR News.

Black Agenda Report and CPR News: Endless Propaganda

We have surely fallen down into the rabbit hole. What was satire a few months ago now passes for serious news coverage. Such is the state of affairs as propaganda goes into overdrive. Endless Propaganda is the subject of my latest Black Agenda Report column and topic of my weekly conversation with Don DeBar.

"Just Be Left"

I had a great conversation with Eleanor Goldfield about a variety of issues. We concluded that there is a lot less confusion (debates about white allies, political correctness, democratic party deceptions, black misleadership class) when we adhere to left wing principles. So simple. A good use of 21 minutes of your time.

How Disinformation Corrupts Democracy

I'm very exciting about moderating this panel. Ed Schultz, Ray McGovern and Mark Crispin Miller will discuss the hot topic of fake news. The event is free but contributions are welcome. If you are in New York City on June 15th please attend. It should be an interesting evening.

Democrats' Formula for Losing Elections

I spoke to Glen Ford on Black Agenda Report radio about my column Democratic Party Death Spiral. Why do they keep losing? Because they have been bought off my banksters and other corporate interests.

Presstv Interview: US Supreme Court rejects 2 congressional district maps in North Carolina

I was invited to speak on the issue of redistricting and race discrimination. I appreciate being invited on Presstv again.

Black Agenda Report and CPR News: No Tears for the FBI

The sorry spectacle goes on and on. Progressives are attacking Trump from the right when they defend the FBI and the other intelligence agencies that are in the business of crushing human rights. That is their reason for being after all. James Comey denied the existence of mass incarceration but so-called leftists get their pants in a twist because he is now out of work.

You know the drill by now. Black Agenda Report column here, conversation with Don DeBar here.

Black Agenda Report and CPR News: Democratic Party Death Spiral

Getting votes into rocket science. Political parties win if they give people what they want. Simple. Better wages, education and health care as rights, an end to the incarceration state. But if democrats campaign on these issues they will fall out of favor with their corporate patrons. So they don't give people what they want and as a result they are wiped out at every level of government across the country.

Read my column in Black Agenda Report and listen to my conversation with Don DeBar.

United National Antiwar Coalition (UNAC) conference

"We need to come together in an action-oriented conference where we can meet each other, learn from each other, support each other, strategize together and leave with a coherent plan for united, effective action."

The United National Antiwar Coalition (UNAC) conference will be held in Richmond, Virginia on June 16 through 18. I serve on UNAC's Administrative Committee and I can proudly say that we did not fold our tents the way others did when Obama neutralized so many progressives and would be leftists.

Check out the conference website. I'll be there of course along with Glen Ford, Ajamu Baraka, Kevin Zeese, David Swanson, Ann Wright, Jaribu Hill, Lawrence Hamm, Medea Benjamin and the entire UNAC team of activists from around the world.

UNAC is a founding member of the Hands Off Syria Coalition and Odessa Solidarity Campaign. We have marched with Mississippi auto workers and against NATO aggression. We have publicly supported Rev. Edward Pinkney, Rasmea Odeh and other political prisoners.

You should be in Richmond, Virginia with UNAC. You should register today.

Stop the wars at home and abroad!

Black Agenda Report and CPR News: Obama Gets Paid

Obama will get paid. $400,000 to be exact. The patron of this particular largesse is investment bank Cantor Fitzgerald. Of course it won't be the last time the capitalist's factotum will be compensated. You can't build presidential libraries with hope and change. Speaking of change, $400k is chump change compared to what Obama will be paid in the future.

The announcement of the big payday sent naive Obamabots into a collective tizzy. Wasn't Obama supposed to be different? Well he isn't different and that is pretty obvious to anyone who was really paying attention. In 2008 he raised more money from wall street than any previous presidential candidate in history. And he didn't forget who the bosses are because the crooked banksters were bailed out and none of them went to jail.

Should we be upset? Yes. We should be upset that our system is so corrupt and that we live under billionaire rule. I explained in my Black Agenda Report column this week and discussed it with Don DeBar. You can read the column here and listen to Don and I here.

Now Age Conversations: "Dangers of Binary Social Conditioning" with Marg...

Two days ago I had another great conversation with Craig Gordon of Now Age Press. We talked about "binary social conditioning, and how the dynamic is undermining American society.

Binary social conditioning? You know how it works. Republicans are evil, true, but binary thinking concludes that democrats are not evil and cannot be questioned. That part is not true and exemplifies what is wrong with politics. Paradoxically it also explains why the democrats are wiped out across the country.

Listening to our talk will be the best use of 36 minutes that you'll have all week. For real.  

The United States and Our Russian Obsession

I have written a lot about this subject. Russia is the last bastion of opposition to American plans for global hegemony. That country has been used as a scapegoat to cover up the debacle which led to Hillary Clinton losing to Donald Trump and to prevent democrats from turning against their inept and corrupt party leadership. I wrote this and more in an email interview with Daniel Falcone. It appeared in Atlanta Blackstar. You can read all about it here.