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From: "Brit Eckhart" <•••@••.•••>
To: <•••@••.•••>
Subject: Re: Neolibearlism, Fascism, and The New American Century
Date: Mon, 23 Jun 2003 05:22:05 -0400
Dear Richard,
Are you watching the currency change from US to Euro?
There's rumor that Iraq oil was to be sold in Euros. Soros
is involved in some foundation to monitor the proceeds of Iraqi
oil sales.
You might enjoy Tom Hayden's "Empire vs Democracy" on
Commondreams. Or, conversely, his new book: "Irish on
the Inside." Very ugly what's happened with Jose Bove.
Shows how spiritually, morally bankrupt, and frightened,
the "powers-that-be" are.
I agree with your summary, at long last.
Anon, Brit~
------------
Dear Brit,
Thanks for your note... as usual right to the point.
The bit about Iraq & the Euro is fact not rumor.
The US is now positioned to enforce dollar payment
for petrol into the future. This has effects at several
levels. As has been pointed out, it buoys up the value
of the dollar and covers over the economic sins of a trade
deficit.
But it does more than that. It cements in the security
of the dollar as a reserve currency. If you're some kind
of Shiek or Dictator, Banker or Drug Baron, and you have lots of
loot, dollars is the place to park it. You know it will always
be worth something, as long as petrol is in demand. Whether
such folks hate or love the US, they end up with a vested
interest in US success when they put their stash in greenbacks.
Mao's "paper tiger" takes on an ironic significance
Thaks for the Hayden reference.
ciao,
rkm
btw> What do you mean, "at long last"?!
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From: Torstein Sivertsen <•••@••.•••>
To: •••@••.•••
Subject: Re: Neolibearlism, Fascism, and The New American Century
Hi Richard!
And thanks again for your great writing and perspective,
although the latest article didn't come through well in
the mail (had to look it up on your site instead).
On your site I also found an old article that I read again,
http://www.newdawnmagazine.com.au/articles/War_on_Terror_The_Police_State_Agenda.html
Is it cool with you if I translate this and put it on my
site? I will of course attribute it to you and link up
your cyberjournal.org site.
Keep up the good work! :)
---------------
Dear Torstein,
Feel free.
cheers,
rkm
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Date: Mon, 23 Jun 2003 08:34:56 -0700
To: •••@••.•••
From: "A. Gayle Hudgens, PhD, MCC" <•••@••.•••>
Subject: Re: Neolibearlism, Fascism, and The New American Century
Kudos! Yes, it is worth the wait.
Did you receive my book yet? For related material, see pages
99-100 (where I quote you), 177 the subsection Neo-fascism
and State Terrorism in the section Democracy vs. Corporate
Rule), and 183-84 (the section Economic Tyranny by Proxy).
Until people become aware of the extent of these issues and
how they affect them and their offspring, I don't see much
of a chance for a transition to a sustainable and just
future.
So keep on informing people. You have a gift. The world
needs to hear you.
In solidarity,
Gayle
----
Dear Gayle,
No, the book still hasn't arrived! But since we're having
this exchange I imagine it will arrive tomorrow. Always
happens that way.
As for the transition... we need three things. One is
awareness of the problem, second is a vision of a new
world, and third is a notion of how we can get there.
The 'big awareness', as I see it, is that we need to be in
TOTAL DESPAIR & HOPELESSNESS. Only then can the new world
germinate. In a strange twist of irony, HOPE is defeatist.
I keep writing about the problem because people keep having
false hope.
regards,
rkm
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From: "John Bunzl" <•••@••.•••>
To: <•••@••.•••>
Subject: Re: Neolibearlism, Fascism, and The New American Century
Date: Mon, 23 Jun 2003 10:47:47 +0100
Dear Richard,
On one level, I wouldn't argue one iota with your
presentation of the circumstances past and present. On
another, the present predicament implies evil intent on
such a massive scale as to be somewhat implausible,
particularly when pretty much all you have outlined could be
argued as being the perfectly natural outcome of the way the
double-edged sword of competition works through the economy
and society.
Does implying mass evil intent really help our cause?
Of course it's a time-honoured ritual for the oppressed to
identify an enemy in terms of a person, fascist dictator, a
cabal of evil people or a bunch of corporations. It gives us
someone to fight against and that makes us feel good.
However, although no one, myself included, is suggesting
that there aren't some evil bastards out there, would it not
be more balanced, and thus perhaps more helpful, to point
out that, to a very great extent, it's the forces of
destructive global competition, rather than a group of evil
schemers, which underlie the dynamic of what we're seeing?
---<snip>-- ...in working out strategies for change, would
it not be more balanced and productive to focus, first and
foremost, on the competition system and on how we change it
to a co-operation system while taking down the global bully
'from the inside'? (This, as you know, is what the
Simultaneous Policy (SP) initiative
John Bunzl - Director
International Simultaneous Policy Organisation (ISPO)
http://www.simpol.org
---
Dear John,
> Does implying mass evil intent really help our cause?
On this particular list, I'm mainly interested in figuring
out the truth -- about what is and what is possible. This
is an interactive process, and I find that the more honest
I am, the more I learn from the dialog and feedback. I see
this forum as 'friends chatting around the fireplace' rather
than 'an audience to be propagandized'.
The truth about 9-11 is important to work out. Whether or
not mass evil intent is afoot makes a difference. It makes
a difference in what we might expect in the future, and it
makes a difference as to how likely this or that strategy is
likely to bear fruit. When 'talking among ourselves', at
least, I see it as a question that must be faced.
> the present predicament implies evil intent on such a
massive scale as to be somewhat implausible
Certainly, at first blush, it indeed seemed implausible that
9-11 could have been an inside job. That's too weak... it
was at first unthinkable. But then the evidence started
coming in. How long does one ignore the facts and stick
with 'Seems implausible to me' before one becomes an
ostrich?
> in working out strategies for change, would it not be more
balanced and productive to focus, first and foremost, on the
competition system and on how we change it to a co-operation
system
I don't think so. It's too narrow a focus. You end up
being one-of-many pressure groups. The more successful you
become, the more co-opted you become. That's the nature of
the system. Already the Greens are talking about joining
the Democrats. If we want to change things, we need to
understand why that happens and how it can be avoided.
Already that's a broader scope than 'competition vs.
cooperation'. And there's lots more.
cheers,
rkm
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Date: Mon, 23 Jun 2003 09:23:11 -0700
Subject: Re: Neolibearlism, Fascism, and The New American Century
From: RADICAL PRESS <•••@••.•••>
To: <•••@••.•••>
Richard the Messenger,
Great to finally receive another message Richard! I was
beginning to think that you too had left for the boonies to
build yourself a fascist-proof goat shed or something
equally secure. :-)
Your essay sparkles with the glitter of a newly-minted coin.
In this case the coin of the land being, as you so correctly
point out, fascism. It's the neo-neural system that enlivens
the capitalist centralized state. Now, as always, comes the
need to identify the pressure points wherein the freedom
fighters can apply the influence necessary to globally
suspend its actions in order to regain the high ground of
democracy.
Since my return from the bush I've sensed a seeming lull in
activity on the part of the US/Beast. The net continues to
relentlessly hammer home the same messages that it was
frantically attempting to impart to the world prior to the
Iraq invasion. Is this just the usual aftermath or is it but
a lull before the next storm(trooper) attack?
I've read your " the zen of global transformation". Thank
you for sending it to me. Are plans still underway for a
gathering here in the heart of the Homeland? Also, your
inscribed words are appreciated. Being an old Fritz Perle
fan I can relate to your use of "gestalt" in terms of mutual
seeing.
You said at one point, "Once again, the maneuverings of US
elites are focused around strategic power considerations.
Under the globalization program, the global economy becomes
anarchistic -- from the perspective of nations. But at the
same time it becomes hierarchical -- from the perspective of
global capitalism." I might suggest (as a student of
Anarchism) that your use of the term here is somewhat
confusing considering that anarchism is predicated upon the
principle of no centralized State whatsoever. Even from the
angle of the nation-state one cannot project the present
situation into that of anarchism because the force behind
the present situation is still, as you go on to say,
hierarchical and that position is dependent upon
centralization be it a particular nation-state or an elite
consortium of mental misfits such as we see manifest in the
Bush regime. I would say that the global economy is still as
it's always been - open to the highest (and most lethal)
bidder - now narrowed down to the USA.
I had a question I was thinking about while I was away
pounding nails. Have you always lived in Ireland or did you
move there from the States or elsewhere?
Good to see you back at the helm. Your essay should provoke
some immediate responses.
Warm solstice regards Richard,
Arthur Topham
Pub/Ed
The Radical Press
-------------------
Dear Arthur,
Nice to hear from you.
You ask whether there is a 'lull' on the part of The Beast.
The Beast has taken one prey... will he attack again?
Before we ask that question, I think we need to fully grok
the significance of this first prey event. The Beast roared,
and said "From now on I can take any prey I want". He then
does so, to prove the point. He then stands there, and the
unspoken question to the rest of us is, "So what are you
going to do about it?" The answer, in terms of the
'international community', seems to be absolutely nothing.
The point is that there's a Beast loose amongst us, and
there ain't no Beast Catchers.
---
There are still plans for a gathering, but there is no
time-frame attached at this point. Unavoidable
circumstances.
---
If a society -- as an overall system -- is anarchic, then
yes it would not be a centralized state. Meanwhile, some of
our societal sub-systems are an-archic and some are
hier-archic. I think it is very useful to recognize and
celebrate examples of anarchism wherever they can be found.
Why? Because most people dismiss anarchism as being an
unworkable ideal -- particularly people who identify with
the current system. I think it's worth pointing out that
anyone who espouses neoliberal free-trade is espousing
anarchism as a principle of organization. From a more
positive perspective, I think it's encouraging to notice
things that work well in our society that are organized
anarchically.
The Internet is the easiest example -- in its technical
architecture, in the relationship among the server &
bandwidth vendors, and in the way email and the web are
used. In terms of cost-effectiveness and function the net
outstrips any centralized attempt to gather and distribute
information. If you look at the Open Source movement, you
see people collaborating with no central authority or
economic incentives -- and you see focused and coherent
results.
Perhaps someone can suggest other examples.
Anarchic organization maximizes parallelism, creativity, and
evolution. Hierarchy minimizes the creative resources of
society -- even if intending to be benign. But hierarchies
never are benign. They are wealth extracting machines, what
Jared Diamond calls 'kleptocracies'. They are our prisons.
---
I've been in Ireland about 9 years. Nowhere else would feel
like home anymore.
thanks for you comments,
rkm
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From: "Werner Hertz" <•••@••.•••>
To: <•••@••.•••>
Cc: <•••@••.•••>
Subject: Mission statement vageness on how the movement to bring 911
perpetrators are to be brought to justice
Date: Mon, 23 Jun 2003 00:52:15 -0700
At the risk of making a pain in the ass of myself ZGT
(attached here) is a very specific long range organizing
strategy to EMPOWER WE THE PEOPLE TO BE ABLE TO REALLY BRING
THE PERPETRATORS TO JUSTICE AND NOT ONLY TO MOUTH THE WORDS
WITHOUT AN ACTION PLAN TO BRING IT ABOUT. IF ANY OF YOU HAVE
A BETTER PLAN OF HOW THIS MOVEMENT FOR JUSTICE IS TO BE
ACHIEVED I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR IT. IN FACT I WILL GIVE A DAYS
PAY FROM MY GUEST TEACHING WORK ($ 111) to anyone who comes
up with an alternate plan to ZGT here attached that our
group by consensus decides is the direction to organize to
achieve this justice from the GANGSTERS who now rule our
world.
THERE IS NO EASY WAY OUT THAN THE ORGANIZING TO HAVE WE THE
PEOPLE REALLY EXPERIENCE REAL DEMOCRACY EQUALITY and
ELIMINATION OF HIERARCHY IS ABSOLUTELY REQUIRED BEFORE
BEFORE BEFORE WE ARE ABLE TO ACHIEVE JUSTICE THERE IS NO
OTHER WAY JOSE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! AND MY $ 111 BUCKS SAYS
SO. I DARE ALL OF YOU TO COME UP WITH ANOTHER REASONABLY
SUCCESSFUL PLAN. IS IT ORGANIZING FOR KUCINICH? IS IT
MARCHING IN THE STREETS LIKE AGAINST IRAQ WAR? IS IT FULL
PAGE NEWSPAPER ADS LIKE THAT OF FROM THE WILDERNESS? COME ON
ALL OF YOU COME UP WITH A REAL PLAN FOR JUSTICE SUCCESS OR
FINALLY,FINALLY,PRINT UP THE 41p ZEN OF GLOBAL
TRANSFORMATION AND SEE THE SIMPLICITY, THE NON VIOLENCE, THE
MASS DEMOCRATIC EDUCATION OF IT, THE COINTELPRO RESISTANCE
OF IT. I AM SO GRATEFUL TO HAVE CONNECTED TO THIS INCREDIBLY
POWERFUL, REALISTIC AND BEAUTIFUL SIMPLICITY OF IT WHICH HAS
CHANGED MY LIFE FROM COMPLAINING IMPOTENCE TO INCREDIBLY
POSITIVE ENERGY THAT I HAVE NEVER EXPERIENCED IN ALL OF MY
60 YEARS OF MARCHING, COMPLAINING, LETTER WRITING ETC ETC
ETC. I DON'T FEEL THAT IM PISSING MY LIFE AWAY ANY MORE IN
IMPOTENT PROTESTING AND SEEING OUR CONDITION WORSEN AS WE
SPEAK. WHY DO YOU THING THESE GANGSTERS HAVE SUCH INCREDIBLE
CONTEMPT FOR US? ITS BECAUSE THERE IS NOT A SINGLE VISIBLE
THREAT TO THEIR CONTINUED DOMINATION IN SIGHT AND ALL
RESISTANCE HAS BEEN CHANNELED INTO IMPOTENCY AND
HOPELESSNESS WHICH WE ARE IN COMPLETE DENIAL ABOUT. I FEEL
IM RAVING BUT THE TIMES DESERVE NO LESS AND PARTICULARLY ALL
THE COMING GENERATIONS THAT WILL HAVE TO PUT UP WITH THESE
MAD GANGSTERS.
Werner
•••@••.•••
Attachment converted: g3:The Zen of Global Transformatio (WDBN/MSWD) (00062396)
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From: "Brian Hill" <•••@••.•••>
To: <•••@••.•••>
Subject: Re: Neolibearlism, Fascism, and The New American Century
Date: Mon, 23 Jun 2003 10:30:50 -0700
Organization: Institute for Cultural Ecology
good words Richard. the economy is coming to a screeching
halt this year - everything seems to be down about 50%.
Hope you are well, and I can see you are radical - take care
Brian
Here's my latest projects
http://www.greenkarat.com and http://www.posadaquepoa.com
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From: •••@••.•••
Date: Mon, 23 Jun 2003 22:00:06 EDT
Subject: Re: Neolibearlism, Fascism, and The New American Century
To: •••@••.•••
<< don't blame me, I'm just the messenger, >>
and a very sensible one!!!
jim
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Date: Tue, 24 Jun 2003 11:57:54 +0200
From: Bob Ocegueda <•••@••.•••>
To: •••@••.•••
Subject: Re: Neolibearlism, Fascism, and The New American Century
Hi Richard,
Excellent analysis. Confirmation of your statement about
the goals of the US elites can be found in the 1948 writings
of George Kennan, considered the architect of post WWII
foreign policy,
He wrote in a National Security directive:
"We have about 50% of the world's wealth, but only 6.3% of
its population... In this situation, we cannot fail to be
the object of envy and resentment. Our task in the coming
years is to devise a pattern of relationships which will
permit us to maintain this position of disparity... We need
not deceive ourselves that we can afford the luxury of
altruism and world benefaction... We should cease talk about
vague and unreal objectives such as human rights, the
raising of living standards and democratization."
They "need not deceive ourselves that we can afford the
luxury of altruism and world benefaction" but they certainly
need to deceive us about what their goals are... and they've
been doing a good job of it... except for the work of a few
people like you. Thanks again.
Bob
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From: "Kevin Carson" <•••@••.•••>
To: •••@••.•••
Bcc:
Subject: Re: Neolibearlism, Fascism, and The New American Century (resend)
Date: Tue, 24 Jun 2003 13:54:30 +0000
I'd say neoliberalism differs quite a bit from fascism in
the sense that the former is what the German industrialists
really wanted, and the latter is what they had to put up
with to get it. They would have much preferred to have some
form of ultra-rational, bureaucratic corporatism without
all the petty bourgeois anger, slogans, and marching in the
streets (kind of like the New Deal if the NIRA had been left
in place). The ideology of national socialism as such
carried too much radical baggage, and presented the danger
of going wrong in lots of ways. Along with his twisted
hatred of the Jews, Hitler also had a great deal of petty
bourgeois resentment of bankers and plutocrats. And Roehm's
left wing of the party was a real phenomenon, that had to be
eliminated through the Night of the Long Knives. The
corporate elite will turn to naked authoritarianism if
that's the only alternative, but they'd much prefer Sam
Huntington's nice, orderly spectator democracy.
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To: •••@••.•••
Date: Tue, 24 Jun 2003 08:34:47 -0500
Subject: Re: Neolibearlism, Fascism, and The New American Century (resend)
From: T K Wilson <•••@••.•••>
I think it measured up to the wait. Sometimes you just have
to wait til you really have something to say; then it comes
out clear as a bell, as this one did.
I'd be curious to know what you think Israel/ Zionisms role
in this might be?
Israeli fascism is coming clear out in the open now; and
there seems to be a considerable push on to justify it on a
number of fronts.
Thanks again, -TK
---
TK,
For a century, the Mideast region has been subjected to a
political order imposed from the outside. First by Britain
and later by the US. The nature of the order has changed
from time to time, but a constant element has always been
the stirring up of divisions and conflicts. I interpret the
establishment of Israel as a project of Britain and the US
intended to maximize divisiveness in the region. I see the
people of Israel as being exploited victims in the scenario.
all the best,
rkm
