Thanks for all the many excellent observations. I too have taken issue with the pronouncements of white commentators like Finkelstein and Ritter, and made a point of seeking out and centering non-white intellectuals, and journalists and scholars in my efforts to keep abreast of issues. So often it’s a matter of directly answering the question, “Who’s on the front lines, here?” Regardless of issue, it's almost always the same answer. I also agree it’s seriously and dangerously myopic to discount the ways that white, right-wing constituencies can so readily be mobilized by racist rhetoric.
At the same time one must acknowledge that we’ve watched many non-whites, particularly in the liberal centrist (Democratic Party) crowd, sign off on, raise their hands for and apologize for, imperialist necropolitics and its enablers… indeed, some have been key enablers. And that started long before 10/7/23.
I think the legitimate problem with “woke” politics concerns the ways it’s at the service of decidedly non-woke capitalism and imperialism. I don’t see “woke” political culture as connected to the kind of rigorous anti-racist/imperialist/colonial analysis you rightly advocate, but as a politically engineered distraction and diversion from that very synthesis. Imperialism comes to us wrapped and laundered in anti-racist trappings as well.
Thanks for bringing this painful problem up. I wish that I could claim that I’ve attained clarity about it. Maybe another point is that that’s something nobody attains on their own, but that we have to work on reaching together.
I have been extremely frustrated for sometime at how so many people I follow keep interviewing the same handful of people you pointed out in this article and how very few people like you, Robbie and Abbie Martin have been getting diversified people on their media outlets.
Dr. Horne and Dr. Hudson are living legends in my book and rarely seen on "left" shows.
The people you listed have one thing in common that can be missed if you don't follow them long term, and it is that they are all closeted libertarians especially the hosts of the Duran. Galloway is a very conservative Catholic with no tolerance for people who do not share his religious views. Ritter and Napolitano are full blown libertarians. Max Blumenthal is a want to be standup comedian and feels Dore is his mentor and both just love to shit on other leftist like code pink.
The Grayzone does some very good work, and the others do as well but they need to be critically examined like corporate news.
I hope you reach out to Max and others to see if they are willing to come on your show to defend themselves.
Again, this was a amazing article that I have been waiting a long time for someone to do and you hit it out of the park!
Thanks friend. Great comment. And I really agree with all of your qualifications.
I heard Napolitano say a while back that only free market can save societies. I almost spilled my tea.
I don't think I would be interested to debate Max. I feel he's not the type to be open to that kind of critique. Aaron seems a bit more open minded.
And to be honest, I don't feel all these figures are important enough to either try and change their minds or to platform. They have been platformed by other people more than enough.
I hope more people see through it, they are welcome over here.
Thanks for all the many excellent observations. I too have taken issue with the pronouncements of white commentators like Finkelstein and Ritter, and made a point of seeking out and centering non-white intellectuals, and journalists and scholars in my efforts to keep abreast of issues. So often it’s a matter of directly answering the question, “Who’s on the front lines, here?” Regardless of issue, it's almost always the same answer. I also agree it’s seriously and dangerously myopic to discount the ways that white, right-wing constituencies can so readily be mobilized by racist rhetoric.
At the same time one must acknowledge that we’ve watched many non-whites, particularly in the liberal centrist (Democratic Party) crowd, sign off on, raise their hands for and apologize for, imperialist necropolitics and its enablers… indeed, some have been key enablers. And that started long before 10/7/23.
I think the legitimate problem with “woke” politics concerns the ways it’s at the service of decidedly non-woke capitalism and imperialism. I don’t see “woke” political culture as connected to the kind of rigorous anti-racist/imperialist/colonial analysis you rightly advocate, but as a politically engineered distraction and diversion from that very synthesis. Imperialism comes to us wrapped and laundered in anti-racist trappings as well.
Thanks for bringing this painful problem up. I wish that I could claim that I’ve attained clarity about it. Maybe another point is that that’s something nobody attains on their own, but that we have to work on reaching together.
Check our guests on our YouTube channel. Super diverse!
Thank you, Karim. I see so many commentators here that I’ve been following separately, particularly Dr Horne.
Horne is our favorite professor!
I have been extremely frustrated for sometime at how so many people I follow keep interviewing the same handful of people you pointed out in this article and how very few people like you, Robbie and Abbie Martin have been getting diversified people on their media outlets.
Dr. Horne and Dr. Hudson are living legends in my book and rarely seen on "left" shows.
The people you listed have one thing in common that can be missed if you don't follow them long term, and it is that they are all closeted libertarians especially the hosts of the Duran. Galloway is a very conservative Catholic with no tolerance for people who do not share his religious views. Ritter and Napolitano are full blown libertarians. Max Blumenthal is a want to be standup comedian and feels Dore is his mentor and both just love to shit on other leftist like code pink.
The Grayzone does some very good work, and the others do as well but they need to be critically examined like corporate news.
I hope you reach out to Max and others to see if they are willing to come on your show to defend themselves.
Again, this was a amazing article that I have been waiting a long time for someone to do and you hit it out of the park!
Thanks friend. Great comment. And I really agree with all of your qualifications.
I heard Napolitano say a while back that only free market can save societies. I almost spilled my tea.
I don't think I would be interested to debate Max. I feel he's not the type to be open to that kind of critique. Aaron seems a bit more open minded.
And to be honest, I don't feel all these figures are important enough to either try and change their minds or to platform. They have been platformed by other people more than enough.
I hope more people see through it, they are welcome over here.