Taking Liberties

Like his father, Michael, Christian Parenti has been an activist & a social/political critic who doesn’t get much noterity aside from the rare book review & the random interview on KPFA. Christian’s spoken word comes across a little easier to understand than his father’s and not pretentious, either. (Though I still dig his dad’s work, too as he was influential in my discovering the works of Marx, et. al.). He slams the very necessary targets: capitalism, the “anti-terrorist” environment, domestic spying, media censorship, politcal Islam/opposition movements in the Middle East & Central Asia and so on...All tracks are quite good & thought-provoking. AK & AT’s consistency on these releases are quite remarkable! No FCC’s. 1) How the sadistic hand of capitalism has currently choked American workers, corporate subsidizing class warfare. Basically a LOT of info in a short period of time but rather succicent. 2) FBI’s take on who is a “terrorist” (i.e. WTO protesters, ALF activists, et. al.). Also, a nice part about “ our right to break the law” Hell yeah! “Breakin’ the Law, Breaking the lawwww!” 3) A quick take on the USA-PATRIOT act - (aka: John Ashcroft’s mass orgasm!) Pop-psych lingusitics in the idiotic laws politicians make. 4) Part II of the last track...titles pretty much says it all. 5) Trying to dissect the draconian horseshit called the “USA Patriot Act”. 6) Who’s a ‘terrorist’ & who’s not? 7) How the ‘letter of the law/application(s) of the law’ are applied. Checks & balances - via nailing the government attacking on our liberties. More scary shit but C.P. puts forth a direct & well-done anaylsis. 8) “Das Neu Kulturerkampf” done by “Die Vite Haüs” er... how the goverment & their corporate underlings in the media are attacking ANY critics of the current junta at 1600 Pennslyvania Av. Also he slams ‘leftists’ who defended Starbucks & helped the Seattle cops during the 11/99 WTO protests. Shame on them! 9) “Your country needs snitches”; bullshit hysteria(s) of the past via the state vs. the current threats of the post 9/11 era. 10.) & 11.) Damn, THIS is crucial! I didn’t know squat re: what Islam-ists are (vs. actual Islam). Very good take on various movements through North Africa, the Middle East & Central Asia from 1928-now. Makes all of the CNN/Fux News ‘expert insights’ sound like “Hop on Pop”. Essential. 12.) What IS this ‘war on terrorisism?’ & what IS our goverment REALLY doing? “Oil is the one commodity that touches all other commodities”. Hmmm...