Voices From The Frontlines

Tuesday August 1st, 2023 | 8 AM PST

LIVE IN STUDIO

with Eric Mann, Channing Martinez, and Akunna Uka on

Oppenheimer—How U.S. built the Atom Bomb to terrorize the world

by Eric Mann

Hello Voices listeners!

This week on Voices from the Frontlines,

Channing Martinez, Akunna Uka, and Eric Mann in studio to discuss Eric’s major film review and political commentary on the film Oppenheimer. It will be appearing in CounterPunch.org on August 13s, 2023; the great national and international online anti-imperialist zine.

Channing and Akunna will talk about things they learned and thought about Eric’s article, read passages, and the 3 of them/us will have a conversation about the life of Robert Oppenheimer, film-maker Christopher Nolan, lead actor Cillian Murphy, and the people of Hiroshima and Nagasaki whose lives were obliterated by the U.S. atom bomb and sadly, erased in Nolan’s Oppenheimer as well.

From the Article:

This essay is an interrogation of the history of the times. It is a political rebuttal to the central historical distortion of the film—Christopher Nolan’s conscious choice to erase the central objective of the Nuclear program— to build a weapon of terror to be used against the Soviet Union. So, I want to as much as possible, appreciate the film’s political contribution to the historical discussion and its spectacular success as political theater. But in the end, it humanizes Robert Oppenheimer and dehumanizes the 220,000 Japanese civilians who were instantly killed upon the explosions at Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

OPPENHEIMER: Christopher Nolan and Cillian Murphy have made one of the most important revolutionary films of our time

The story of “the father of the Atom Bomb” who came to see its destruction, fought for nuclear disarmament, and was red-baited and crushed by U.S. imperialisms', post-war, pro-Nazi, anti-communist crusade

Eric Mann’s reads a draft of his future Counterpunch Article

Selection from Eric Mann’s reading of his review:

Oppenheimer is a breakthrough in film’s role to rescue the heroic history of the communists and anti-fascists during the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s, and to expose the two party anti-communist frenzy that marks U.S. politics today. It is one of the finest political films I have seen—up there with the Battle of Algiers, Reds, The Spook Who Sat By the Door, and all of our other 5 or ten favorites. It is the story of a brilliant nuclear physicist, Robert Oppenheimer, who was close to the Communist Party, worked for the veterans of Spanish Civil War (code for the Communist Party) worked to organize a union of scientists, and was most known as “the father of the atomic bomb. In the last great scene of so many in the film, Oppenheimer and Albert Einstein are talking. Oppenheimer, only recently canonized by U.S. imperialism, is now being red-baited and villainized for opposing the nuclear project he began, Einstein advises him, “They will punish you, then time will pass, and then when they no longer fear you they will bring you back, give you a medal, but remember, they are doing it for themselves, not you.” Oppenheimer, tells Einstein, “When I first talked to you about the Atom Bomb, I told you the worst possible outcome was that it would start a chain reaction that could blow up the world.” By that he meant that the single bomb was so powerful, like the Meteor, that it could literally trigger a series of explosions that could ignite oxygen in the air. Now, looking at the arms race and U.S. imperialisms' lead in it, Oppenheimer observes, “I was wrong about the immediate consequences, but now, the escalations of nuclear capacity are in danger of blowing up the world. What have we done?” The civilized nature of Oppenheimer and the Barbarian Democratic Party genocidal mind of Harry Truman, is reflected in the scene where, shortly after the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Truman brings Oppenheimer into this office to congratulate him. Oppenheimer that the greatest achievement of the bomb would be to create a nuclear disarmament movement where all nations agree not to build it and use it. Truman, who knowingly kept the plan to drop the Atom Bomb on Japan from Stalin at Potsdam, and did so not to end the war with Japan but start it with the Soviet Union says, “No, this is the start of a whole new expansion of our weapons to take over the world” and as Oppenheimer leaves Truman says, “Don’t ever bring that crybaby into my office again.”

The Perfect Trilogy

Eric Mann sings Ed Sheeran’s “Perfect.”

Ed Sheeran and Beyoncé sing “Perfect”

Ed Sheeran and Andrea Bocelli sing “Perfect”

Our First Short Tribute to Michele Prichard

Organizer, leader, group builder at Liberty Hill Foundation

Channing and Eric discuss their feelings about the moving going away party for Michele

This week on Voices Radio we have 2 segments:

1) A re-cap of the KPFK Benefit hosted at Strategy and Soul. Listen to 10 min clips from Poets: Matt Sedillo and Tongo Eisen-Martin.

2) BIG NEWS ABOUT KEITH LAMAR, Reprieve granted and execution date will be moved from November 16, 2023 to January 13, 2027. Listen to a conversation between Keith Lamar and Eric Mann on the dept of the US War State within the borders of the US and internationally.

Voices from the Frontlines

Tuesday July 11, 2023 | 8 AM PST

Stogie Kenyatta in Conversation with Eric Mann on his one man show: The World is my Home: The Life of Paul Robeson

Matt Sedillo in Conversation with Channing Martinez on the KPFK Benefit and Radical Poetry

Eric Mann and Jerry Butler Sing He Will Break Your Heart

Eric Comments on the CNBC interview with Amazon CEO Andy Jassy

This week on Voices Radio:

Eric speaks about the recent Supreme Court Decision to outlaw Affirmative Action

Channing speaks about the future of the Black Student Achievement Program

James Earl Jones recites What to the Slave is the 4th of July by Frederick Douglas.

VOICES FROM THE FRONTLINES: FREATURES

KEITH LAMAR

VISIONARY, BLACK LIBERATION FIGHTER, WRONGFULLY CONVICTED, ON DEATH ROW

Episode 3

In Conversation with Eric Mann

Tuesday June 20, 2023 | 8 AM PST

For prison reform and abolition organizers

For Black Liberation organizers

For human rights organizers

"...Mass incarceration is just a reincarnation of chattel slavery..." Spoken word Poet: Eartha Terrell

Join us in a Life Watch over Keith as we value and uplift Keith's life.

Help us end Ohio State prison's  on-going dehumanizing, torturous, protracted death watch

that the state of Ohio  has placed over Keith.

Please work with the Strategy Center, Voices from the Front Lines, and of course the Keith Lamar group itself to demand full exoneration of Keith Lamar. We must prevent the unthinkable.

Please listen. Please send this to others. In the next day and go on www.voicesfromtheFronlines.com to download the show

We will also have it up as a podcast on your favorite podcasting site.

Please write to Keith Lamar and Amy Gordiejew who is working 24/7 on his behalf

www.KeithLamar.org

Please contribute generously to his case. There is a donate button on his site.

He is seeking last minute legal help and when there is a plan, there is hope. Eric, Channing, and everyone at the Strategy Center will be donating. Please go on the site to do the same.

Please contact [email protected] to help with the Strategy Center’s “exoneration and release for Keith Lamar” as we work closely with his team to carry out their will.

On This Week's Show

Voices Presents:  A rebroadcast of: Paul Robeson

Aired Tuesday, June 13, 2023 | 8am PST on KPFK Pacifica 90.7fm

 ON TODAY'S SHOW

we're doing a rebroadcast honoring a great revolutionary superhero and friend Paul Robeson.

Some of you may remember Paul Robeson as a Great Bass baritone and actor. But as we all have come to know,

Paul was also a revolutionary thinker, activist, lawyer, linguist, cultural leader, and warrior.

Paul spent his life, fighting injustice, standing up against racism, imperialism, and advocating for decolonization.

 In 1956 Paul was call before the U.S. House Un-American Activities Committee, for just such stance.  

Being the warrior that he is, Paul refused to cooperate with the Committee. Hence the U.S. systemic and historic persecution of Paul.

But Despite that,  Paul Robeson strength and legacy lives on.  

 Join us in this rebroadcast, as Paul  helps us fundraise for KPFK, as his revolutionary spirit moves us, and lives on.

Join Eric Mann, Channing Martinez, Allen Minsky and Paul Robeson in helping KPFK fundraise through your generosity and financial support.

Call KPFK at 818-985-5735 to make a donation, or click HERE.

THE U.S. AS A DYING DEMOCRACY

Aired Tuesday June 06, 2023 | Time on KPFK Pacifica 90.7fm

Please listen to this great podcast featuring

Eric Mann as host and Commentator

Hear Fareed Zakaria commentary. "The Rise of the Rest", in full. After which Eric puts forth his commentary and analysis that the U.S. is slowly loosing its imperial global influence- as so called third world nations-most of which were former colonies of the west collectively rejects U.S. imperialisms and globalization.

Eric reads Robert Kennedy's article "Peace Platform",  in which Kennedy argues against U.S. warmongering, and "imperial projects".

As Kennedy Presidential campaign gains momentum, Kennedy's Anti-war policy and Anti-imperialism position, could bring the political conversation to the left. 

Eric give his  commentary on the subject. 

Listen to Celia Cruz song: Yo Vivire (I will Survive).

Listen to Nina Simon's : I wish I Knew How it Would be to be Free.

Juneteenth is right coming soon:  Eric  and Queen Nina Womack discuss Juneteenth celebration

where African art, talent, and politics will be on display June 16th at:

ART SHARE L.A.

801 E. 4th Pl

L.A. CA, 90013

Please send support and comments to [email protected]

Listen to Voices from the Frontlines every Tuesday at 8AM PST on KPFK 90.7FM.

Eric Mann commentary—The Great Biden/Democratic Sell-Out on the Debt Ceiling Negotiations

Reading from Politico, Eric exposes how Joe Biden, behind closed doors with Kevin McCarthy gave away food stamps for the poor and COVID funds for Indigenous and all people to retain The “Debt Ceiling” after pledging to give away nothing—and the Progressive Democrats As always, complain, whine, and then cave.

Nina Simon’s Virtuoso Performance of “Love Me or Leave Me” on the Ed Sullivan Show recorded on September 11, 1960, when she was 27

Conversation with Channing Martinez and Eric Mann on their new co-directorship of the Strategy Center

Join us Saturday June 3 from 12-3 to celebrate the Strategy Center’s expanded leadership team Channing, Eric, Barbara Lott-Holland, and Akunna Uka

Strategy and Soul Movement Center 3546 Martin Luther King Blvd (at Crenshaw) 90008 Go to www.thestrategycenter.org to rsvp

Eric sings his interpretation of Jimmy Ruffin’s great “What Becomes of the Brokenhearted”

VOICES FROM THE FRONTLINES

Your National Movement Building Show

“Wake up and smell the revolution”

Tuesday May 9, 2023 | 8 AM PST

A Conversation with Kikanza

Kikanza Ramsey Our Bright Shining Star Is fighting for her life and needs our support

Kikanza Ramsey is one of the founders of the Strategy Center, great lead organizer of the Bus Riders Union, and a brilliant polemicist and writer. Today, she is in Cancun Mexico, undergoing an experimental immunological treatment for late stage cancer. This program is a Political and Spiritual Healing Message to Kikanza, and a brilliant exposition of the theory and practice of the Strategy Center and Bus Riders Union and the political thought of Kikanza Ramsey.

It is also a fundraiser for our dear comrade who needs to raise at least $100,000 in the next two weeks.

Please go to FreeFunder.com, go to the page, Help Kikanza Beat Cancer. They have raised almost $30,000 so far so we can do this.

Please listen to this great podcast featuring

Eric Mann as host and narrator

Kikanza Ramsey in her own words with great clips from the film Bus Riders Union edited by Julian Lamb

Messages to Kikanza from Patrisse Cullors, Martin Hernandez, and Lian Hurst Mann

Eric’s reading of Kikanza’s writing in struggle with the concept of “youth” as an oppressed group and instead, proposing youth and part of a multi-generational organization and movement against U.S. Imperialism.

And yes, it’s a helluva podcast, thanks to Julian Lamb and Channing Martinez our producers at Voices from the Front Lines.

Listen. Learn. Enjoy. Give generously.

Please send support and comments to [email protected]