By Any Means Necessary

In this episode of By Any Means Necessary, hosts Sean Blackmon and Jacquie Luqman are joined by Karleigh Webb, an athlete, activist, journalist, socialist, contributor to @Outsports and host of the TransSporter Room to discuss a federal judge striking down Arkansas’ ban on gender affirming care for transgender youth.

In the second segment, Sean and Jacquie are joined by Roger McKenzie, International Editor of the Morning Star, the world’s only daily socialist newspaper in the English language to discuss an upcoming bill in the UK parliament which would prevent public bodies from divesting from companies complicit in the apartheid policies of Israel, how this bill fits into the wave of attacks on the Palestine solidarity movement in the UK, and why the UK government is responding to Palestine solidarity in this way as the global political system shifts toward a multipolar order.

In the third segment, Sean and Jacquie are joined by Albert Saint Jean, community organizer and immigration advocate to discuss a report by Amnesty International detailing the racist discrimination faced by Haitian refugees seeking asylum in the Americas, how Haitian migrants have been allowed to migrate to the Americas as a source of cheap labor only to be driven out once the need for labor is gone, and how this discrimination is often associated with violence against Haitians and gender-based violence among women and girls.

Later in the show, Sean and Jacquie are joined by Kristine Hendrix, President to the University City School Board, Junior Bayard Rustin Fellow with the Fellowship for Reconciliation and contributor to the Truth-Telling Project and "We Stay Woke" podcast to discuss the ongoing efforts to find the Titanic tourist submersible vehicle and why so much attention is being paid to it, recent surprise rulings from the Supreme Court on Alabama’s proposed congressional map and the Indian Child Welfare Act and why it will take a popular movement to stop the court’s right-wing program, and the Supreme Court’s impending decision on the Biden administration’s student loan debt relief program.

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this episode of By Any Means Necessary, hosts Sean Blackmon and Jacquie Luqman are joined by Natalia Marques, writer and organizer from New York City to discuss a CDC report which found that millions of people ration their medication in order to save money, how the pharmaceutical industry fights to protect their massive profits, pharmaceutical company Merck’s lawsuit against a part of the Inflation Reduction Act which would allow for drug price negotiations on limited amounts of medicine, and how the American healthcare system is a blatant example of how people’s needs have been turned into commodities meant to turn a profit.

In the second segment, Sean and Jacquie are joined by technologist Chris Garaffa, co-host of the CovertAction Bulletin podcast to discuss automakers being told not to comply with a Massachusetts law requiring access to vehicle data and how that fits into debates over the right to repair, a report revealing that the US government is buying personal information from commercial data brokers and why brokers’ claims of anonymization are dubious, and the ongoing fallout from Reddit’s pricing plan for third-party use of its API and the company’s response to protests against this plan.

In the third segment, Sean and Jacquie feature an interview with Muhammad Ali on his opposition to the war in Vietnam.

Later in the show, Sean and Jacquie are joined by Gloria La Riva, coordinator of the Cuba and Venezuela Solidarity Committee and co-founder of the Hatuey Project to discuss the ongoing US blockade on Cuba and how new reports about a planned Chinese military base on Cuba are being used to justify the blockade, upcoming demonstrations that will call for Cuba to be taken off of the state sponsors of terror list and how the Biden administration maintains the blockade on Cuba, and how Cuba’s democracy and its focus on working people contrasts with the control of the US political system by the rich.

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In this episode of By Any Means Necessary, hosts Sean Blackmon and Jacquie Luqman are joined by Brianna Griffith, journalist with Liberation News to discuss the recently signed House Bill 2127, also dubbed the “Death Star” bill, in Texas and how it will diminish the rights of working class people in Texas, how the framing of this bill by its proponents as an issue of regulatory consistency makes little sense on its face, how this bill fits into the broader assault on basic democratic rights on a national scale, and why only a grassroots movement can fight back against this assault.

In the second segment, Sean and Jacquie are joined by Dr. Adrienne Pine, retired Associate Professor of Anthropology at American University and co-editor of the book Asylum for Sale: Profit and Protest in the Migration Industry to discuss Honduran President Xiomara Castro’s recent visit to China and the opening of new relations between the two countries, how Honduras’ relationship with China may contrast with its relationship with the US, and how this shift reflects a growing trend of Latin American states moving away from their relationships with the US.

In the third segment, Sean and Jacquie are joined by John Perry, a writer for the Council on Hemispheric Affairs to discuss the aftermath of the 2018 coup attempt against the Sandinista government of Nicaragua, the level of violence that the opposition was responsible for and why it was buried by western media, and how Nicaragua’s rebuilding from the attempted coup fits into broader political trends in Latin America.

Later in the show, Sean and Jacquie are joined by Dr. Radhika Desai, a Professor at the University of Manitoba, Director of the Geopolitical Economy Research Group, and author of Capitalism, Coronavirus and War: A Geopolitical Economy to discuss the meeting between US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Chinese officials in Beijing and what impact it may have on strained US-China relations, the aftermath of the debt ceiling deal and how it is often used as a cover for a rollback of social spending, and Joe Biden’s recent comments on Ukraine’s bid to join NATO.

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In this episode of By Any Means Necessary, hosts Sean Blackmon and Jacquie Luqman are joined by K.J. Noh, a scholar, educator and journalist focusing on the political economy and geopolitics of the Asia-Pacific to discuss US Secretary of State Antony Blinken's upcoming visit to China amid increasing tensions between the two countries, how US provocations in the region have contributed to the Wanshington-Beijing relationships and why not much is expected from this trip, and recent missile tests in North Korea in response to military drills between the US and South Korea.

In the second segment, Sean and Jacquie are joined by Abayomi Azikiwe, the editor of the Pan-African News Wire to discuss recent protests in Senegal over the jailing of opposition figure Ousmane Sonko and in response to rumors that President Macky Sall may attempt to serve an illegal third term, the influence of neocolonial powers, namely the US and France, in this crisis, and how African nations are maneuvering in this growing trend to multipolarity.

In the third segment, Sean and Jacquie are joined by Miguel Garcia of the ANTICONQUISTA Collective, also the host and creator of the Sports as a Weapon podcast to discuss another allegation of sexual assault against former MLB pitcher Trevor Bauer, the Nevada legislature approval of the use of $380 million of public funds for a new ballpark for the Athletics, comments made about the move by MLB commissioner Rob Manfred blaming the city of Oakland for the relocation of the team, and The Athletic announcing layoffs of journalists and reassignment of journalists from team-specific beats that the publication had originally set out to feature prominently.

Later in the show, Sean and Jacquie discuss a Department of Justice report finding a pattern of discrimination against Black people and native Americans in the Minneapolis police department, the ongoing rollback of pandemic-era social programs and how they reveal the facade of the US political system, and a group of US lawmakers requesting that the Biden administration punish South Africa over its stance on the conflict in Ukraine.

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In this episode of By Any Means Necessary, hosts Sean Blackmon and Jacquie Luqman are joined by Libre X Sankara, poet, cultural worker, educator and organizer with the Troika Kollective to discuss the anniversary of the end of US bombing exercises in Vieques, Puerto Rico, the lasting environmental impacts and health impacts on the people who lived on the island and how this highlights Puerto Rico’s colonial status, and how a movement of Puerto Rican people successfully forced the US Navy to stop these bombings.

In the second segment, Sean and Jacquie are joined by Maurice Carney, co-founder and Executive Director of Friends of the Congo to discuss the anniversary of the six-day war in the Congo, how the US was involved in attempting to bury information on the effects of the war and prevent Rwandan officials involved in the war from being brought to justice, and how the legacies of this war are felt today as the M23 rebels reportedly supported by Rwanda continue to destabilize the northeast region of the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

In the third segment, Sean and Jacquie are joined by Dr. Kenneth Surin, Professor emeritus and former Director of the Center for European Studies at Duke University to discuss the report by a UK House of Commons committee finding that Boris Johnson misled parliament over the Partygate scandal, how Johnson’s response to parliament’s investigation of him reflects the tactics used by Donald Trump to downplay his legal and political issues, and how this investigation may affect the political climate of the UK.

Later in the show, Sean and Jacquie are joined by Chuck Modiano, justice journalist and Sports writer for Deadspin to discuss the Denver Nuggets winning the NBA championship and how the sports media thrives on exaggerated personalities, Cornel West’s campaign for the nomination of the Green Party for US president, and how the focus on presidential campaigns leaves out the importance of organizing between elections.

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In this episode of By Any Means Necessary, hosts Sean Blackmon and Jacquie Luqman are joined by journalist and author Daniel Lazare to discuss a recent helicopter accident involving US troops in northeast Syria and what this reveals about the US presence in parts of Syria, how the recent resurgence of Syria on the regional political stage is affecting the US hold on the country and its influence in the Middle East, and how US presence in Syria might shift as China’s influence in the Middle East continues to grow.

In the second segment, Sean and Jacquie are joined by Dr. Seyed Mohammad Marandi, Professor of English Literature and Orientalism at the University of Tehran, who was part of the Iranian delegation that helped to negotiate the 2015 nuclear deal, to discuss how the US is using the International Atomic Energy Agency to delay a new nuclear deal, the recent history of negotiations over a replacement of the 2015 Iran nuclear deal and why the US is responsible for impeding that deal, the ongoing visit by Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi to Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Cuba and how this visit advances solidarity between the countries amid a growing shift in the global political dynamic.

In the third segment, Sean and Jacquie are joined by Tunde Osazua, the Coordinator of the U.S. Out of Africa Network, a project of the Black Alliance for Peace to discuss the recent Second Session of the UN Permanent Forum on People of African Descent and the involvement of civil society groups in the forum, why some participants felt a disconnection between the forum and the struggles being waged by people of African descent, and why the structure of the forum often leaves out grassroots movements without connections to states or the UN.

Later in the show, Sean and Jacquie discuss the Southern Baptist Convention voting to expel two churches over having women pastors, how this decision reflects the politics of religion in the US, how these politics and the conservative social culture of many churches facilitates abuse, and how scandals involving prominent Christian churches demonstrate how capitalism can warp faith.

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In this episode of By Any Means Necessary, hosts Sean Blackmon and Jacquie Luqman are joined by Dave Lindorff, investigative journalist, Editor of the online publication ThisCantBeHappening.net and 2019 winner of an “Izzy” Award for Outstanding Independent Media to discuss the indictment of Donald Trump for his mishandling of classified documents and the conversation that is missing from most coverage of the documents, why the media isn’t talking about the content of the documents including reported plans to attack Iran, and how the overclassification of documents often keeps important information from Americans.

In the second segment, Sean and Jacquie are joined by Rafiki Morris, Organizer with the All African People’s Revolutionary Party and member of the Coordinating Committee for the Black Alliance for Peace to discuss recent parliamentary elections in Guinea-Bissau and the victory of opposition candidates in a coalition led by the African Party for the Independence of Guinea and Cape Verde, how this election represents an important victory against the repression of opposition groups like the PAIGC, and how austerity measures have worked to destabilize the country’s economy and allowed President Umaro Sissoco Embalo to remain in power.

In the third segment, Sean and Jacquie are joined by Dr. Tamanisha John, professor at Clark Atlanta University and Caribbean regional analyst to discuss a recently announced package of assistance to the Caribbean by the Biden administration and why this package is not exactly as it seems, the heavy emphasis of this aid on police and the questions that raises about the influence of external financing of national and regional security measures, how this addresses the political crisis in Haiti as the US continues its campaign for intervention there, and how this emphasis on policing reflects the struggle against Cop City in Atlanta and against militarized policing across the US.

Later in the show, Sean and Jacquie are joined by Ted Rall, co-host of The Final Countdown, which you can hear from 10am to 12 PM EST right here on Radio Sputnik to discuss the arraignment of Donald Trump on charges related to his handling of classified documents and how it exposes major contradictions in the US political system, reports that the US will send depleted uranium rounds to Ukraine and why the west is keen on violating international standards on warfare, and author Elizabeth Gilbert pulling her upcoming novel “The Snow Forest” following backlash over the novel’s setting in Russia.

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In this episode of By Any Means Necessary, hosts Sean Blackmon and Jacquie Luqman are joined by John Kane, Mohawk activist and educator, producer and Host of the Let's Talk Native Podcast, and host of Resistance Radio on WBAI Pacifica Radio NY and on WPFW 89.3FM in Washington, DC to discuss a proposed Senate bill which would launch investigations into US Indian boarding schools which were used as part of the US campaign of colonialism against Native American people, why the question of healing as it is outlined in this bill misses important aspects of justice and redress by failing to challenge the legacies of colonialism, and why the elevation of Deb Haaland as the first indigenous cabinet secretary exposes how identity politics based on representation in an unchanged system fall short.

In the second segment, Sean and Jacquie are joined by Arnold August, a Montreal-based author of 3 books on US-Cuba-Latin America relations to discuss the Wall Street Journal publishing a report claiming that China is seeking to build a spy base in Cuba to snoop on the US, the Cuban government’s denunciation of that report and what purpose the accusation serves, how this accusation fits into the US drive to create the conditions for conflict with China in Latin America, and how we can understand this allegation in the shifting global political dynamic.

In the third segment, Sean and Jacquie are joined by James Patrick Jordan, National Co-Coordinator for the Alliance for Global Justice to discuss a historic ceasefire signed between the Colombian government and the National Liberation Army guerilla group, why peace between the government and militia groups has been elusive, why the Colombian right-wing has fiercely opposed the Petro government’s total peace plane, and the significance of these ceasefire talks being held in Cuba.

Later in the show, Sean and Jacquie are joined by Richard Becker, author of “Palestine, Israel and the US Empire” to discuss the anniversary of the Six-Day War between Israel and Arab nations and how it shaped the occupation of Palestine, how the Arab and Israeli understandings of the war differ and why some claim that Israel’s David vs Goliath narrative is a myth, the recent visits by US officials to Saudi Arabia as the split between the two countries continues to grow with Saudi Arabia increasing its engagement with China, and why solidarity with Palestine is continuing to grow among people around the world.

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In this episode of By Any Means Necessary, hosts Sean Blackmon and Jacquie Luqman are joined by Tina Landis, organizer and author of the book, ‘Climate Solutions: Beyond Capitalism’ to discuss the historic pollution across major cities on the US east coast as raging wildfires in Canada sent plumes of smoke across the region, how the agricultural system under capitalism contributes to fire danger and accelerates climate change, and how a socialist system could fight back against climate change and protect people from natural disasters that are already happening.

In the second segment, Sean and Jacquie are joined by Asa Winstanley, investigative journalist, Associate editor with The Electronic Intifada and author of Weaponizing Anti-Semitism: How The Israel Lobby Brought Down Jeremy Corbyn on OR Books to discuss the attacks on Roger Waters labeling him as an antisemite because of the content of his performances, why this attack is a mischaracterization of Waters and his show and its connection to Waters’ Palestine solidarity activism, and how the attacks on Waters are similar to the labeling of Jeremy Corbyn as an antisemite by the Israel lobby in the UK.

In the third segment, Sean and Jacquie are joined by Miguel Garcia of the ANTICONQUISTA Collective, also the host and creator of the Sports as a Weapon podcast to discuss the unexpected merger between the Saudi-backed LIV golf and the PGA Tour and how this is likely to continue the controversy over Saudi Arabia’s human rights record, Lionel Messi’s announcement that he will be joining Major League Soccer team Inter Miami, and an investigation by the NFL into Indianapolis Colts player Isaiah Rodgers over allegations of sports gambling.

Later in the show, Sean and Jacquie are joined by Phil Wilayto, Editor of the Virginia Defender newspaper and co-founder of the Virginia Defenders for Freedom, Justice & Equality to discuss the indictment of Donald Trump on charges stemming from his alleged mishandling of classified documents, a recent shooting outside of a high school graduation in Richmond, Virginia and what conversations about gun violence often miss about the dynamics of community violence, and why the military-industrial complex can only be challenged by a mass movement of working people.

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In this episode of By Any Means Necessary, hosts Sean Blackmon and Jacquie Luqman are joined by Keyanna Jones, community organizer with Community Movement Builders to discuss the approval of public funding for the "Cop City" police training facility by the Atlanta city council despite hours of public comment against the measure, a new effort to place a referendum on the facility on the ballot in Atlanta in response to this action, and how the struggle against Cop City has revealed the class character of the police and the capability of working people to organize in solidarity.

In the second segment, Sean and Jacquie are joined by journalist Waqas Ahmed to discuss the Pakistani media blackout on the political crisis surrounding the prosecution of Imran Khan and his party, the repression of journalists for reporting on the crisis and the censorship of mentions of Khan on social media, the economic crisis in Pakistan which is forcing many people into poverty, and how upcoming elections in Pakistan will be affected by the formation of a new political party.

In the third segment, Sean and Jacquie are joined by John Kiriakou, co-host of Political Misfits, which you can hear from 12 to 2 PM EST right here on Radio Sputnik, to discuss the ten year anniversary of the leaks by NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden revealing widespread warrantless surveillance of Americans’ communications, how the leaks have shaped ongoing struggles over surveillance and privacy, and how big tech has been infiltrated by intelligence agencies and continues to assist surveillance, and the continuing persecution of Snowden by the US.

Later in the show, Sean and Jacquie are joined by Bryce Greene, Contributor to Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting to discuss reports that the Biden administration knew about a Ukrainian plot to sabotage the Nord Stream pipeline before the attack happened, a recent New York Times article that attempted to downplay the use of Nazi symbols by Ukrainian fighters, and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s meeting in Saudi Arabia with crown prince Mohammed bin Salman.

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