By Any Means Necessary

In this episode of By Any Means Necessary, hosts Sean Blackmon and Jacquie Luqman discuss a statement by Russian President Vladimir Putin authorizing a special operation of the Russian military into the Donbass region of Ukraine and the NATO aggression that has preceded the mobilization of Russian forces and recent history of meddling in the region.


In the second segment, Sean and Jacquie are joined by Stephen Gowans, author of the forthcoming book “The Killer’s Henchman: Capitalism and the Covid-19 Disaster” to discuss the American media’s emotional reaction to the Russian special operations in Ukraine, how the US stands to benefit from this conflict by strengthening its grip on its European allies and dictate economic and military policy, the Biden administration’s promise to impose sanctions on Russia and rally the G7 powers to enact similar measures, and the US complicity in extending and exacerbating this crisis.


In the third segment, Sean and Jacquie are joined by Daryle Lamont Jenkins, Executive Director of One People’s Project to discuss a recent right-wing attack against a book reading in Providence, Rhode Island, the role of “trolling” and internet culture in recruiting people into far-right politics, the alleged targeting and killing of antifascist activists in Portland by a right-wing shooter, and the complicity of right-wing internet trolls in the targeting of activists.


Later in the show, Sean and Jacquie are joined by Jaribu Hill, founder and executive director of the Mississippi Workers' Center for Human Rights to discuss the concept of dark work, which is the assignment of work based on race and which is supposed to be illegal, the Biden administration’s focus on waging war and destruction on the world while ignoring the economic needs of workers here in the United States, the efforts to establish a national park in Glendora, Mississippi to honor Emmett Till, and the need for anti-imperialists to hold firm in the struggle against war with Russia amid the corporate media’s attempts to invoke an emotional crisis to support war.

In this segment of By Any Means Necessary, Sean and Jacquie are joined by Asantewa Nkrumah-Ture Organizer and Member of the Philadelphia Tenant Union, and the Poor People's Economic Human Rights Campaign/Poor People's Army to discuss a victory over intimidation tactics used to try to force Asantewa Nkrumah Ture to leave her home despite her legal rights to remain in her home for a certain period of time, the importance of the Philadelphia movement in keeping Asantewa safe and helping her secure her legal victory, and how the intimidation faced by Asantewa is more commonplace than generally known.

In this segment of By Any Means Necessary, Sean and Jacquie are joined by technologist Chris Garaffa, the editor of TechforthePeople.org, co-host of the ReBoot podcast to discuss the New York Times purchase of the wildly popular game “Wordle” and its addition of ad-tracking to the game, Google’s smoke-and-mirrors campaign concerning its use of ad-tracking technology on Android phones, the privacy concerns around New York City’s pilot program to automate of noise pollution ticket enforcement with camera and microphone technology, and the widespread adoption of similar surveillance programs across the country and the world.

In this segment of By Any Means Necessary, Sean and Jacquie are joined by Carlos Martinez, author and activist, co-founder of No Cold War, and co-editor of Friends of Socialist China to discuss the increasing role of China in Latin America’s development, the accusation of imperialism lobbed by western officials at China’s involvement in the region, how China’s investment in the region contrasts with the US and western involvement historically and contemporaneously, and the myth of the debt trap narrative pushed by the western corporate media.

In this episode of By Any Means Necessary, hosts Sean Blackmon and Jacquie Luqman are joined by international affairs and security analyst Mark Sleboda to discuss Russia’s recognition of the Luhansk and Donetsk People's Republics and how it factors into the current tensions between NATO and Russia, the history of the two republics and the aggression from Ukraine that contributed to Russia’s recognition of their independence, the US’ collective punishment of Luhansk and Donetsk for choosing “wrong” just like they did when Crimea chose “wrong” with sanctions, the far-right ultranationalists who have been integrated into the state structures of Ukraine, and the impacts of Germany halting progress on the Nord Stream 2 pipeline.


In the second segment, Sean and Jacquie are joined by Carlos Martinez, author and activist, co-founder of No Cold War, and co-editor of Friends of Socialist China to discuss the increasing role of China in Latin America’s development, the accusation of imperialism lobbed by western officials at China’s involvement in the region, how China’s investment in the region contrasts with the US and western involvement historically and contemporaneously, and the myth of the debt trap narrative pushed by the western corporate media.


In the third segment, Sean and Jacquie are joined by technologist Chris Garaffa, the editor of TechforthePeople.org, co-host of the ReBoot podcast to discuss the New York Times purchase of the wildly popular game “Wordle” and its addition of ad-tracking to the game, Google’s smoke-and-mirrors campaign concerning its use of ad-tracking technology on Android phones, the privacy concerns around New York City’s pilot program to automate of noise pollution ticket enforcement with camera and microphone technology, and the widespread adoption of similar surveillance programs across the country and the world.


Later in the show, Sean and Jacquie are joined by Dr. Gerald Horne, Moores Professor of History and African American Studies at the University of Houston, and author of dozens of books, most recently “The Bittersweet Science: Racism, Racketeering, and the Political Economy of Boxing” to discuss Joe Biden imposing sanctions on Russia over the current tensions around Ukraine and how it fits into world politics, the western corporate media’s misrepresentation of the facts and history of the Ukraine situation and complicity in pushing for war with Russia, and the misplaced understandings of the Canadian trucker convoy by some elements on the left.

In this episode of By Any Means Necessary, hosts Sean Blackmon and Jacquie Luqman discuss the weaponization of psychology to demonize John Brown and slaves who attemtpted to escape bondage, how that weaponization continues to uphold white supremacy today with practices like race norming, how this fits into current fights against white supremacy and the need to extend solidarity to all who fight back against the racist, patriarchal, imperialist, and capitalist system, and how no salvation will be found in this system andits politicians.


In the second segment, Sean and Jacquie are joined by Libre X Sankara, poet, cultural worker,educator and organizer with the Troika Kollective to discuss ongoing demonstrations among public sector workers in Puerto Rico and how the colonial debt imposed on Puerto Rico by the US contributes to the economic crisis faced by the island, Puerto Rico Governor Pedro Pierluisi’s belittling comments on striking teachers and public sector workers and the challenges faced by those workers, how the current political structure of Puerto RIco ultimately serves the colonial relationship with the US, and the connections between other anti-imperialist struggles all over the world and the struggle against colonialism in Puerto Rico.


In the third segment, Sean and Jacquie are joined by Nate Wallace, co-host of Red Spin Sports to discuss the sudden rightward turn of sports commentator Michelle Tafoya on critical race theory and the teaching of historical racism, the media’s double standard and scandalization of Kamila Valieva and her failed drug test as other Olympic athletes also fail tests, how the scandalization of Valieva connects to recent historical and current demonization of Russia as the US and NATO continue to threaten war with Russia over Ukraine, and the continued fallout over the trade between the Brooklyn Nets and the Philadelphia 76ers.


Later in the show, Sean and Jacquie are joined by James Early, Former Director of Cultural Heritage Policy at the Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage at the Smithsonian Institution and board member of the Institute for Policy Studies to discuss the light sentence given to Kim Potter for killing Daunte Wright and the continued need for organizing against racist police terror, how Black faces in high places are not enough to meet the needs of working class Black people and stop racist police terror, how socialist revolutions in Cuba and Venezuela have dealt with the question of race and why it is important to deal with questions of race when organizing in the United States, and the need for global solidarity of working and poor in the face of imperialist warmongering.

In this segment of By Any Means Necessary, Sean and Jacquie are joined by Libre X Sankara, poet, cultural worker, educator and organizer with the Troika Kollective to discuss ongoing demonstrations among public sector workers in Puerto Rico and how the colonial debt imposed on Puerto Rico by the US contributes to the economic crisis faced by the island, Puerto Rico Governor Pedro Pierluisi’s belittling comments on striking teachers and public sector workers and the challenges faced by those workers, how the current political structure of Puerto Rico ultimately serves the colonial relationship with the US, and the connections between other anti-imperialist struggles all over the world and the struggle against colonialism in Puerto Rico.

In this episode of By Any Means Necessary, hosts Sean Blackmon and Jacquie Luqman are joined by Ted Rall, award-winning editorial cartoonist and columnist, and author of the graphic novel, "The Stringer," to discuss corporations working around their commitments to stop donating to politicians who were complicit in the attempt to overturn the election through lobbyists, the extreme corruption in the so-called democratic process that is often passed off as lobbying, and the willingness of corporations to advance the dangerous interests of these politicians in order to turn a profit.


In the second segment, Sean and Jacquie are joined by Abayomi Azikiwe, editor of the Pan-African News Wire to discuss French troops withdrawing from Mali and how the uprisings of Malians against overt French operations played into this decision, how despite the occupation of Mali beginning under the pretext of regional security and the threat of Islamist terrorists it has failed to deliver on any semblance of security, whether France will make good on this commitment to withdraw and what its aftermath will mean for Mali and West Africa.


In the third segment, Sean and Jacquie are joined by Leo Flores, Latin America Campaign Coordinator at CODEPINK to discuss the political prosecution of Venezuelan diplomat Alex Saab, who sits in a Miami prison cell over charges related to conducting business on behalf of Venezuela, the attempts to scandalize Saab over allegations that he served as a DEA agent, the successful CLAP food assistance program that Saab was working on when he was arrested, and wh programs like CLAP are necessary for Venezuela under the economic warfare waged by the US.


Later in the show, Sean and Jacquie are joined by Devyn Springer, cultural worker, host of the Groundings Podcast, and digital outreach coordinator at the Walter Rodney Foundation to discuss the challenges faced by Black Cubans because of the US blockade on the country and the reality of the Black Cuban experience, how the Cuban government fosters popular education, history, and culture of Black Cubans instead of suppressing it like institutions in the US, and the history of Black Americans receiving medical education in Cuba and serving their underserved communities at home.

In this segment of By Any Means Necessary, Sean and Jacquie are joined by Leo Flores, Latin America Campaign Coordinator at CODEPINK to discuss the political prosecution of Venezuelan diplomat Alex Saab, who sits in a Miami prison cell over charges related to conducting business on behalf of Venezuela, the attempts to scandalize Saab over allegations that he served as a DEA agent, the successful CLAP food assistance program that Saab was working on when he was arrested, and how programs like CLAP are necessary for Venezuela under the economic warfare waged by the US.

In this segment of By Any Means Necessary, Sean and Jacquie are joined by Abayomi Azikiwe, editor of the Pan-African News Wire to discuss French troops withdrawing from Mali and how the uprisings of Malians against overt French operations played into this decision, how despite the occupation of Mali beginning under the pretext of regional security and the threat of Islamist terrorists it has failed to deliver on any semblance of security, whether France will make good on this commitment to withdraw and what its aftermath will mean for Mali and West Africa.