Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, broad/webcasting since 1999. The show is archived at: www.gorilla-radio.com. The GR blog is at: gorillaradioblog.blogspot.com, and you can find and support the program at GRadio.Substack.com. Financial support is also possible through the Patreon site: https://www.patreon.com/PacificFreePress. He’s too the past contributing editor to the web news site, www.pacificfreepress.com, (now defunct) and tweets at @paciffreepress. G-Radio is dedicated to social justice, the environment, community, and providing a forum for people and issues not covered in the corporate media. Some past guests include: M. Shahid Alam, Joel Bakan, Maude Barlow, Ramzy Baroud, David Barsamian, William Blum, Luciana Bohne, Helen Caldicott, Noam Chomsky, Paul Cienfuegos, Yves Engler, Laura Flanders, Denis Halliday, Julia Butterfly Hill, Sam Husseini, Robert Jensen, Dahr Jamail, Chalmers Johnson, Malalai Joya, Kathy Kelly, Ingmar Lee, Dave Lindorff, Andrew Gavin Marshall, Stefania Maurizi, Greg Palast, Michael Parenti, John Pilger, Kevin Pina, Ted Rall, Paul Craig Roberts, John Ross, David Rovics, Joan Russow, Danny Schechter, Vandana Shiva, Norman Solomon, David Swanson, Andy Worthington, Mickey Z., Howard Zinn and many others.
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.
Welcome to Gorilla Radio recorded March 8th, 2023.
March 20th marks the twentieth anniversary of America’s second invasion of Iraq. Despite the tens of millions of people across the globe coming into the streets to hold at bay the dogs of George Bush’s “generational war” Operation Iraqi Freedom’s “shock and awe” – called “blitzkrieg” in another era – was launched.
We all know what happened, and the failure of the People to stop the slaughter then and in Afghanistan in 2001 seemed to be the end of hope for the Peace Movement; but the flame for a World without War didn’t die, and has in fact recently been spotted flickering in the capitals of Europe, Canada, and even in Washington, D.C.
Ken Stone is an executive member of both the Syria Support Movement International and Hamilton Coalition to Stop the Wars.
Today, Ken Stone and the smouldering desire for peace.
Welcome to Gorilla Radio recorded March 8th, 2023.
March 20th marks the twentieth anniversary of America’s second invasion of Iraq. Despite the tens of millions of people across the globe coming into the streets to hold at bay the dogs of George Bush’s “generational war” Operation Iraqi Freedom’s “shock and awe” – called “blitzkrieg” in another era – was launched.
We all know what happened, and the failure of the People to stop the slaughter then and in Afghanistan in 2001 seemed to be the end of hope for the Peace Movement; but the flame for a World without War didn’t die, and has in fact recently been spotted flickering in the capitals of Europe, Canada, and even in Washington, D.C.
And; far from fulfilling its mandate to first be an agent opposing war in the World the United Nations’ repeated failures in that seminal mission are now manifest in its endeavoring the opposite, the promotion of economic sanctions and military intervention. At least the recently released ‘Group of Experts on Human Rights on Nicaragua’ report leaves little else to conclude.
Dan Kovalik is a lawyer, educator, labour, peace, and justice activist, democracy defender, journalist, author, and filmmaker. 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, Russia, (and the World generally) and ‘No More War: How the West Violates International Law by Using ‘Humanitarian’ Intervention to Advance Economic and Strategic Interest.’
His latest is the recently released, ‘Nicaragua: A History of US Intervention & Resistance‘, which “explores the pernicious nature of US engagement with Nicaragua from the mid-19th century to the present in pursuit of control and domination rather than in defense of democracy“.
Dan Kovalik and the latest chapter in the hybrid war* against Nicaragua in the second half.
But first, Ken Stone and the smouldering desire for peace.
Welcome to Gorilla Radio, recorded December 10th, 2022.
As the war in Ukraine grinds on one casualty of the conflict rarely discussed is that on the environment, both in the war zone and beyond it. War and the preparation for war is one of the most ecologically costly of all human endeavours – not only because of the vast amounts of nature laid waste in the production of tanks and planes, and bombs and bullets, but also for the diversion of the time and talents of legions of scientists, engineers, and others which would be better occupied working on solutions to the precarious moment humanity finds itself in.
Dimitri Lascaris is a Montreal-based activist, journalist, and lawyer. He very nearly became leader of the Green Party of Canada, finishing second in a tightly-contested race with the now-departed Annamie Paul. Dimitri’s interviews for TRNN are at TheRealNews.com, and his articles appear at his website, DimitriLascaris.org, where I found his recent piece, ‘As Ukraine War Escalates, the Climate Movement Goes AWOL‘.
Dimitri Lascaris in the first half.
And; the nature of the conflict in Ukraine has been mischaracterized from the start. How and why we find ourselves at the precipice of perhaps the final war cannot be gleaned reading, watching, or listening to a western press which has, by turns, acted as propagandist and cheerleader for World War III. And, understanding that has never been more vital than it is now.
Dan Kovalik is a lawyer, educator, labour, peace, and justice activist, democracy defender, journalist, author, and filmmaker. 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, Russia, and the World entirely. His latest is, ‘No More War: How the West Violates International Law by Using ‘Humanitarian’ Intervention to Advance Economic and Strategic Interest.’ Dan’s just back from a fact-finding mission to Russia and the Eastern Republics of Ukraine.
Dan Kovalik and life in World War time in the second half.
But first, Dimtri Lascaris and Canada’s Green movement, missing in action when needed most.
Welcome to Gorilla Radio, recorded October 6th and 9th, 2022.
Whether by design or merely the inevitable, organic results of societal organization in this first quarter of the 21st Century, Covid has transformed the world in these last two years. Now the fear of illness and disease engendered by a disease few understand is being deliberately manipulated; used as a tool to turn the screws of what can only be described as the machinery of totalitarian control of the people. The leading actors in this drive may seem at first blush to be the billionaire class that has profited so handsomely throughout the crisis – but according to my first guest, it goes much deeper than that.
Jeremy Kuzmarov is a journalist and author who also serves as Managing Editor of CovertActionMagazine.com. 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 recent piece at CovertAction, ‘How Much is Covid Being Used as a Pretext for Imposing Ever Greater Levels of Social Control?‘ addresses the largely unasked question lurking behind the Pandemic Response.
Jeremy Kuzmarov in the first half.
And; the United States and its allies have uniformly condemned the referenda in Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhia, and Kherson, just as the same chorus shouted down the Crimean referendum to join Russia in 2014. As has been the case throughout the Ukraine troubles, six is nine in Western media, but in this case challenging the legitimacy of the political will of the people Kyiv has bombed, rocketed, and starved for eight years takes the cake, cherry-topped and all.
Dan Kovalik is a lawyer, educator, labour, peace, and justice activist, democracy defender, journalist, author, and filmmaker. Dan’s observed elections in Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Colombia – where he witnessed the 2016 peace plebiscite promising an end to the generational war there. Kovalik’s 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, Russia, (and to control the World entirely) and his latest is, ‘No More War: How the West Violates International Law by Using ‘Humanitarian’ Intervention to Advance Economic and Strategic Interest.’
Dan Kovalik and searching for legitimacy amid Ukraine’s disintegration in the second half.
But first, Jeremy Kuzmarov and Covid, a crisis by design or opportunity?
Welcome to Gorilla Radio, recorded August 20th, 2022
Colombia inaugurated Gustavo Petro earlier this month. The election was close fought, the results indicating a near even divide between the Pacto Histórico candidate and his right-wing opposition, who split the vote between them, allowing Petro’s victory. But, whether loved or loathed what’s certain is, Colombia’s first ever leftist president has made history, and could bring “historic change” to South America’s most troubled nation. At least so says my first guest, who’s recently returned from attending the August 7th inauguration ceremonies in Bogota.
Dan Kovalik is a lawyer, educator, labour, peace, and justice activist, democracy defender, journalist, author, and filmmaker. Dan’s observed elections in Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Colombia – where he witnessed the 2016 peace plebiscite promising an end to the generational war there. Kovalik’s 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, Russia, (and to control the World entirely) and his latest is, ‘No More War: How the West Violates International Law by Using ‘Humanitarian’ Intervention to Advance Economic and Strategic Interest.’ His recent article, ‘Colombia’s First Leftist President Will Bring Historic Change, If the US Lets Him’ is a sign post at Colombia’s political crossroad.
Dan Kovalik in the first half.
And; it’s no surprise Canada’s foreign policy is aligned with the United States on Ukraine, Russia, Iran, China, and Latin America; successive federal governments have always got along by going along with our behemoth neigbour south, but it would shock many Canadians to learn the degree to which their political system has been infiltrated, and the mechanisms used to deliver the nation’s decision-making into foreign hands.
Aidan Jonah is the Editor-in-Chief of The Canada Files, a socialist, anti-imperialist news site covering Canadian imperialism, federal politics, and left-wing resistance to colonialism across the world. Jonah has broken numerous stories, including how the Canadian Armed Forces trained neo-Nazi “journalist” Roman Protasevich while he was with the Azov Battalion, and how a CIA front group funded the group which drove the so-called “Uyghur genocide” vote in parliament.
Its been almost thirty years since the Mike Harcourt NDP arrested more than a thousand people protesting the clearcut destruction of Clayoquot Sound. More than a generation later the ‘War in the Woods’ seems a cause lost to those still fighting to protect ancient forests here. Save Old Growth is a nascent citizen’s resistance campaign organizing to pressure the provincial government to legislate an end to old growth logging now!
Sophie Papp and Zain Haq are coordinators of the Save Old Growth campaign. Sophie is an islander who while studying at UVic worked too with Access4All advocating for expanded online access for immuno-compromised students, and those facing other in-person class barriers. Zain is a co-founder of and strategist for Save Old Growth. He’s been arrested multiple times for civil disobedience and was imprisoned earlier this year for blockading the path of the TransMountain pipeline.
Sophie Papp and Zain Haq in the first half.
And; Colombians voted in national elections last week. It’s seen as the first real chance to unseat finally the far right power structure that has brutalized social justice and environmental activists, the indigenous people, and union organizers there for more than three generations. The favourite going into the May 29th poll, leftist Gustavo Petro and running mate, Francia Marquez fell just short of the 50% needed for a first round victory, so will face another vote against second place finisher, Rodolfo Hernandez June 19th.
Dan Kovalik is a lawyer, educator, labour, peace, and justice activist, democracy defender, journalist, author, and filmmaker. Dan has observed elections in Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Colombia – where he witnessed the 2016 peace plebiscite promising an end to the generational war there. Of Kovalik’s 2020 film, ‘Nicaragua: The April Crisis & Beyond‘ on 2018’s so-called uprising in Nicaragua, Oliver Stone said, “Kovalik helps cut through the Orwellian lies and dissembling which make so-called ‘humanitarian intervention possible.”
Kovalik’s book titles include: ‘No More War: How the West Violates International Law by Using ‘Humanitarian’ Intervention to Advance Economic and Strategic Interest,’ ‘Cancel This Book: The Progressive Case Against Cancel Culture,’ and the “Plot to” series on American efforts to undermine the governments and economies of Iran, Venezuela, Russia, and to control the World entirely.
Dan Kovalik and Colombia’s second try at an electoral first in the second half.
But first, Sophie Papp and Zain Haq and stopping old growth logging.
Welcome to Gorilla Radio, recorded April 23rd, 2022
The principle behind America’s infamous military industrial complex isn’t complicated. The formula is as predictable a process as making brunch; a simple recipe anyone can replicate – given the right ingredients. Step 1. Identify an enemy and stir up the people against him. Step 2. Set temperature to boil and allocate money through congress to fight enemy. Step 3. Cycle said funds through baked-in process of weapons procurement, and voila! It’s so simple a child could do it.
Thursday, Joe Biden announced a further 800 million dollars worth of U.S. military aid for the Ukraine pot. This comes atop the roughly billion and half American bucks officially devoted to the war effort there – and brings the grand total of monies delivered or promised to more than $13.6 billion. That’s some brunch! But then that’s only the amount they’ve told us about: The real cost of this meal is much, much dearer.
Dan Kovalik is a lawyer, educator, award-winning journalist, union activist, human rights and democracy defender, filmmaker, and author. His book titles include: ‘No More War: How the West Violates International Law by Using ‘Humanitarian’ Intervention to Advance Economic and Strategic Interest,’ ‘Cancel This Book: The Progressive Case Against Cancel Culture,’ and the “Plot to” series on American efforts to undermine the governments and economies of Iran, Venezuela, Russia, and to control the World entirely.
Dan Kovalik in the first half.
And; for two years now the planet has been held in thrall by a triad of media, the international medical community, and Big Pharma. We’ve all been told ad nauseum to follow the advice of the experts, sacrifice for the greater good, and most importantly of all, trust and follow the science. But can we safely put the World in the mouth of what my second guest calls “an outdated medical system invested in archaic practices“?
Gary Charbonneau is a Vancouver-based independent filmmaker whose first film, Vancouver Aquarium Uncovered made news in part for defeating attempts by that cetacean harbouring entity to use the courts to have his film quashed. Now Charbonneau is back and taking on another sacred cow with his timely documentary, The Medical Illusion: A Health Care in Crisis.
Gary Charbonneau and making the necessary transition to a new health care paradigm in the second half.
But first, Dan Kovalik and the bitter harvest of America’s long plotting against Russia being reaped now in Ukraine.
Today I’ll play out this stained 2021 in four fitting quarters taken from four of this past year’s 52 Gorilla Radio programs…
There will be bloviating and some music too… First off, the threat of nuclear annihilation is back! America’s team NATO has pushed Russia against the atomic wall in Ukraine with the prospect of U.S. nuclear-tipped missiles parked within just a few minutes flight time from Moscow.
In November, Vladimir Putin reiterated his “red line warning” regarding that near proximity and the existential threat it represented, making clear Russian missiles were now on a “5 minute” flight time hair trigger.
John Helmer is the most often appearing guest over the 23 years GR has aired. He’s worked in and reported from Russia for the better part of the last thirty years, both before and since the disintegration of the Soviet system. Helmer’s a journalist, author, broadcaster, former political advisor to government, and principle behind the news website, Dances with Bears. Some of his many book titles include: ‘The Lie that Shot Down MH-17,’ ‘Skripal in Prison,’ ‘The Man Who Knows Too Much About Russia,’ and ‘Hitler Didn’t Die in Berlin – He Moved to Melbourne Where He Runs the State Government of Victoria: A True Covid-19 Thriller’ among many others. Here’s John Helmer on NATO’s Ukraine gambit and the new nuclear race’s comeback.
Another Australian journalist, Julian Assange spent all of 2021 as he had 2020 and most of 2019 suffering maximum security lockdown in London’s Belmarsh Prison for the crime of revealing the crimes of empire. The political prisoners of 2021 after the break.
As well as the USA/NATO war machine’s pushing the World ever nearer the brink of catastrophic war with Russia – and perhaps China too – this year past, it has too worked diligently to undermine civil society at home. Part of that effort includes the shutting down of dissenting narrative online, none arguably more vital to understanding our state of perpetual warfare than WikiLeaks – author of The Afghan and Iraq War Logs, Guantanamo and Syria Files, Vault 7 CIA Hacking Tools revelations, and the devastating Collateral Murder video among many others.
Earlier this month, Britain’s appellate court overturned a High Court ruling denying a U.S. extradition petition on the grounds of prisoner Assange’s fragile mental and physical health, allowing he be rendered unto American Justice to face unprecedented charges against a journalist and foreign national that could amount to almost two centuries worth of confinement. His family and supporters, and independent medical investigators with the United Nations fear Assange will not survive even the pre-trial detention.
Steve Poikonen is an activist and host of the ‘Slow News Day‘ podcast – available at Rokfin. He’s also an organizer with Action4Assange, co-host of the #FreeAssange Vigil, and has participated in and helped organized multiple actions for Assange in Washington, D.C., and elsewhere in the U.S. I spoke to Steve several times over the course of the year on the slow progress of the political case against the publisher, the last time in October. Here’s Steve Poikonen on the continued Assange case charade.
That’s Steve Poikonen. You can support his work over at Slow News Day podcast on Rokfin.
You’re listening to Gorilla Radio’s send off of 2021. I’ve heard it said this year was merely a replay of the unloved 2020; if only it were true. In this part of the World, across all metrics of progressive thought, 2021 marks a drastic decline in human rights and civil liberties. And it seems about to be getting worse. Julian Assange wasn’t the only political prisoner held last year; whether Alex Saab in Cape Verde, or Meng Wanzhou in Canada, the much vaunted “rule of law” is increasingly seen for what it is: a sad joke. But the situation in Palestine is beyond even black humour. Israel’s child prisoners after the break…
As serious an abrogation of first principles Canada’s arrest and imprisonment of Huawai executive Meng Wanzhou was, or its continued failure to speak out for the political persectuion of Julian Assange is the country’s utter abandonment of Palestinian children to Israel’s military court system puts the lie to our claim – and self-regard – as an international human rights exemplar. ‘Canada Stand Up for Palestinian Children’s Rights’ is a coalition of human rights organizations who are currently engaged in a continuing awareness-raising campaign because our government has failed in its response to the systemic “kidnap, arrest, detainment, abuse, torture, and murder of Palestinian children…”
Keith Simmonds is a United Church of Canada minister who served as a World Council of Churches human rights observer (Ecumenical Accompanier) in Palestine in early 2020. Stationed in Bethlehem he also spent time in Jerusalem, Galilee and Tulkarem. The ‘second career minister’ has too served as a labour and community organizer, volunteer firefighter and ERT team member, and worked as an assistant to provincial cabinet ministers among other things in a varied career.
That was Keith Simmonds of the United Church of Canada speaking on the ‘Canada Stand Up for Palestinian Children’s Rights’ a coalition of human rights organizations.
Again, you’re listening to Gorilla Radio’s 2021 Year-End show. I’ve chosen four of the 52 shows recorded this year, and so far it’s all been pretty grim news – that is after all the specialty here – but I won’t leave you on the precipice of 2022 without at least a quantum of hope, a scintilla of good tidings. Elections were held throughout Latin America in 2021, and, (with only the dubious exception of Ecuador) the Pink Tide – that is those governments advertising themselves as proponents for the common people – won office. A rising tide in for human rights in Latin America after the break.
Dan Kovalik has been a frequent guest on the show over the years. Dan’s a lawyer, educator, labour, peace, and justice activist, democracy defender, journalist, author, and filmmaker. Dan has observed elections in Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Colombia, and he was down in Nicaragua to witnessed the reelection of man El Norte despises, Daniel Ortega. I’ll finish with Dan and thank John Helmer, Steve Poikonen, Keith Simmonds, and all the good folks at the station keeping the wheels turning week in and week out. There’s great programming coming up, but that’s all I’ve got for this year, until the next…
Welcome to Gorilla Radio, recorded October 31st and November 4th, 2021
November 1st marks the day Russia formally ends its diplomatic mission to the Western alliance’s military arm, NATO. Explaining the move, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov told the press, “[T]he basic conditions for common work no longer exist.” NATO spokesperson, Oana Lungescu called the break in relations regrettable, saying, “We have strengthened our deterrence and defence in response to Russia’s aggressive actions, while at the same time we remain open to dialogue...”
The break ostensibly follows the expulsion again from Brussels of Russian diplomats accused of being spies, but is really the culmination of years of allegations and unfounded charges leveled against the country by the West in what amounts to a determined campaign of diplomatic and media warfare.
John Helmer is a journalist, author, broadcaster, former political advisor to government, and principal behind the news website, Dances with Bears. Among Helmer’s many books titles are, ‘The Lie That Shot Down MH-17’ ‘Skripal in Prison’, ‘The Man Who Knows Too Much About Russia’, ‘Hitler Didn’t Die in Berlin – He Moved to Melbourne Where He Runs the State Government of Victoria: A True Covid-19 Thriller’, and the just hot of the presses, ‘Complete Dances with Bears Comic Book’, a “true to life comic book coated in laughter, the only antidote certain to neutralize Novichok in your underpants, or a BUK rocket headed for your jetliner.” Helmer’s recent article, ‘Little Boy & Fatman – The Two Info-War Bombs Dropped on Russia‘ chronicles the continued hard cover and paperback edition assault on the country.
John Helmer in the first half.
And; November 7th Nicaraguans go to the polls in national and local elections. It’s another test for long-time president, Daniel Ortega’s government; a test the United States and it’s ally Canada are eager to see him fail. Following years of crippling financial sanctions, and a determined media campaign of demonization and misinformation coming from the North, the question now is if Nicaraguan’s will continue to support Ortega 14 years into the former Sandanista guerrilla’s socialist reform program.
Dan Kovalik is a lawyer, educator, labour, peace, and justice activist, democracy defender, journalist, author, and filmmaker. Dan has observed elections in Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Colombia – where he witnessed the 2016 peace plebiscite promising an end to the generational war there. Of Kovalik’s 2020 film, ‘Nicaragua: The April Crisis & Beyond‘ on 2018’s so-called uprising in Nicaragua, Oliver Stone said, “Kovalik helps cut through the Orwellian lies and dissembling which make so-called ‘humanitarian intervention possible.”
Dan is currently in Nicaragua’s capital, Managua preparing for the election.
Dan Kovalik and Nicaragua’s testing time in the second half.
But first, John Helmer and the media crusade keeping the New Cold War with Russia on ice.
Welcome to Gorilla Radio, recorded November 4th, 2021
November 7th Nicaraguans go to the polls in national and local elections. It’s another test for long-time president, Daniel Ortega’s government; a test the United States and it’s ally Canada are eager to see him fail. Following years of crippling financial sanctions, and a determined media campaign of demonization and misinformation coming from the North, the question now is if Nicaraguan’s will continue to support Ortega 14 years into the former Sandanista guerrilla’s socialist reform program.
Dan Kovalik is a lawyer, educator, labour, peace, and justice activist, democracy defender, journalist, author, and filmmaker. Dan has observed elections in Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Colombia – where he witnessed the 2016 peace plebiscite promising an end to the generational war there.
Some of Kovalik’s many book titles include: ‘The Plot to Scapegoat Russia’, ‘The Plot to Attack Iran’, ‘The Plot to Control the World, ‘The Plot to Overthrow Venezuela’ ‘No More War: How the West Violates International Law by Using ‘Humanitarian’ Intervention to Advance Economic and Strategic Interests’, and his latest, ‘Cancel This Book: The Progressive Case Against Cancel Culture’.
Of Kovalik’s 2020 film ‘Nicaragua: The April Crisis & Beyond’ on 2018’s so-called uprising in Nicaragua, Oliver Stone said, “Kovalik helps cut through the Orwellian lies and dissembling which make so-called ‘humanitarian intervention possible.”
Dan is currently in Nicaragua’s capital, Managua preparing for the election.
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?
Welcome back to Gorilla Radio’s Home Edition, recorded live-to-tape via Skype on this date, October 26th, 2020.
There is jubilation in Bolivia, as the people’s representatives are again in power following the removal by force of arms last year of president Evo Morales’ MAS party. The party’s new iteration, under the leadership of Luis Arces, won an even larger majority than last time, sweeping away the coup perpetrators. Canada was among the first countries in 2019 to confer legitimacy on the coup, and following its lead Canada-registered mining company Orvana Minerals used the opportunity the extreme-right political shift presented to undo labour agreements already signed and sack its unionized workers.
Kirsten Francescone is the Latin America Program Coordinator at MiningWatch Canada. Kirsten lived and worked in Bolivia for five years prior to commencing her PhD in Anthropology and Political Economy at Carleton University.
Kirsten Francescone in the first half.
And; while the landslide election victory of Evo Morales’ MAS party was and is cause for elation throughout Bolivia and the Americas for those long-suffering under the heel of El Norte, Luis Arces’ supporters can be forgiven if their celebrations are tempered with caution, considering what happened the last time it won elections there.
Dan Kovalik and Bolivia’s second chance in the second half.
And; CFUV Radio broadcaster and host of Plant Powered Radio, Janine Bandcroft will be here at the bottom of the hour with the Left Coast Events Bulletin of some of the good things to be gotten up to in and around our town in the coming week.
But first, Kirsten Francescone and following the foreign corporate/government power nexus in Bolivia.
Welcome back to Gorilla Radio’s Home Edition, recorded live-to-tape via Skype on this date, October 21st, 2020.
Sunday’s landslide election victory of Evo Morales’ MAS party was and is cause for elation throughout Bolivia and the Americas this week; at least for those long-suffering under the heel of El Norte. But Luis Arces’ supporters can be forgiven if their celebrations are tempered with caution, considering what happened the last time a leftist government won elections there.
Daniel Kovalik is a lawyer, educator, labour, peace, and justice activist, democracy defender, journalist and author. A labor and human rights lawyer since graduating from Columbia Law School, Dan has represented plaintiffs in Alien Tort Statute cases arising from human rights abuses in Colombia. He’s also a recipient of the David W. Mills Mentoring Fellowship from Stanford Law School, frequent lecturer, television and radio political commentator, and his articles appear online at the Huffington Post and Counterpunch, among other places.
Everyone knows plastic, the stuff almost all of us use daily, as the greatest bane modern civilization has bestowed upon the natural environment. Destined by design to outlive both humanity and the rest of biological life, it seems hardly a day goes by without a new and more destructive facet of this ubiquitous material being unearthed.
My first guest discovered this firsthand when he found “nurdles” while taking part in a Surfrider beach cleanup at Victoria’s picturesque Willow’s Beach.
And; those believing the Bolivarian Revolution down for the count following the death of its most emblematic spokesperson, Hugo Chavez will just have to keep counting.
From Mexico to Argentina, Atlantic to Pacific, there is a groundswell of activism determined to throw off again the yolk of tyranny.
Daniel Kovalik is a lawyer, educator, labour, peace, and justice activist, democracy defender, journalist and author. He teaches international human rights law at the University of Pittsburgh School of Law, and was until recently Senior Associate General Counsel for the United Steel Workers Union. Kovalik has observed elections in Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Colombia, where he too witnessed the 2016 peace plebiscite promising an end to the generational war there.
Dan’s also served as an attorney for Colombian plaintiffs in cases alleging corporate human rights violations, and is co-recipient of a Project Censored Award for chronicling the murder of trade unionists in Colombia. Some of his many book titles include: ‘The Plot to Scapegoat Russia: How the CIA and the Deep State Have Conspired to Vilify Putin’, ‘The Plot to Attack Iran: How the CIA and the Deep State Have Conspired to Vilify Iran’, ‘The Plot to Control the World: How the US Spent Billions to Change the Outcome of Elections Around the World, and his latest, ‘The Plot to Overthrow Venezuela: How the US Is Orchestrating a Coup for Oil.’
Dan Kovalik and the rising waters of justice south in the second half.
And; Victoria-based activist and long-time Gorilla Radio contributor, Janine Bandcroft will be here at the bottom of the hour to bring us up to speed with some of what’s good to get up to in and around our town in the coming week. But first, David Boudinot and the trouble with nurdles.
