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Gorilla Radio with Chris Cook, Ron Ridenour, Leigh Vossen, Cassie Shroeder July 2nd, 2022

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Welcome to Gorilla Radio, recorded July 2nd 2022

As Summer’s dog days begin the drums of war are beating with heightening intensity. Canada’s prime minister, Justin Trudeau at the close of NATO’s Madrid confab dedicated his country’s future to one of increased war-making, promising more weaponry to the current hot war in Ukraine, and announced the inauguration of a “NATO research project”, the Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic devoted to expected wars the military alliance will wage to secure the continued global economic domination of its member nations.

Trudeau’s bellicosity and hubris is no surprise, but that traditional pacifist nations in the alliance are willing to go along with NATO’s blatantly antagonistic New Strategic Concept is a worrisome sign of disasters to come.

Ron Ridenour is an ex-pat American journalist, author, editor, and peace and social justice activist currently living in Denmark. He’s worked as a special correspondent and freelancer for numerous publications in Europe, the US, and Latin America, including CovertAction Magazine where I found his recent article, ‘Does Iceland Set Benchmark for Peaceful and Politically Engaged People?’

Ron Ridenour in the first half.

And; two and a half years after the onset of Covid-19 the pandemic is widely regarded as a past event. Even so, governments and media are warning of next wave variants they say require vaccination and booster regimens be again ramped up.

Leigh Vossen and Cassie Shroeder are members of Students Against Mandates, an organized manifestation of Canadian post-secondary students and their allies “fighting for the right of all students to receive an education, regardless of personal medical decisions.”

Leigh Vossen and Cassie Shroeder on students standing against mandates in the second half.

But first, Ron Ridenour and Iceland’s essential place in a possible peaceful global future.

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/

Gorilla Radio with Chris Cook, Steve Poikonen, Ron Ridenour June 24, 2021

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Welcome back to Gorilla Radio’s Home Edition, recorded on the dates, June 13 and 19th, 2021.

On June 11 agents working for the American government arrested American “hacktivist” and man behind the Anonymous mask in some of that entity’s early public releases, Commander X from his home in Mexico City. Chris Doyon had been on the run, evading charges of masterminding a denial of service attack against the computer systems of the town of Santa Cruz more than a decade ago. The size of the operation to take Doyon into custody is curious, given the minor nature of the action he’s accused of participating in and the many years passed. Regardless, Commander X is back in the USA and in federal custody.

Steve Poikonen is an activist and hosts the ‘Slow News Day‘ podcast, available at Rokfin. He’s also an organizer with Action4Assange, and co-host of the #FreeAssange Vigil and has participated in and helped organized multiple actions in Washington, D.C., to bring attention to the plight of the imprisoned journalist and publisher. Steve’s hosted Doyon several times on Slow News Day and is now organizing support for his release.

Steve Poikonen in the first half.

Weeks past election day and still there is no clear winner declared in Peru’s presidential election. The contest pitted convicted felon and daughter of former president, Alberto Fujimori (himself currently in prison) against leftist upstart and political novice, Pedro Castillo. Castillo had a lead going in to the second round of the poll, but that’s when things started to get funny. In what looks eerily similar to election reversals in Bolivia in 2019, and earlier this year in Ecuador, a leftist contender could be defeated when all the numbers were going his way.

Some of Ridenour’s many book titles include: ‘The Russian Peace Threat: Pentagon on Alert’, ‘Cuba: Revolution in Action’, and ‘Backfire: The CIA’s Biggest Burn’. Ron’s articles also feature at numerous online sites, including on ThisCantBeHappening.net, and CovertAction Magazine, where his latest, ‘Left-Wing Populist, Pedro Castillo, Leads Polls Before June 6th Election in Peru’.

Ron Ridenour and will Pedro Castillo follow in the footsteps of Evo Morales and Andres Arauz? in the second half.

But first, Steve Poikonen and freeing the Commander.

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

Gorilla Radio with Chris Cook, Ron Ridenour, Sean Horlor, Steve J. Adams April 22, 2021

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Welcome back to Gorilla Radio’s Home Edition, recorded April 14th and 19th, 2021

It seemed in the bag. Going into the second round of Ecuador’s presidential election all the smart money was on Correista and Union of Hope leader, Andres Arauz. Arauz had mopped the floor with his two major opponents in the first round, falling just short of outright victory. But, South America’s Pink Tide will have to wait a little longer, at least in Ecuador. Instead of continuing the socialist path that had raised living standards for the poorest, (interrupted only by class traitor, Lenin Moreno) now millionaire banker, and former Coca Cola executive, Guillermo Lasso will take the reins of power in May.

Some of Ridenour’s many book titles include: ‘The Russian Peace Threat: Pentagon on Alert’, ‘Cuba: Revolution in Action’, and ‘Backfire: The CIA’s Biggest Burn’.

Ron’s articles also feature at numerous online sites, including on ThisCantBeHappening.net, and CovertAction Magazine, where his latest, ‘Ecuador’s New Socialist Party Set to Win Elections Despite U.S. Intervention and Deceptive Identity Politics‘ appears.

Ron Ridenour in the first half.

And; most Canadians take as granted the freedoms they have to be who they are and behave as they wish, (within the stricture of the law). But for some, enjoying the privilege of personal liberty is haunted by the knowledge there are others who must live in the shadows or face social exclusion, persecution, and even death.

Sean Horlor and Steve J. Adams are award-winning, Vancouver-based filmmakers whose new documentary, ‘Someone Like Me‘ follows the effort of a group of LGBTQ+ rights activists to sponsor and support a gay Ugandan man seeking asylum in Canada. Steve and Sean have more than twenty film collaborations behind them, and ‘Someone Like Me’, their first feature length doc, is an Official Selection for this year’s Hot Docs Festival.

Sean Horlor and Steve J. Adams, and fighting for the freedom to love fearlessly in the second half.

But first, Ron Ridenour and Ecuador’s election proving an ebb in South America’s resurgent Pink Tide.

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

Gorilla Radio with Chris Cook, David Swanson, Ron Ridenour, Janine Bandcroft November 12, 2020

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Welcome back to Gorilla Radio’s home edition, recorded live-to-tape via Skype on this date, November 10th, 2020.

It’s that week again, when the citizenry is bidden to bow in remembrance to sacrifices made at the various altars to empire and nationalism of this terrible last century of slaughter. For some that observation is a sombre duty, for others an opportunity to propagandize a pyramidal power construct relegating those at its base to suffer penury, servitude, systemic oppression, and to be periodically pitched into the maw of mechanized warfare.

This vicious cycle may seem eternal, even the natural order of things for we who have no living experience of Peace. But that is the lie of our time, and the abomination we’re called to celebrate on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of this eleventh month.

David Swanson is an author, activist, journalist, and broadcaster. He’s the executive director of World BEYOND War, campaign coordinator for RootsAction.org, and a past Nobel Peace Prize Nominee whose book titles include: ‘War Is A Lie’, ‘When the World Outlawed War’, and ‘Leaving WWII Behind’. David blogs at DavidSwanson.org and WarIsACrime.org, and he’s the host of Talk Nation Radio.

David Swanson in the first half.

And; while last week’s election carnival is yet to come to a head, what happens over the months following is anyone’s guess; there’s less uncertainty for the Julian Assange extradition hearings in London’s Old Bailey where presiding magistrate, Vanessa Baraitser adjourned proceedings saying, “One way or another, my decision is likely to go after the US elections.”

The hearing will resume January 4th, and Baraitser will assuredly rule as bidden to by whomever will reside on Pennsylvania Avenue.

Ron Ridenour is a journalist, author, editor, and peace and social justice activist. Some of Ridenour’s many book titles include: ‘The Russian Peace Threat: Pentagon on Alert’, ‘Cuba: Revolution in Action’, ‘Backfire: The CIA’s Biggest Burn’, and his latest, still in progress, ‘Winding Brook Stories’. Ron’s articles feature at numerous online sites, including on This Can’t Be Happening.net, where his ‘A Horror Story in Two Parts: Will England Send Assange-the-Messenger to America’s Dungeons?’ and ‘A Travesty of Justice: UK Caters to the US Government’s Desire to Crush Assange’ appear.

Ron Ridenour and coming out of the trenches for Julian Assange and WikiLeaks 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, and virtually too, in the coming week.

But first, David Swanson and rejecting war as business as usual.

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.ca/

Gorilla Radio with Chris Cook, Ron Ridenour November 2, 2020

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Welcome back to Gorilla Radio’s home edition, recorded on this date, November 2nd, 2020.

This week America’s election carnival will come to a head. What happens over the months following is anyone’s guess, but there’s less uncertainty for the Julian Assange extradition hearings in London’s Old Bailey where presiding magistrate, Vanessa Baraitser adjourned proceedings saying, “One way or another, my decision is likely to go after the US elections.” The hearing will resume January 4th, and Baraitser will assuredly rule as bidden to by whomever will reside on Pennsylvania Avenue.

Ron Ridenour is a journalist, author, editor, and peace and social justice activist. The ex-pat American has lived and worked in Cuba, Nicaragua, and Bolivia and currently calls Denmark home. He’s worked too as a special correspondent and freelancer for numerous publications in Europe the US, and Latin America, and served as press aid to Bolivia’s president, Evo Morales and the governments of Cuba and Nicaragua. Some of Ridenour’s many book titles include: ‘The Russian Peace Threat: Pentagon on Alert’, ‘Cuba: Revolution in Action’, ‘Backfire: The CIA’s Biggest Burn’, and his latest, still in progress, ‘Winding Brook Stories’.

Ron’s articles feature at numerous online sites, including on ThisCantBeHappening.net, where his ‘A Horror Story in Two Parts: Will England Send Assange-the-Messenger to America’s Dungeons?’ and ‘A Travesty of Justice: UK Caters to the US Government’s Desire to Crush Assange’ appear.

Today, Ron Ridenour and coming out of the trenches for Julian Assange and WikiLeaks.

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.ca/