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Is it the guy who asks you after the meeting about how the antiwar movement needs to get "serious" and asks you lots of questions about terrorism and "fighting back"? Jennifer Van Bergen reports, first-hand. Part 2 of our series on what really happened on 9/11/2001: the physics of collapse, and how not to make a "pancake" by Manuel Garcia, PLUS Engineer Pierre Sprey on why "controlled demolition" theories are off target. What you just missed, but can still get, in our last newsletter: Paul Craig Roberts on the Collapse of America. CounterPunch Online is read by millions of viewers each month! But remember, we are funded solely by the subscribers to the print edition of CounterPunch. Please support this website by buying a subscription to our newsletter, which contains fresh material you won't find anywhere else, or by making a donation towards the cost of this online edition. Remember contributions are tax-deductible. Click here to make a donation. If you find our site useful please: Subscribe Now! |
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Today's Stories October 14/15, 2006 John Walsh October 13, 2006 Jorge Mariscal Stephen Philion John Blair Col. Dan Smith Alastair Crooke / Mark Perry Stephen Fleischman Charles Perroud Anne E. Brodsky Website of the Day
October 12, 2006 Jonathan Cook Norman Solomon M. Shahid Alam Paul Craig
Roberts Meredith Schafer / Chris Kutalik Carl Gelderloos Alastair Crooke / Mark Perry Charles Sullivan William S. Lind CP News Service Website of
the Day
October 11, 2006 John Feffer Dave Lindorff Jackson Katz April Howard / Ben Dangl Michael Carmichael Ken Couesbouc Gregory Afghani Alexander Cockburn Website of
the Day
October 10, 2006 Paul Craig
Roberts Robert Robideau Joshua Frank Dave Lindorff Dave Zirin Heather Gray James Knotwell Missy Beattie Mike Whitney David Rosen Website of the Day
Robert Fisk Norman Solomon Ron Jacobs Gideon Levy Walter Brasch Mickey Z. John Holt Lucinda Marshall Saul Landau Website of the Day
October 7 /
8, 2006 Alexander Cockburn Peter Kwong Ralph Nader Mark Donham Dave Lindorff Peter Bosshard Ron Jacobs Lawrence R.
Velvel Fred Gardner David Green Jim B. Missy Beattie Michael Donnelly Jackson Thoreau Jon Hung CounterPunch
News Service Tom D'Antoni Poets' Basement Website of the Weekend
Alison Weir Tiffany Ten
Eyck / Mark Brenner Corporate Crime Reporter Juan Antonio
Montecino Walden Bello Christopher
Brauchli Brynne Keith-Jennings Jonathan Cook Website of the Day
John Walsh Carol Norris Paul Craig Roberts Ricardo Alarcón James Abourezk Nicola Nasser Kirkpatrick Sale Uri Avnery Website of the Day
Elizabeth Terzakis Paul Wolf Sean Penn Dave Lindorff Diane Farsetta Sharon Smith Felice Pace Sara Roy Website of
the Day
Jennifer Van
Bergen Greg Moses Stan Cox Niranjan Ramakrishnan Evelyn Pringle Fred Wilhelms Michael Abelman Gary Leupp Website of the Day
October 2, 2006 Eric Hazan Mike Whitney Norman Solomon Assaf Kfoury Missy Beattie Arthur Neslen Paula J. Caplan Website of the Day
Sept. 30 /
0ct. 1, 2006 Paul Craig
Roberts Marjorie Cohn Ben Tripp Ron Jacobs Ralph Nader Mike Whitney Christopher Reed Seth Sandronsky Fred Gardner Mokhiber /
Weissman Michael Dickinson Alan Gregory Poets' Basement
September 29, 2006 Bruce Jackson Michael J.
Smith Emira Woods William S.
Lind David Swanson Jonathan Cook Website of the Day
Sen. Russ Feingold Ron Jacobs Mokhiber /
Weissman Lee Sustar Robert Jensen John Chuckman Evelyn Pringle Nicola Nasser Uri Avnery Website of the Day
Patrick Cockburn Camilo Mejia Ben Terrall Ridgeway /
Ng Joe Allen Andrew Wimmer Franklin C. Spinney Website of
the Day
Hani Shukrallah William Blum Niranjan Ramakrishnan Barbara Becnel Paul Rockwell Dave Lindorff Rich Gibson Anthony Papa Nate Mezmer Uri Avnery Website of the Day
Patrick Cockburn Jonathan Cook Joshua Frank Paul Craig
Roberts Robert Jensen Dave Lindorff Norman Solomon Dr. Charles
Jonkel Michael Dickinson Alexander Cockburn Website of
the Day
September 23
/ 24, 2006 Jonathan Cook Jeffrey St.
Clair Dr. Anon Tom Barry Carl G. Estabrook Laura Carlsen Todd Chretien Dr. Charles
Jonkel Debbie Nathan Fred Gardner Fred Wilhelms Seth Sandronsky Ralph Nader Rev. William
Alberts Jon Van Camp Heather Gray David Vest Jeffrey St.
Clair Poets' Basement Website of
the Weekend Video of the Weekend
September 22, 2006 Patrick Cockburn Michael Donnelly Ramzy Baroud Evo Morales Stanley Howard Sarah Leah
Whitson JoAnn Wypijewski Website of the Day
Mahmoud Ahmadi-Nejad Justin E. H.
Smith Mike Roselle Amira Hass Deborah Rich Mickey Z. Saul Landau Website of
the Day
Sharon Smith Christopher
Reed John Ross Joshua Frank Arthur Neslen Norman Solomon Michael Carmichael Evelyn Pringle Hugo Chavez Website of the Day
Patrick Cockburn Jeff Leys Brian M. Downing Col. Dan Smith Liaquat Ali
Khan Ron Jacobs Nik Barry-Shaw
/ Yves Engler Lucinda Marshall Saul Landau Photo of the Day Website of
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Carl Boggs Uri Avnery Mike Stark / Jim Bullington Joshua Frank John Murphy Ramzy Baroud Dave Lindorff Bill Quigley Website of the Day
Tariq Ali Eliza Ernshire Jeffrey St.
Clair Mairead Corrigan Maguire Brian Cloughley Ben Tripp Laura Carlsen Ralph Nader Ron Jacobs John Chuckman Robert Fisk Gary Leupp Lawrence R.
Velvel Missy Comley Beattie Adrienne Johnstone Mickey Z. Jeffrey St.
Clair Poets' Basement Website of
the Weekend
Diana Johnstone Diane Christian William S. Lind Lee Sustar Dave Lindorff Ramzy Baroud Mokhiber / Weissman Jeffrey St.
Clair Website of the Day
Franklin Lamb Tim Wilkinson Dick J. Reavis Sam Husseini Doug Giebel Bill Berkowitz Diane Farsetta Mary Turck Patrick Cockburn J.L. Chestnut,
Jr. Website of
the Day
Jack Bratich John Ross Christopher
Brauchli Dave Lindorff Antony Loewenstein Al Krebs Leonard Peltier Jim Bensman Website of the Day
Norman Finkelstein Seth Sandronsky John Walsh Alan Maass David Krieger Nate Mezmer Kathleen Christison
Uri Avnery Patrick Cockburn Col Dan Smith Dr. Susan Block Anthony Alessandrini Dave Lindorff Niranjan Ramakrishnan Joshua Frank Jean Bricmont Sprague / Emesberger Website of
the Day
September 9/10,
2006 Alexander Cockburn Jeffrey St.
Clair Greg Grandin Peter
Stone Brown Ralph
Nader Brian
Cloughley Col.
Chet Richards David
Model Dave
Himmelstein Ron
Jacobs Fred
Gardner Mike
Whitney Josh
Gryniewicz Daniel
Gross / Joe
Bageant Nicole
Colson Alexander
Billet Poets'
Basement
September 8, 2006 Uri
Avnery Paul
Craig Roberts Bill
Quigley Robert
Jensen Norman
Solomon Keith
Bolin
September 8, 2006 Uri
Avnery Paul
Craig Roberts Bill
Quigley Robert
Jensen Norman
Solomon Keith
Bolin Kristin
S. Schafer Jeffrey
St. Clair Patrick
Cockburn Website
of the Day
Marjorie
Cohn Sharon
Smith René
Drucker Colín Michael
Donnelly John
Borowski Lucinda
Marshall Charles
Sullivan Jeffrey
St. Clair Jonathan
Cook Website
of the Day
September 6, 2006 Stephen
Soldz Dave
Zirin Ramzy
Baroud Noel
Ignatiev Dave
Lindorff Norman
Solomon Binoy
Kampmark Jeffrey
St. Clair John
Ross Website
of the Day
September 5, 2006 Jonathan Cook Patrick Cockburn Mike Whitney
Roland Sheppard James Petras Alexander Cockburn
September 4, 2006 Clancy Sigal Jeffrey St.
Clair Anthony Alessandrini Dennis Perrin
Daniel Cassidy
Paul Craig
Roberts
September 2 / 3, 2006 Uri Avnery Jeffrey St.
Clair Ralph Nader Noam Chomsky Allan Lichtman Stanley Heller Rana el-Khatib Peter Montague Laura Carlsen Dr. Susan Block Joe Bageant Scott Stedjan / Matt Schaaf Gary Leupp Stephen Fleischman Paul Balles Ingmar Lee Jane Stillwater Ron Jacobs St. Clair /
Bossert Poets' Basement Website of
the Weekend
September 1, 2006 Uri Avnery Paul Craig
Roberts Bill Ayers Kevin Zeese Xochitl Bervera Norman Solomon Alexander Cockburn Richard Neville Website of the Day
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Weekend
Edition An Interrupted Interview with Columbia Protest Organizers Monique DolsShouting "No One is Illegal" in a Crowed TheaterBy RON JACOBS As most CounterPunch readers surely know, Jim Gilchrist of the Minutemen Project left the stage of Roone Arledge Auditorium at Columbia University after being challenged by a number of anti-racist audience members on October 4, 2006 . Invited to the university by Young America's collegiate right-wing propaganda hitmen, the Young Republicans, the Minutemen left the stage after twenty or so protestors joined them there to exercise their free speech. I contacted Monique Dols, one of the protest organizers, the day after the protest. Although she was quite busy, given the press coverage of the protest and the university's reaction, she was able to answer a couple of questions. After at least two Columbia students received letters from the administration threatening them with expulsion on Friday October 13, she was unable to answer any more, figuring it was more important to address this latest attempt by the Columbia administration to repress the protestors' freedom of speech. Ron: To begin, can you give me your impression of what happened the night of Wednesday, October 4 Roone Arledge Auditorium at Columbia? Who invited the Minutemen to speak in New York -- at Columbia of all places? What do you think they wanted to achieve? Monique: The College Republicans invited the Minutemen to campus as part of a string of right-wing speakers they have lined up for the fall. They did so in a context in which students of color on campus have already been under attack. Last year, there was a series of racist incidents on campus, including racist and anti-Semitic graffiti in public places. In 2004, a student newspaper published a racist cartoon making fun of Black History month that looked like it could have come out of the era of Jim Crow. This came right on the heels of the College Republicans "affirmative action bake sale". That same year, the Columbia Marching Band posted flyers all over campus making fun of the death of Palestinian Professor Edward Said. The Columbia administration's response to these events has been anemic at best and silent at worst. The Republicans' invitation to Gilchrist can be seen as a direct continuation of this assault on students of color on campus. Minuteman Marvin Stewart opened up for Jim Gilchrist and got the already pro-immigrant audience worked up with his 45 minute rant. I wasn't inside the auditorium at this point. I and another activist were holed up waiting for the right moment to sneak onto the stage to unfurl our pro-Immigrant banner. A friend who was in the audience told me that at one point, an audience member called out to Stewart to speak "In Spanish please!" and at this point many in the audience stood up and turned their back on the speaker. From where we waited, we could hear the audience becoming increasingly impatient with the Minutemen's message. The speaker responded to the opposition of the audience by insulting them. The spirited crowd responded to his insults with groans and chants of "wrap it up." We became increasingly encouraged by the audience's audible response to the Minutemen. We had planned banner drops before at Columbia. When Former Attorney General John Ashcroft visited we dropped a banner. When torture -defender Alan Dershowitz graced us with his presence we held up our banner. We had done it before, taken our stand and maybe gotten a picture in the school newspaper. Just a few minutes before our appearance on stage it became crystal clear that tonight the crowd was with us. By the time Minutemen cofounder Jim Gilchrist came onto stage, the audience had had enough. A few minutes into his appearance we entered stage right with our banner that read: "No One Is Illegal" in Spanish, Arabic and English. The audience response was electric. Immediately, the crowd was on its feet cheering for us in a way that I have never experienced. Within 20 seconds the Minutemen security guards stormed the stage followed by pro-immigrant activists with a second banner reading, "No al Racismo, No to Racism." Just as we had our banner ripped out of our hands and the second group attempted to unravel their banner, the Minutemen thugs attacked our peaceful protest with punches and kicks. In the Univision coverage of the event you can see one of these racists kicking a Latino student, who was not even on the stage, in the face. The fact that our protest was attacked by these racists should not be a surprise to anyone. They are an armed vigilante organization that brings violence and chaos everywhere they go. What did they want to achieve? Nothing short of promoting the Minutemen's name and recruiting for their cause. The Minutemen started off as an obscure group of right-wing nut jobs who patrol the borders and force immigrants to cross the border through more remote areas where they are more likely to die from dangerous conditions. They are still right wing nut jobs but they have been thrust into the national spotlight and legitimized by a rightward shift in mainstream politics and their complacent media mouthpieces. They blame hard working, struggling immigrant families for everything from this country's terrible health care system to unemployment and low wages. Rather than blame corporate America, they blame powerless migrant workers and incite racist violence against them. Getting a boost from the government's backlash against the outbreak of last spring's brilliant immigrant rights movement, they spread their hate to parking lots across the country where they harass and beat up day-laborers looking to feed their families. Today the Minutemen and their allies are looking to spread their hate on college campuses. We were there to make sure that the Minutemen did not recruit even 1 or 2 new vigilantes. Racist violence, we believe, is not up for debate and is certainly not welcome on our campus. Ron: From the video footage
I saw, it appeared that the first speaker was an African-American
man. Besides the obvious reason--that he was up there to counter
claims that the Minutemen are a racist organization--what do
you make of his presence there in support of the Minutemen? But there is more to it than
this. Anti-immigrant forces in the United States have cynically
appealed to African-Americans for support. Suddenly, there are
racist politicians and commentators who have "discovered"
the problem of Black unemployment just in time to blame
Latino immigrants for it. It's yet another example of pitting
one section of the oppressed against the other. And this is not
just the far-right groups like the Minutemen, but also the strategy
of mainstream politicians as well. However, it is encouraging
that at Columbia students have rejected these divide-and-conquer
strategies. The protest against the Minutemen was multi-racial
with Black, Latino, Arab, Asian and white students participating
together. As I noted above, the Columbia University administration sent at least two students letters threatening them with expulsion for their alleged involvement in the protest. Monique wrote me a short note adding that the major thing that she wanted to point out was that the rightwing and the liberals were attempting to reframe the entire question around the Minutemen and other vigilante groups as one of free speech. She emphasized that "it has become the major argument around what we did. " While freedom of speech is important to defend, it is also important to examine how that speech is defined. For example, in this instance, did John Gilchrist have more of a right to free speech than those in the audience who opposed his message? Did his presence as a guest of the Young Republicans override the audience's right to express their opposition to his message? If so, than how does one reconcile the right to free speech with this hierarchy? Do some folks have a greater right to free speech than others? If so, who decides? Those in power? If this is the case (as it seems to be at Columbia and many other venues, educational and otherwise), who decides? As anyone involved in organizing almost any event opposed to the war, capitalism, or other realities favored by those in power in our country, those who decide are the same folks that are in power. Freedom of speech is not given to those of us not in the halls of power, we have to fight for it. The Columbia event was but one small skirmish in the ongoing struggle to keep speech free for everyone, not just those who support the folks in power (or are in power themselves). There's a well known line written by Justice Oliver Wendell Holmes in a 1919 US Supreme Court decision that reads: "The most stringent protection of free speech would not protect a man falsely shouting fire in a theater and causing a panic." Applying this analogy to the events at Roone Arledge Auditorium that October night leads me to believe that it was Mr. Gilchrist and his supporters who falsely shouted fire. Does this mean that they should not have been granted the right to speak? My answer is that they should certainly be given the right to speak, but they should not expect their speech to be accepted without protest. In other words, they did not deserve any special protection, because their right to free speech is no greater than that of those who oppose them. To show your support for the
Columbia student protestors call (212-854-9970), fax (212-854-9973)
or e-mail (bollinger@columbia.edu)
President Lee Bollinger's office and asking that he stop his
threats of discipline. Copy/send messages of support to the Columbia
Protesters' Defense Committee at nominutemen@gmail.com.
You can also sign an online petition in support of the protests.
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from CounterPunch Books! The Case Against Israel By Michael Neumann  Grand Theft Pentagon: Tales of Greed and Profiteering in the War on Terror by Jeffrey St. Clair          Sick of sit-on-the-Fence speakers, tongue-tied and timid? CounterPunch Editors Alexander Cockburn and Jeffrey St Clair are available to speak forcefully on ALL the burning issues, as are other CounterPunchers seasoned in stump oratory. Call CounterPunch Speakers Bureau, 1-800-840-3683. Or email beckyg@counterpunch.org.                        |
