Voices From The Frontlines

REBROADCAST OF

Internationalism as Defense against Fascism and Imperialism

A reading from Eric Mann's The Ghosts, Dreams, Bones, and Lives of the Oppressed Peoples must shape the Nightmares and Hopes of The Revolutionaries in the oppressor nations

Tuesday March 29, 2022 | 3 PM PST

This week on Voices we present a rebroadcast of Internationalism as Defense against Fascism and Imperialism. Originally aired January 2021, we think this show is now even more relevant as ever given the US/Nato driven conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Take a moment to read the original text we sent and please send us your comments and reflections to [email protected] and [email protected]

Original announcement:

In this episode of Voices from the Frontlines, Eric Mann reads from his article published as the introduction to the German edition of Playbook for Progressives:

The Ghosts, Dreams, Bones, and Lives of the Oppressed Peoples must shape the Nightmares and Hopes of The Revolutionaries in the oppressor nations

This article is the author’s introduction of Road for Revolutionaries: the 16 Qualities of the Transformative Organizer, the German translation of Playbook for Progressives: 16 Qualities of the Successful Organizer, by Eric Mann.

In this episode, Eric urges for more internationalism, as both perception and praxis, as he grapples with Europe’s, specifically Germany’s, history of fascism, imperialism, colonialism, and racism, and the undeniable parallel within the United States.

“If we’re trying to understand why 74 million people voted for Donald Trump … the roots between the Germans and the United States whites, the so called founding fathers, where they both had a theory of being a master race. As did the Spanish, as did the Portuguese. The role of Christianity, the role of whiteness, the role of perceiving the world as populated by people that were simply pre-German or pre-Portuguese, you know they were just there until the chosen people of their God will annihilate them.”

Eric situates the contemporary revolution of anti-fascists and anti-imperialists within the history of European colonialism, and presents internationalism as a necessary factor for true liberation. We must acknowledge and understand the atrocities committed under the rule of imperialism, the highest form of capitalism, both globally and locally.

“We have the rise of fascism in Germany. We have the rise of fascism in every European country, and God knows we’ve had this close to a fascist seizure of power in the United States. But please don’t read me stories about genocide, I want to have a more pleasant day.”

Eric Mann provides archival and anecdotal evidence, and lays down the framework to enhance one’s capabilities to be a truly transformative organizer.

“It’s the moral responsibility of Germans, and people all over the world to make sure that the German genocide in Africa is not lost in the so-called exalted silence of eternity, and to ensure the ghosts, dreams, bones and lives of the oppressed people must shape the nightmares and hopes of revolutionaries in the oppressor nations.”

Voices from the Frontlines presents a special broadcast on Instagram Live. KPFK will be covering the senate judiciary hearings until 4pm, pre-empting Voices from the Frontlines. In that the Walter Rodney Symposium is this weekend on March 26th @ 10am EST. It is very important for the show to go on!

Join us today on Instagram for a pre-recorded conversation with Eric Mann, Channing Martinez, and Charisse Burden-Stelly on the upcoming Walter Rodney Symposium and neocolonialism in the heart of South LA.

Charisse is a critical Black Studies scholar of political theory, political economy, intellectual history, and historical sociology. She is the author of the forthcoming book Black Scare/Red Scare and has co-authored and edited alongside Gerald Horne, Dr. Jodi Dean, and Aaron Kamugisha.

RSVP for the Walter Rodney Symposium on the Walter Rodney Foundation Website.

On the one year anniversary we rebroadcasted Key Selections from the Cold War Truth Commission. The Commission was a virtual event last year in the middle of COVID hosted by Rachel Bruhnke and Frank Dorrell.

Now more than ever as the Biden Administration contemplates the expansion of NATO, and the ongoing conflict between Russia, Ukraine, the U.S. and the U.S. and China, these key selections are even more prescient now than ever.

Selected Clips:

Gail Walker/IFCO Pastors for Peace:The Historic Legacy of My Father: Rev. Lucius Walker

Medea Benjamin/Code Pink: The U.S. Cold War vs. African Liberation Struggles

Jodie Evans/Code Pink: Historical and Current U.S. Cold War Against China

Eric Mann/Labor/Community Strategy Center Fighting Democratic Party Imperialism from Kennedy/Johnson to Clinton/Obama/Biden today: The Challenge to the Movement

We are deeply appreciative of the visionary leadership and generosity of spirit of Frank Dorrell of Addicted to War and Rachel Bruhnke of Witness for Peace for their steadfast hosting of a 9 hour marathon of brilliant and deeply moving testimony of some of the best anti-imperialist fighters challenging the Endless Wars of the U.S. imperialist white settler state.

Please take time to explore the full Cold War Truth Commission on Code Pink's Website: https://www.codepink.org/coldwartruth

Send your comments, questions, and suggestions to [email protected].

Final Segment: How Europe Underdeveloped Africa and the Genius of Walter Rodney. Aired on Tuesday March 8, 2022 | 3 PM PST

This week we'll listen to the last four talks in this series:

Eric Mann, Co-Host of Voices from the Frontlines, Director of the Strategy Center

The National Leadership School for Strategic Organizing as a center grounded in Pan-Africanism, Black Nationalism, Anti-Imperialism, and pro-Communism. The School as a center for political and ideological dialogue and movement building.

Imani Countess, Director of the US/Africa Bridge Building Project

The Western theft from African Nations today through the process of illicit financial flows (the movement of money across borders that is illegal in its source), that is illegally mining for resources in Africa and not paying any taxes, or fees to the nations in which the mining has occurred.

Jamala Rogers, Founding director of the Organization for Black Struggle

Shattering the romanticism of Africa from the rest of the world to see the neo-colonialism playing out today. Neo-Colonialism from Africa to St Luis, and city centers in the U.S., Governance of the Black community and the National School as a pivotal next step for the movement.

Akunna Uka, Administrator at New Roads School, Leader with the Strategy Center

Summing up the whole event and speaking about her induction into the movement via Channing Martinez' 2020 City Council race. From understanding underdevelopment in higher education as a Nigerian American student to learning about colonialism, underdevelopment, and neo-colonialism at The Strategy Center.

Voices is an Organizer sponsored show, not listener sponsored. We want to hear from you, please send us your reflections, questions, and comments to [email protected] and [email protected]

Stand up to U.S. and NATO Encirclement of Russia and Provocations in the Ukraine. Highlights from How Europe Underdeveloped Africa and Genius of Walter Rodney. Aired on Tuesday March 1st, 2022 | 3 PM PST

Highlights of the Strategy Center and National Leadership School for Strategic Organizing Webinar

The Genius of Walter Rodney—How Europe Underdeveloped Africa

February 17, 2022

Last week we played the full presentation of Professor Robin D.G. Kelley’s brilliant presentation (please go to our podcast at Voicesfromthefrontlines.com if you missed it.

This Week the Stars Continue

Channing Martinez—director of organizing of LCSC—How Europe Underdeveloped Africa helped me better understand neo-colonialism in Belize and South-Central Los Angeles

Patricia Rodney—Chair of the Walter Rodney Foundation—Personal Insights into Walter the man and the writing of How Europe Underdeveloped Africa

Asha Rodney—Organizer of the Annual Walter Rodney Symposium—March 26, 2022

Ash-Lee Woodard Henderson—co-executive director, the Highlander Research and Education Center—How Europe Underdeveloped Africa and the Black struggle in the South today

Commentary by Eric Mann

Stand up to U.S. and NATO Encirclement of Russia and Provocations in the Ukraine. Eric will read with great appreciation, Chris Hedges’ Chronicle of War Foretold—Counterpunch, February 25, 2022

This week we highlight Robin Kelley's keynote talk on movement lessons from Walter Rodney in How Europe Underdeveloped Africa. Walter Rodney's text as the perfect case for reparations for the Black Nation inside and beyond the borders of the U.S.

On Thursday February 17th, 2022 the Strategy Center launched its National Leadership School for Strategic Organizing with a hybrid event featuring the legacy of Walter Rodney. Speakers included Channing Martinez, and Eric Mann. We're proud to have been welcomed by the Walter Rodney Foundation. Robin D.G. Kelley gave a keynote talk along with Panelists: Imani Countess, Jamala Rogers, Ash-Lee Woodard Henderson, and Akunna Uka.

The event hosted 22 people in person and more than 200 online.

Join us in re-listening and please send us your reflections, thoughts, and questions to [email protected].

For those who did not get to join the event, there will be a video recording posted soon, please make sure to subscribe to our newsletter (www.thestrategycenter.org)for updates

This week on Voices from the Frontlines, Eric Mann gives a scathing film review of Belfast, which he argues glosses over the great history of the Northern Ireland, Irish Catholic fight for Civil Rights, yes, in Belfast.

“Belfast, written, invented, and directed by Kenneth Branagh, is the story of a white, Protestant family in Belfast in 1969—In Northern Ireland—at a time of mass, Catholic civil rights demonstrations against British-supported Fascist Protestant 'Unionists'."

Belfast ultimately sends the viewer the message that you should turn your back on the oppressed, raise superficial criticisms of the occupying Protestants and British, stay inside your pathetic, nuclear family, and get the hell out of there when the opportunity arises.

It is only because we are in the midst of a great Counter-revolution in which imperialism is on the ideological ascendancy against the colonized masses that a film like Belfast could ever have been made. Today, Belfast may be nominated for an Oscar. But the only award his film deserves is a Thatcher.”

Don't miss this important historical lesson and a critical view of Hollywood's imperialist white washing.

ALSO,

Ernesto Arce on South Central Third World News Santa Monica police use aggressive intimidation tactics against street vendors but the sellers are fighting back. The current capitalist capitulation to private industry has left a crumbling infrastructure as witnessed in this weekend's Pittsburgh bridge collapse. Also, Burkina Faso's coup leader appears to be a thoroughly U.S.-trained Pentagon asset.

Are you listening? Send your comments, questions, and suggestions to [email protected].

Listen to Voices from the Frontlines Today at 3PM PST on KPFK 90.7FM

Join us TODAY for a Revolutionary Rhapsody to celebrate music of defiance and protest against injustice and oppression. Eric Mann and Ernesto Arce take you from Cuba to Detroit, Ghana to Jamaica for a liberation of the body, mind, & soul as well as a dance marathon. 

Eric's musical selections are: Languta by Hugh Masekela and the Hedzoleh Sounds, Quimbara by Celia Cruz & the Fania All Stars with Johnny Pacheco, and Mississippi Goddamn followed with Pirate Jenny both by the beloved Nina Simone.

Ernesto's musical selections include Turn Me Loose by Al Campbell, Home is Where the Hatred Is by Gil Scott Heron, Solidarity by Black Uhuru, and Send Me by Hugh Masekela.

South Central Third World News Solidarity with Cuba and the People's Forum U.S. defies the embargo to deliver a huge shipment of powdered milk to Cuba. U.S. intelligence agencies admit the Havana Syndrome is a fabrication. Wells Fargo gets called out for its lip service in honoring Dr. King, and Africa and the world remember the revolutionary legacy of Burkina Faso's Thomas Sankara.

Are you listening?  Send your comments, questions, and suggestions to [email protected].

Listen to Voices from the Frontlines Today at 3PM PST on KPFK 90.7FM OR click below to stream the show live on KPFK.

We’re proud to present Eric Mann’s “All the Revolutionary King” article with a new introduction to bring into the present the everlasting legacy of Dr. King on the civil rights, Black Liberations, internationalist 3rd world movements of today.

Eric Mann will read this great new introduction and piece of the article on Voices from the Frontlines tomorrow at 3pm PST on KPFK Pacifica 90.7fm (kpfk.org to stream the audio live at 3pm).

Tune into the full show and please send your thoughts, reelections and even your enthusiastic plans of how you plan to help rebuild a world movement against “Racism, Poverty and Militarism” to [email protected] and [email protected]

Ernesto Arce on South Central Third World News LAPD gets caught playing games on duty while blaming “defunding” on the shutdown of a local precinct station. With the west coast on tsunami alert, Santa Monica bosses want their workers to show up for the job regardless, and Russia says U.S./NATO need to stop issuing threats.

Stevie Wonder wishes Dr. King a very happy, happy birthday

Are you listening? Send your comments, questions, and suggestions to [email protected].

Listen to Voices from the Frontlines Today at 3PM PST on KPFK 90.7FM OR click below to stream the show live on KPFK.

Join us this week for a a conversation with Eric Mann, Channing Martinez, Barbara Lott-Holland and MaryLouise Patterson. MaryLouise is the Co-editor, along with Evelyn Louise Crawford, of Letters from Langston: from the Harlem Renaissance to the Red Scare and Beyond.

Originally broadcasted in 2021, join us as we rekindle memories of a revolutionary conversation on Letters from Langston.

Eric Mann will introduce the segment with a commentary on The Man in the High Castle and the fight to retrieve our stolen revolutionary memory.

The Labor/Community Strategy Center has its roots in the deep revolutionary traditions of Black and Third World people. Inside that vaunted group were the Black Communists, true Black Red Giants—friends and members of the CPUSA whose names include (with many others of great import) Cyril Briggs, Harry Haywood, W.E.B DuBois, Paul Robeson, Claudia Jones, Benjamin Davis. This list also includes the writers of these letters, the prolific Langston Hughes along with William L. Patterson, defender of the Scottsboro Boys and author of We Charge Genocide, Louise Thompson Patterson who was a brilliant charismatic figure and organizer of movements, plays, and the Harlem projects for Black actors and playwrights, Matt Crawford, one of the Black 22 who went to make a film and study in the Soviet Union, and Nebby Crawford who was a great friend and confidante of Langston. Join us as we discuss and make history.

Ernesto Arce on South Central Third World News Advocates for the unhoused expose a troubling collaboration between CHP and CalTrans to harass, criminalize, and ultimately remove homeless residents from areas near and around Los Angeles freeways. Also, a big victory for Palestine activists, and healthcare workers at vaccine sites are under attack.

Nina Simone will lead our revolutionary music segment today with To Be Young Gifted and Black.

Are you listening?  Send your comments, questions, and suggestions to [email protected].

Listen to Voices from the Frontlines Today at 3PM PST on KPFK 90.7FM OR click below to stream the show live on KPFK.