Interesting Interviews: Late October 2022
Late October 2022
[Image: Chelsea Manning from the interview recording provided by The Real News Network, linked below. The frame is at the beginning of Manning answering a question of how she has been able to “make jokes” given the severity of her experience. [01:24:52]]
Publication date: 2022-10-22
A reading of this article is available.
Introduction
Discovering a new source of rich information is a joy. Mitch Jeserich has been a correspondent and moved into radio broadcasting for the USA's Pacifica network. He has also been using Youtube as a publication platform. I was pleased to discover his "Letters & Politics" channel.
He is a calm and informed interviewer as evidenced with thanks for the interview by Peter Kuznick and Vijay Prashad.
This article highlights a few of Mitch's interviews with knowledgeable guests. The combined topics are the horror and experience of war, a commentary on imperialism, the process of socialism and the nature of economic inflation. The recently published interview with Chelsea Manning in which she tells some of the story in her book, README.txt, is included.
All of the interviews move into philosophy and ask us to think. Quotes from some interviews are provided to encourage engagement.
A few article references are also provided.
Enjoy.
Interviews
Peter Kuznick
Peter Kuznick is a Professor of History at the American University. He specializes in nuclear weapons, their history and arms control. The interview covers the genesis of nuclear arms, and degradation of arms control treaties, the conflict in Ukraine and the diabolic use of nuclear weapons upon Japan in 1945. The genesis section is deep and contains rare information.
A History of Nuclear War with Peter Kuznick, Mitch Jeserich interviews Peter Kuznick, Letters and Politics, 2022-10-11
Chris Hedges
The topic of discussion is a new book by Hedges "The Greatest Evil is War". The discussion ranges widely including Hedges describing personal experiences of war, his training as a theologian, and his reporting from the "outer reaches of empire".
Some quotes from the interview:
You get fed this noxious idea that somehow journalists are meant to be objective or neutral. How can you be objective or neutral about injustice?
The greatest battle is the evil within us.
Once you externalize evil you create a society which perpetuates horror.
Anyone who has been in war will understand that evil is real.
Chris Hedges: The Greatest Evil is War, Mitch Jeserich interviews Chris Hedges, Letters and Politics, 2022-09-20
Vijay Prashad
The two interviews of half an hour deal with quite different topics. In the first, Vijay describes a tension between history, or time, and the struggle for change. Mr. Prashad brings in two key elements to understand the socialist struggle. The first is that humans are fallible. The topic is encapsulated in the title "History is a Sequence of Experiments". The second point he brings is that, even considering human fallibility, the "left" seeks change whereas the "right" seeks the status quo. This places a burden upon the "left". It must consider plans for a new status whereas the "right" can relax in the existing situation.
Some quotes:
Time cannot stand alone from meaning. Humans require that meaning is attached to history.
Those who will not allow failure will make nothing. [This is a paraphrase of Napoleon.]
Communists are exiles from the future.
Vijay Prashad: History Is A Series Of Experiments (Part 1), Mitch Jeserich interviews Vijay Prashad, Letters & Politics, 2022-06-29
The second interview covers Ho Chi Minh and a new book by Mr. Prashad. The book includes an introduction by Vijay. Its dominant text are teaching materials, speeches and other public communication by Mr. Ho. The interview reviews Ho's life. Vijay's effort in the book is to elevate Ho's thinking; to try to understand Ho’s political philosophy and strategy. This consideration is largely excluded from non-Vietnamese discussion.
Quotes
I accompany you in the struggle.
You’ve got to build policy from the facts.
Vijay Prashad on Ho Chi Minh (Part 2), Mitch Jeserich interviews Vijay Prashad, Letters & Politics, 2022-06-30
Noam Chomsky
Professor Chomsky's analysis is so penetrating that he has been banned from all major USA broadcast media.
A Brief History of U.S. Imperialism with Noam Chomsky, Mitch Jeserich interviews Noam Chomsky, Letters & Politics, 2022-06-22
Richard Wolff
Richard Wolff is a professor of economics at multiple USA universities.
Richard Wolff On Everything You Need to Know About Inflation, Mitch Jeserich interviews Richard Wolff, Letters & Politics, 2022-05-11
Chelsea Manning
This is an extremely important interview. Manning lays out the extent of use of machine learning by the military and describes how the produced models repeated predictions of the escalation of the war in Iraq.
An element which comes from this interview is the similarity between Manning and Assange. They shared difficult family situations, possessed computers during their teenage years early at the birth of the Internet, and a realization that existing power structures do not care for human needs.
Chelsea Manning: Why I risked prison to expose the US military, an interview with Chelsea Manning by Ryan Harvey discussing her new book README.txt introduced by the poet Analysis, The Real News Network, 2022-10-22
Articles
Jacques Baud, a Swiss military intelligence officer, provides an extended view of the recent conflict in Ukraine. Originally published at The Postil, the re-publication linked below is more easily viewed.
Jacques Baud: Kharkov and Mobilization, Natylie's Place: Understanding Russia, 2022-10-21
The Dissenter (Kevin Gosztola) is publishing a series of articles on Chelsea Manning’s brilliantly titled memoir README.txt.
Chelsea Manning's Book Further Complicates US Government's Case Against Julian Assange, Kevin Gosztola, The Dissenter, 2011-10-21
The Parts Of Chelsea Manning's Book Censored By The US Government, Kevin Gosztola, The Dissenter, 2011-10-22
Sources
In situ.
Culture
Arlo Guthrie - Motorcycle Song (from the 1968 “Arlo” live album), PatchouliHaze, uploaded 2009-11-05
Attempting to connect this folk song with the above interviews or articles is futile.
On reflection, I am unsure how Kuznick or Chomsky would appreciate this culture reference. I am damn sure that Hedges, Wolff and Prashad would love it. I reckon that Manning would also see the absurdity and joy.
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