Tag: World Beyond War

Gorilla Radio with Chris Cook, David Swanson, Jackie Larkin September 9, 2021

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Welcome back to Gorilla Radio’s Home Edition, recorded September 1st and 4th, 2021

Many took heart when America announced an end to its military occupation of Afghanistan last month. But optimism for a beginning of peace in that benighted country’s decades-long state of civil conflict and uncertainty is now clouded by bellicose statements made in Washington by an administration that seems to want to end its war and fight it too. Following a recent attack against civilians and American troops at Kabul’s airport, in a speech delivered to the World, president Biden made it clear the killing would continue saying,

“To those who carried out this attack, as well as anyone who wishes America harm, know this: We will not forgive. We will not forget. We will hunt you down and make you pay.”

These sentiments echo George W. Bush, who in commencing the invasion of Afghanistan twenty years ago said,

“We will not waver; we will not tire; we will not falter; and we will not fail.”

David Swanson is an author, journalist, broadcaster, peace and justice activist, and executive director of World BEYOND War. The multiple Nobel Peace Prize nominee and U.S. Peace Prize recipient also hosts Talk World Radio and blogs at WarIsACrime.org, and DavidSwanson.org. His recent article, ‘No More Attacks on Afghanistan‘ is co-authored with peace activists Kathy Kelly, Nick Mottern, and Brian Terrell.

David Swanson in the first half.

And; last week video of the RCMP’s Emergency Response Team abusing land defenders at the Fairy Creek Blockade served as a further embarrassment for the national police force. Or at least the incident captured, just one in a series of disturbing actions, (including peace officers smashing helpless guitars) would embarrass any organization with a capacity for shame; something the RCMP have so far proven incapable of.

A recent statement from the Mounties regarding its strategy of enforcing an injunction against the protest declares ignorance reading,

“To date, we are not aware that we have received official complaints from any arrested persons as it relates to enforcement in Fairy Creek.”

That disclaimer was dated August 19th, ten days after an ERT assault on the Fairy Creek camp coinciding with the first anniversary of the blockade. There’s been more to complain about since.

Jackie Larkin is an educator and facilitator, social justice strategic planner and health care advocate. She’s an active member of the environmental change movement and co-leader of ‘The Work That Reconnects‘, a “deep exploration of our emotional, spiritual and ecological connection to all life on Earth”. Jackie is also a member of Elders for Ancient Trees, allies in the effort to protect the forest and lands under threat at Fairy Creek.

Jackie Larkin and standing for the forest in the second half.

But first, David Swanson and stopping finally western attacks against Afghanistan.

Chris Cook hosts Gorilla Radio, airing 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 Rovics, David Swanson January 28th, 2021

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Welcome back to Gorilla Radio’s Home Edition, recorded on the dates, January 25th and 26th, 2021.

And welcome to the dawning of, if not the Age of Aquarius, then the beginning of the end of the Trump Epoch. Of course, Joe Biden would have this moment be the start of his “Era”, but who out there believes there’s time enough left for that? At any rate, it is an opportunity for America to assess where it is and wants to be, and to perhaps finally give policy a chance.

David Rovics describes himself as a broadcaster, musician, blogger, and author of the novel, ‘A Busker’s Adventures’; but he is too a rabble-rousing, anarcho-socialist type, whose frequent essays on political issues and societal observation are featured at CounterPunch and Dissident Voice.org, among other places. David is also a husband and parent, alt-media maven, resident of the famously restive Portland, Oregon, and man with a special talent for pissing people off. His weekly program, This Week with David Rovics can be found through his website, DavidRovics.com.

David Rovics in the first half.

And; it’s not only the raging grease fire Trump left burning in America’s kitchen Biden needs addressing, there’s also the problem with the neighbours  to be dealt with. While some may fondly remember the Obama years, those overseas recall Joe riding shotgun on an interventionist foreign policy nightmare, the disastrous effects of which are still roiling the World beyond Pennsylvania Avenue.

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. In his recent article, ‘Pope’s Words to Biden in Open Letter‘ Swanson puts the Pontiff in Catholic president, Biden’s policy equation.

David Swanson and preempting a third term of American intervention in the second half.

But first, David Rovics and the dangers of making sense in a post-sensical America.

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, 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, David Swanson, Andy Worthington, Janine Bandcroft May 28, 2020

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Welcome to Gorilla Radio’s continuing efforts, NOT broadcast live from CFUV Radio, located in the basement of the Student Union Building at the University of Victoria, but emanating instead live-to-tape via Skype from our home-based … studios on this date, April 27th, 2020.

After, how many, months of this Corona virus aren’t we all sick of hearing about it? I know I am. So finally, this show is NOT about the Covid-19 outbreak…except it is. For those paying attention there are cracks in the media’s wall-to-wall pandemic coverage, allowing the light of truth still get in. And, what that spotlight reveals is the efforts made by the usual bad actors to leverage this emergency for their best advantage. From big money for big business, to the erasure of rights and freedoms for the little people, corona is the new crisis bonanza. But, there are two sides to that sword. Just as the disaster capitalists and crypto fascists are doing their damnedest to make more Hell of this on Earth, others see the opportunity presented by the pause in the economic paradigm to reorder global priorities, and perhaps make of the moment a better future.

David Swanson is a peace, justice, and political activist. The journalist, broadcaster, essayist, and executive director of World BEYOND War and campaign coordinator for RootsAction.org, is too a Nobel Peace Prize Nominee, and host of Talk Nation Radio. His book titles include: ‘War Is A Lie’, ‘When the World Outlawed War’, and ‘War No More: The Case for Abolition’. He blogs at WarIsACrime.org, and DavidSwanson.org, where I found his recent article, ‘The Economic Benefits of a Global Ceasefire’.

David Swanson in the first half.

And; before Covid-19 Britain’s national healthcare system, the NHS, was under attack. Vaunted as the first and best promise of a societal shift in favour of the common people following the Second World War, the NHS has suffered economic debasement by successive governments, and has been especially and habitually traduced by the conservative Tory party and its friends in the elite-dominated press. Over the last ten, terrible years of Tory rule though, the NHS has been ruthlessly savaged. Little wonder then that when the emergency did come they were ill-equipped to respond.
Andy Worthington is an English journalist, activist, author, photo-historian, filmmaker, musician, song-writer and principle of The Four Fathers band. He is too, co-founder of the ongoing Close Guantánamo campaign, and successfully completed, We Stand With Shaker campaign of 2014-15. Worthington’s book titles include: ‘The Guantánamo Files: The Stories of the 774 Detainees in America’s Illegal Prison’, ‘Stonehenge: Celebration and Subversion’, and ‘The Battle of the Beanfield’. His articles appear at his website, AndyWorthington.co.uk, where I found his recent piece, ‘The Coronavirus Lockdown, Hidden Suffering, and Delusions of a Rosy Future’.

Andy Worthington and health, wealth, and lessons recently learnt in the second half.

And; long-time Gorilla Radio contributor, 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, David Swanson and ceasing fire to take hold of the moment.