Voices From The Frontlines

VFTFL - Paul R. 2019 by Eric Mann

Call on Bernie Sanders to withdraw his call to overthrow the government of Venezuela.

"Let me be very clear. Anyone who does what Maduro does is a vicious tyrant. We need international and regional cooperation for free elections so the Venezuelan people can create their own future."

- Bernie Sanders, Democratic Debate Sunday September 12, 2019

Call his office today, Bernie Sanders: (202) 224-5141 also try 202-866 220 0044 which works well especially between 6 a.m. and 2 p.m. Pacific time to get to them during working hours, 9-5 in Eastern time zone

Eric Mann thanks Voices listeners who called Senator Sanders to repudiate his position on Venezuela. Eric engages his critic who believes that his statement that Senator Sanders is calling for the overthrow of Venezuelan President Maduro is exaggerated and "fraudulent".

Keep Calling Senator Sanders and demand he stop his call for the overthrow of the government of Venezuela.

I was dismayed to find in my morning email the demand that Bernie Sanders "withdraw his call to overthrow the government of Venezuela." While there is reason to object to Sanders’s answer to moderator Jorge Ramos's question on why he refuses to call Nicholas Maduro a dictator, to conclude that Bernie made such a call to overthrow a government is fraudulent.

Sanders in fact supports the opposite position. Rather than backing the U.S. practice of inserting a leader it "likes," he has never once deviated from his belief that it is the right of the people of Venezuela to decide what kind of government they want.

People who took umbrage at Sanders’s remarks should call his office to complain. That is what a healthy democracy looks like. Sanders deserves to be called out for his erroneous profile of Venezuela, and many of us did not waste time to do so. On the morning after the debate, several of us contacted members of Sanders's team. We took the trouble to supply them with recent and reliable information, and forwarded articles and the names of informed sources for their further investigation. But loosely applied pejoratives like “vicious tyrant” cannot be criticized more than loosely applied pejoratives like “racist” and “lunatics.” As a point of fact, I have not identified myself as a Sanders supporter. I offer my comments in the strict belief that these important issues should be met with hard facts, not easy mockery.

--Patricia Dahl

As a Sanders supporter, I applaud your opinion on his position on Venezuela. Sanders is WRONG on this one. Thank you and continue the fight!!!!

--Nelson P.

--Frank Dorrel addicted to war circulated it Sent from Rachel Bruhnke: [email protected].

Dear Eric: I'm with you 100% on demanding Sanders withdraw his call to overthrow the government in Venezuela!

Hi Eric! I’m great Sanders supporters but I’m 100% agree with regarding Venezuela as we’ll Syria. I just hope he hires someone with more knowledge about foreign Policy

--Jorge M.

I have been a Bernie fan since before the last election. I voted for Bernie in the last election primary. I have been an enthusiastic supporter of and donator to his campaign this time around. But the remarks on Maduro and Venzuela in the last democratic debate have made it impossible for me to contribute further. I call on Bernie Sanders to back down his repudiation of Maduro, and his call for foreign intervention in Venezuela - not his exact words, but let's not play dumb here.

--Vince M.

Listen to Voice from the Frontlines today at 3pm PST on KPFK 90.7fm OR use the button below to Stream the show live on Facebook.

Call on Bernie Sanders to withdraw his call to overthrow the government of Venezuela.

"Let me be very clear. Anyone who does what Maduro does is a vicious tyrant. We need international and regional cooperation for free elections so the Venezuelan people can create their own future."

Bernie Sanders, Democratic Debate Sunday September 15

Call his office today, Bernie Sanders: (202) 224-5141

"Senator Sanders. Withdraw your demand for an international force to invade Venezuela. U.S. Hands off Venezuela. Stop your slander of President Nicolas Maduro, issue an apology to the Venezuelan people, and join the anti-intervention movement now!"

Sanders attack on Venezuelan president Nicolas Maduro was in response to the challenge to his socialism by anti-communist Univision commentator Jorge Ramos.

"You admit that Venezuela does not have free elections and yet you refuse to call Maduro a dictator. Can you explain why and what are the differences between your kind of socialism and that being imposed on Venezuela, Cuba, and Nicaragua."

Sanders imperialist socialism is an attack on the self-determination of the people of Venezuela and Latin America and the peace, non-intervention, and anti-imperialist movements

This is the answer that any decent human being and any decent Sanders supporter would have expected. It is the retraction and new statement that we demand he make now!

"To begin with, his name is duly elected President Nicolas Maduro. Calling him "Maduro" is racist and insulting. I believe that the nations of Latin America have the right of self-determination. It is our government our CIA, that is destabilizing the government of Venezuela the way they have done so to El Salvador, Nicaragua, Cuba in the past since the Monroe Doctrine. I am worried that we have so many Black people in prison in the U.S., have violated the human and voting rights of Black and Latinos, that we cannot have free elections in the U.S. I call on the U.N. to intervene in the U.S. to protect our voting rights now. I would never call for a "regional and international force" (which simply means the U.S. government) to call for "free elections" when in fact Nicolas Maduro was elected through free elections. I do not want to in any way lead to the violent overthrow and possible assassination of President Maduro by repeating the lies of calling him a "vicious tyrant'" I want to distance myself from the U..S. ideology expressed by Henry Kissinger just before the fascist coup in Chile that assassinated duly elected President Salvador Allende." “I don’t see why we need to stand by and watch a country go communist because of the irresponsibility of its own people.”

—Henry Kissinger, June 27, 1970

Listen to Voice from the Frontlines today at 3pm PST on KPFK 90.7fm OR use the button below to Stream the show live on Facebook.

Left Coast Forum: The Centrality of Race and the Urgency of Movement-Building.

Friday to Sunday, October 11-13, 2019

Where: Occidental College, 1600 Campus Road, Los Angeles

Register: https://lcf-19-tickets.eventbrite.com

Keynote speakers include Marianne Williamson, Melina Abdullah, Sonali Kolhatkar, Mario Solis Marich, Dominique DiPrima, and Lisa Bloom

Check out the Voices from the Frontlines Plenary Panel

Saturday October 11 at 2:30 PM

How the Racial, Social, and Climate Justice Movements

can play an independent role

in the 2020 Presidential Election

Eric Mann, panel chair, host, KPFK Voices from the Frontlines and panel chair, author, Playbook for Progressives: The 16 Qualities of the Successful Organizer

Channing Martinez, producer of Voices and candidate for the 10th City Council District in L.A.

Sharon Kyle, co-editor L.A. Progressive, co-chair Left Coast Forum

Dick Priceco, editor L.A. Progressive, co-chair Left Coast Forum

Brigette Amaya, Lead Organizer Labor Community Strategy Center in L.A. high schools

We need a broad united front to defeat Donald Trump in the 2020 presidential election.

We need an independent social movement to the left of and independent of the Democratic Party to put forth a clear anti-racist, anti-imperialist, climate justice program to pressure the candidates and strengthen our own movement.

How can we bring an independent political program into the 2020 elections?

Whether the Democrats or Trump are elected what is our own long-term plan for influence and power?

Stop the US Wars against Russia and China.

Reparations for Black People for the Continuing Crimes of the Transatlantic Slave Trade Today.

Immediate Hiring of Black People for 50% of all public and private sector jobs now!

U.S. Out of Venezuela, Afghanistan, Iraq and the World.

Stop all US. Aid to Israel, stop the Israeli blockade of Gaza, support the Palestinian Resistance, Support Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions.

Shut down all 800 U.S. military bases and 1,719 state prisons, 102 federal prisons, 942 juvenile correctional facilities, 3,283 local jails, and 79 Indian Country jails as well as in military prisons, immigration detention facilities, civil commitment centers.

Free the U.S. 2.3 million prisoners.

U.S. Must cut all greenhouse gas emissions by 50% of 1990 levels by 2025.

Free Public Transportation and No Cars in L.A.

Free, safe, and legal abortions for all women.

Full rights, sovereignty and reparations for all Indigenous peoples.

Open borders for all immigrants now.

Listen to Voice from the Frontlines today at 3pm PST on KPFK 90.7fm OR use the button below to Stream the show live on Facebook.

We are honored to have Altossa Soltani, Amazon Watch founder and board president today on the show! Take a look at our correspondence with Amazon Watch for today's show.

Fight the Fascist Fires in Brazil

Take Action Thursday September 5 at the Brazilian Embassy in Los Angeles at 11 AM

Correspondence from Leila Salazar Lopez, Executive Director of Amazon Watch:

Since the news of the fires broke on August 21, Amazon Watch has been working around the clock responding to the fires by amplifying this emergency and continued threats to the Amazon, indigenous peoples’ rights, and the climate at an international level. In solidarity with indigenous partners in Brazil and Bolivia, we are expanding our international advocacy work and redirecting funds to provide direct support for indigenous peoples’ defending their rights and rainforest territories, including the Articulation of Indigenous Peoples’ of Brazil (APIB), via our Amazon Protectors Fund and Fundo CASA to support indigenous communities directly affected by the fires and to CEJIS in the Chiquitano Forest in Bolivia. Over 900,000 hectares have burned there!

We are recommending 3 concrete ways to help Stop the Amazon Fires and Support our Work:

1. Sign Pledge of Resistance with Brazil's Indigenous Movement

2. Join Global Day of Action for the Amazon on September 5, Amazon Day.

3. DONATE to support Amazon Watch’s response to Amazon Fire Emergency, including expanding international advocacy work and direct support to indigenous peoples on the frontlines.

On the campaign front, we released a list of the primary companies complicit in the destruction of the Amazon. They will be targets of our global day of action on September 5. Here’s our press release: http://bit.ly/2jX6dkh

And, here’s our latest video to share: http://bit.ly/2lXATTf

Also, Take a look at this great article from Felipe Libório

Brazil: death and destruction in Bolsonaro’s Amazon

In the last month, the Amazon rainforest has been the centre of attention for Bolsonaro’s government. After a prolonged arm-wrestling match that culminated with the sacking of Ricardo Galvão as Director of the National Institute for Space Research (INPE), the Bonaparte wannabe is putting on a show of bravado in a spat with some of the wealthiest countries in Europe about the region’s conservation.

Please CLICK HERE to read the full article

Listen to Voice from the Frontlines today at 3pm PST on KPFK 90.7fm OR use the button below to Stream the show live on Facebook.

Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders were the only two candidates to attend the Native American candidates forum. They both supported criminal charges against the U.S. government for the Wounded Knee massacre and began discussion of U.S. paying reparations to the Indigenous Peoples—reflecting their humanity and introspection and their best day as candidates.

Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Sanders were the only two candidates to attend the Native American candidates forum. They both supported criminal charges against the U.S. government for the Wounded Knee massacre and began discussion of U.S. paying reparations to the Indigenous Peoples—reflecting their humanity and introspection and their best day as candidates. Eric and Channing review and analyze the Native American Presidential Forum, candidates Mark Charles, Bernie Sanders, and Elizabeth Warren.

This week on 90.7 FM KPFK, Eric Mann of Voices From the Frontlines offers the Pacifica Rain Archives Paul Robeson compilation, from the Criterion Collection, as well as his book titled Playbook For Progressives; The 16 Qualities of a Successful Organizer. 

If you are one who admires the black communist tradition and the amazing works of Paul Robeson tune in to this weeks episode of Voices From the Frontlines, featuring Eric Mann and Alan Minsky. 

Paul Robeson, Portraits of the Artist: https://bit.ly/2LCofod 

Playbook For Progressives: https://bit.ly/32QgRLm

Tune in to hear the entire show!

This week on Voices Radio Eric and Channing carafe out the truth that is highly woven into the racism and racist propaganda that the current president continues to spew, and highlights the steadfast and courageous consciousness of Ilhan Omar, Ayanna Pressley, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, and Rashida Tlaib, affectionately know as The Squad (Sisters).

Eric reads a letter from a listener named Matthew, aka, “Last Time Listener”, who criticizes Eric position with respect to Bernie Sanders, we also hear from listeners who wanted to weigh-in on the debate and offer their take on this highly charged racial climate and those within, that they support.

If you missed this week’s episode on KPFK 90.7 FM, catch up on the conversation now by listening to our podcast! 

About This Week’s Episode: 

This week on Voices, Eric & Channing discussed the racist book-ends of Nancy Pelosi and Donald Trump trying to isolate the Four Strong Soul Sisters—Alexandria Ocasio Cortez, Ilhan Omar, Rashida Tlaib, and Ayana Pressley and what is the strategy of all 3 forces. It is not just right and wrong; of course, the FSSS is right and Trump and Pelosi are wrong, but what is going on? How does this relate to the Democratic Party’s deeply flawed and contradictory strategy of getting elected with white votes in a white settler state?

Catch up on the conversation and tune in now to find out. 

Take a listen!

Eric and Channing GO DEEP, analyzing the presidential candidates and their massive shortcomings and narrow-minded, white, racist, imperialist, and nationalist perspectives!!! 

This conversation is SO important to get involved in. The lives of all living things (people, animals, and our environment) are at stake. This CANNOT be seen as a popularity contest. We must think and act deeper! 

Listen to the show, tell us what you think, and REGISTER!