Gorilla Radio with Chris Cook, Dan Kovalik, Kim Goldberg May 17, 2023

Welcome to Gorilla Radio, recorded May 17th, 2023

The status of Crimea is becoming the main issue forbidding peace between Russia and the NATO-backed government in Kyiv. Canada’s official position – one shared by its NATO partners – treats the peninsula as “occupied” territory, referring to the 2014 referendum on joining Russia as “unconstitutional” and therefore invalid.

For his part, Ukraine president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy said last week, “The world should know: Respect and order will only return to international relations when the Ukrainian flag returns to Crimea.”
Needless to say, Russia sees things differently.

Dan Kovalik is a lawyer, educator, labour, peace, and justice activist, democracy defender, journalist, author, and filmmaker. He’s just returned from an extended research mission in Russia, including travels throughout Crimea.

Dan’s observed elections in Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Colombia – where he witnessed the 2016 peace plebiscite promising an end to the generational war there. His book titles include: ‘Cancel This Book: The Progressive Case Against Cancel Culture,’ the ‘Plot to…’ series on American efforts to undermine the governments and economies of Iran, Venezuela, and Russia, ‘No More War: How the West Violates International Law by Using ‘Humanitarian’ Intervention to Advance Economic and Strategic Interest,’ and his recently released, ‘Nicaragua: A History of US Intervention & Resistance‘.

Dan Kovalik in the first half.

And; the epochal events roiling our World may seem to us to be all of the moment, but they are merely more of the same found under the Sun. History waxes and wanes, just as Fortune, ever capricious, turns the magnificent to meanness in a twinkle. It is all illusion, a bubble blown and popped and done. What endures are words of wisdom; verse uttered on a stage, prose printed on the page. It’s a great and humbling realization to know our times will seem someday to some others as so many tempests in a char’s pail.

And if that sounds to you like so much philosophy, and all too poet-y, you ain’t heard nothin’ yet!

Kim Goldberg is a Nanaimo-based poet, journalist, and author. She’s written 8 books of poetry and nonfiction, including her most recent collection ‘DEVOLUTION: poems and fables of eco-pocalypse‘. Kim is playing host this Saturday, May 20th in Nanaimo to ‘Poetry of Resilience’, a gathering of lettered presenters at the Harbourfront library branch. It will feature fifteen local poets and musicians sharing their vision of resilience through word and song.

Kim Goldberg with the constant poets in the second half.

But first, Dan Kovalik and Crimea as crucible of the Russia/Ukraine war.

 

Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, broad/webcasting since 1999. Check out the Archive at Gorilla-Radio.com, GRadio.Substack.com, and the GR blog at: http://gorillaradioblog.blogspot.com/

Gorilla Radio with Chris Cook, Yves Engler, Pitasanna Shanmugathas March 29th/April 2nd, 2023

Welcome to Gorilla Radio, recorded March 29th and April 2nd, 2023.

And welcome to the Spring of discontent! While leaders In the capitals of Europe and America promise to carry on the Ukraine proxy war no matter the price, the People are already in the streets protesting the real and rising costs of that belligerence. For Canadians, whose government is already full-throatedly behind: the bellicose stance against Russia, prospects of an expanded war against China and Iran, battles by sanction in Venezuela, Nicaragua, and elsewhere, there is too Haiti.

Last week, the Trudeau Liberals blithely announced another $100 million dollars to be delivered to the tiny island nation’s military and police effort to keep the restive population under heel. This on top of millions already delivered. It’s almost as if Ottawa believes the fatted tax goose’s golden eggs will never flag.

Yves Engler is an independent, Montreal-based journalist and author. He’s written twelve books on Canadian foreign policy, including ‘Canada in Haiti: Waging War on the Poor Majority’, co-authored with Anthony Fenton. His recent article, ‘Canadian government prioritizes war over climate crisis‘ is a troubling portrait of a country few here in our home and native land would recognize.

Yves Engler in the first half.

And; just what is Canada’s place in the world? Generations of us have been taught we are global agents of good; fair-minded, and justice-seeking. You know, “Wherever they’s a fight so hungry people can eat, we’ll be there. Wherever they’s a cop beatin’ up a guy“, etc., etc.

It’d be a great story, if only it were true.

Pitasanna Shanmugathas completed an advanced degree at one of Canada’s world-class Universities but found, beyond Canada’s “two solitudes” another bifurcation – one not in the curriculum – separating the real from an imagined nation. And so, he says, he set out on an epic three year journey of discovery, from coast to coast to coast, and across the tractless prairies. He documented his Canadian quest in the film series, ‘Truth to the Powerless: An Investigation into Canada’s Foreign Policy‘.

Pitasanna Shanmugathas and the hunt for Canada’s elusive identity in the second half.

But first, Yves Engler and Trudeau of the Tropics, taking Haiti.

Song: The Panic Is On

Artist: David Rovics

Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, broad/webcasting since 1999. Check out the Archive at Gorilla-Radio.com, GRadio.Substack.com, and the GR blog at: http://gorillaradioblog.blogspot.com/

Gorilla Radio with Chris Cook, Yves Engler (extended) March 29, 2023

Welcome to Gorilla Radio, recorded March 29th and April 2nd, 2023.

And welcome to the Spring of discontent! While leaders In the capitals of Europe and America promise to carry on the Ukraine proxy war no matter the price, the People are already in the streets protesting the real and rising costs of that belligerence.

For Canadians, whose government is already full-throatedly behind: the bellicose stance against Russia, prospects of an expanded war against China and Iran, battles by sanction in Venezuela, Nicaragua, and elsewhere, there is too Haiti.

Last week, the Trudeau Liberals blithely announced another $100 million dollars to be delivered to the tiny island nation’s military and police effort to keep the restive population under heel. This on top of millions already delivered. It’s almost as if Ottawa believes the fatted tax goose’s golden eggs will never flag.

Yves Engler is an independent, Montreal-based journalist and author. He’s written twelve books on Canadian foreign policy, including ‘Canada in Haiti: Waging War on the Poor Majority’, co-authored with Anthony Fenton.

His recent article, ‘Canadian government prioritizes war over climate crisis‘ is a troubling portrait of a country few here in our home and native land would recognize.

Yves Engler and Trudeau of the Tropics, taking Haiti.

Song: The Panic Is On

Artist: David Rovics

 

Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, broad/webcasting since 1999. Check out the Archive at Gorilla-Radio.com, GRadio.Substack.com, and the GR blog at: https://gorillaradioblog.blogspot.com/

Gorilla Radio with Mickey Z. and Me, Kim Goldberg January 15, 2023

Welcome to Gorilla Radio, recorded January 14th and 15th, 2023.

My old friend and frequent interview victim, Mickey Z. proposed turning the tables and interviewing me for his excellent Substack podcast, Post-Woke. The entire interview is available at https://mickeyz.substack.com/

Mickey Z. talking to an Ape in the first half.

And; it’s been three years now since the great global unraveling wrought by the Covid-19 pandemic began. In Canada, part of that meant changes to the laws of the land – changes Canadians are yet to resolve properly in Parliament and the courts, or among a polity divided in unprecedented ways.

Kim Goldberg is a Nanaimo-based poet, journalist, and author. She’s written 8 books of poetry and nonfiction, including her most recent collection ‘DEVOLUTION: poems and fables of eco-pocalypse‘. She covered BC current affairs for Canadian Dimension Magazine for many years, most recently on the Fairy Creek blockade. Kim’s writing is featured at Substack, and can be found again, after some rude interruption, on Twitter @KimPigSquash.

Kim Goldberg and emerging the emergency in the second half.

But first, me and Mickey Z. talking about alternative media and Gorilla Radio at twenty-four.

Song: Pure Mirror of the Beloved

Artist: Siddartha Corsus

Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, broad/webcasting since 1999. Check out the Archive at Gorilla-Radio.com, GRadio.Substack.com, and the GR blog at: https://gorillaradioblog.blogspot.com/

Gorilla Radio with Chris Cook, Diana Johnstone, Mickey Z. August 13, 2022

Welcome to Gorilla Radio, recorded August 13th, 2022

In early August the ‘Western Balkans Democracy and Prosperity Act’ was read into the record of the US Congress. Democratic Senator, Jeanne Shaheen introduced the bipartisan draft law, (and a second regarding sanctions as laid out in the Dayton Accords) saying the initiative was necessary because, “Russian President Vladimir Putin’s intentions to spread malignant influence throughout Eastern Europe are evident.” Shaheen also says the Act, if passed “…[P]aves the way for wider Euro-Atlantic integrations.” among other things.

More seasoned listeners may better recognize those “Western Balkans” as elements of the former Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, (and Albania) collapsed in the 1990’s, and it’s largest remnant Serbia subsequently bombed into further balkanization by NATO in the so-named “Kosovo War” at the end of the last century.

Diana Johnstone is an author, former press secretary to the Green Group in the European Parliament, and journalist whose writings on Yugoslavia received recognition from Project Censored among others. Her books include ‘ From MAD to Madness: Inside Pentagon Nuclear War Planning,’ ‘Circle in the Darkness: Memoirs of a World Watcher,’ and ‘Fools’ Crusade: Yugoslavia, NATO and Western Delusion.’ Diana’s articles can be found at ConsortiumNews.com.

Diana Johnstone in the first half.

And; with the cooler evening’s promise of a change of season coming, I find myself thinking of the cycles of time; everything changing while remaining, in a sense, the same. If that sounds a little more mystic than the usual prattle here, chalk it up to the weather. As the wheel of fortune would have it, it’s been eight years to the day since I spoke last with my second guest – and in that time a lot has changed for both of us – and much too has remained the same.

Mickey Z. is a New York City born and bred activist, author, lecturer and martial artist who has the only-one-in-the-world distinction of having appeared in both a political anthology alongside Noam Chomsky, and featured in a Billy Banks karate film. Mickey Z.’s book titles include: ‘Darker Shade of Green,’ ‘Self-Defense for Radicals: A to Z Guide for Subversive Struggle,’ ‘CPR for Dummies,’ 50 American Revolutions You’re Not Supposed to Know: Reclaiming American Patriotism,’ ‘The Seven Deadly Spins: Exposing the Lies Behind War Propaganda,’ ‘Occupy This Book: Mickey Z. on Activism,’ and his latest, ‘Occupy These Photos: NYC Activism Through a Radical Lens.’ Mickey’s newsletter and podcast can be found these days at his SubStack.com site, Post-Woke.

Mickey Z. and learning the “art of intellectual self-defense” in the second half.

But first, Diana Johnstone and NATO’s Fools’ Crusade reprised in the Western Balkans.

Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, airing since 1998; in Victoria at 101.9FM, and on the internet at: cfuv.ca.  Check out the GR blog at: http://gorillaradioblog.blogspot.com/

Song: Smoke and Mirrors
Artist: When Humans Had Wings

Please support Mickey’s Helping Homeless Women – NYC (my one-man project of nearly 6 years)

Gorilla Radio with Chris Cook, Jeremy Kuzmarov, Dan Kovalik May 13, 2021

Welcome back to Gorilla Radio’s Home Edition, recorded on the dates, May 7th and 10th, 2021.

War and rumours of it quickened yesterday, as Biden Secretary of State, Antony Blinken’s whirlwind Sabre Rattling Tour touched down in Kiev. Blinken, freshly arrived from G-7 meetings in London, picked up where he left off chastening “authoritarian states” around the World he claimed were, “trying to play us against each other”. Presumably addressed to China, Russia, Iran, and North Korea, countries who in another time might constitute an “Axis of Evil”, Blinken pointedly reminded, “… we hold our values of democracy, state of law, human rights and a global order based on rules against them, united and credibly.”

But is it all credible; does the new president and his energetic secretary really mean to marshal the troops for a new war of empire? A new series by the Intercept’s Jeremy Scahill attempts to plumb the depths of the new President’s character and divine his intentions; an attempt my first guest says, while “impressive and informative…ignores certain unflattering historical facts and perpetuates a few popular misperceptions.”

Jeremy Kuzmarov is a journalist and author who serves too as Managing Editor of CovertAction Magazine. He’s the author of four books on U.S. foreign policy, including: ‘Obama’s Unending Wars’, and ‘The Russians Are Coming, Again’ co-authored with John Marciano. His latest at CovertAction is ‘Did Jeremy Scahill’s Analysis Fumble the Ball in Its Indictment of Joe Biden as an “Empire Politician”?’

Jeremy Kuzmarov in the first half.

And; the so-called “cancel culture” was a common invocation of right-wing American politicos and Trump supporters who claimed their left wing and progressive opponents were using “cancellation” to silence legitimate debate and rights to free speech guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution. Now, those voices of concern have been joined from the progressive side of the political spectrum by labour lawyer, human rights activist, author, and essayist, Dan Kovalik.

Dan is too a recipient of the David W. Mills Mentoring Fellowship from Stanford Law School, a frequent lecturer, oft sought television and radio political commentator, and his articles appear online at Counterpunch and Gorilla Radio Blog, among other places. His latest book is, ‘Cancel This Book: The Progressive Case Against Cancel Culture‘.

Dan Kovalik and turning the worm on Cancel Culture in the second half.

But first, Jeremy Kuzmarov and, Joe Biden: Tool of Empire, or merely tool?

Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, airing live every Thursday between 11-Noon Pacific Time. In Victoria at 101.9FM, and on the internet at: https://cfuv.ca. He also serves as a contributing editor to the web news site, http://www.pacificfreepress.com. Check out the GR blog at: http://gorillaradioblog.blogspot.com