Mickey Z
Cool Observer
Sunday, November 22, 2009
"Self Defense for Radicals" to be released next month
A very cool way to heat things up, MZ. Count me in.
Good timing, too. Tomorrow’s the National (sic) Call In Day to end the Afghan occupation. Use your telephone to stop the cluster-bombing of wedding parties on the other side of the planet. Now why didn’t I think of that?
Hello to all the Expendables.
Posted by Zen Prole from Pac NW on 11/22 at 09:06 AMNice review, except the bit about being careful to not put people off by suggesting it advocates violence.
The military, the police, the jailers, the fur trade, the factory farms, the bankers, the polluters are all fairly open and unapologetic about their violence.
It’s back to Malcom X ... violence in self defence is not violence, it’s intelligence.
Posted by Andy from shanghai on 11/22 at 09:57 AMThanks, Zen and Andy. Btw, I just added another “bonus link” to the main post.
Posted by Mickey Z. from Astoria on 11/22 at 10:33 AMExcellent telling point in the water article that the same amount of water used on the hamburger can help make 50 times as much veggie food.
Posted by Andy from shanghai on 11/22 at 10:41 AMAgreed, Andy. I need to write something new soon about the vegan debate, e.g. there is no debate when we’re talking about vegan vs. factory farming so let’s work together to end the global industry of animal foods and then we can sit down and discuss the morality and biology of vegan vs. small farms, etc.
Even captcha sez: system
Posted by Mickey Z. from Astoria on 11/22 at 10:54 AMHi Mickey, Andy, and Zen.
My comment on the book review? See Andy ‘s comment. It’s funny how freaked people get at the suggestion that violence might flow up the hierarchy, even in the interests of self defense.
Mickey, your comment (#5) is appreciated. The notion that “One pound of hamburger requires 2,500 gallons of water, which could instead have been used to grow more than 50 pounds of fruits and vegetables” might hold true for conventional factory farming, but it certainly is not true for small, organic mixed farms. Not even close.
You’re right: an immediate task is to bring factory farming (in all of its manifestations) to its knees. In my opinion this is a twofold process:
1. An immediate rejection of factory farmed foodstuffs.
2. The creation of more Earth-friendly food systems. This includes both production and distribution. It will not be an easy task when the cheap energy well starts to run dry. If we factor in the so-called Green Revolution’s one-time-only fertilizer fix, and the corresponding population boom, this process will probably be a nightmare.And Mickey: No misinterpretation this time. You are rightly condemning the industrial meat (and feed) system that is pulverizing the planet. Until this ends, any local green initiatives will ultimately prove meaningless.
Posted by Mike from Cariboo on 11/22 at 12:43 PMMike: You’ve helped me refine my vegan-related writing. Thanks.
Posted by Mickey Z. from Astoria on 11/22 at 12:44 PMHi everyone,
MZ: thanks for this. Can’t wait to read it. As for violence, I’ve learned a lot on the subject from reading Fanon. He discusses the ways that the capitalism is inherently violent. He argues that it’s not a matter of condoning or condemning violence; rather, violent resistance is systemic.Posted by noah from santa barbara, CA on 11/22 at 01:00 PMThanks, Noah. For the record (and before I get hauled off to Gitmo), the book is not simply a 40-page call for violence in an activist sense. It’s also practical self-defense advice on an individual level.
Posted by Mickey Z. from Astoria on 11/23 at 05:22 AMHi all. Really enjoying this discussion. I have recently significantly increased the percentage of my food that comes from small farms, organic farms, and local farms. And not set foot in a Whole Foods market!
It was interesting (?) how quickly the comments on the book review jumped away from anything to do with the book. Mike what you say (#6) about people fearing violence flowing up the hierarchy...the higher up you are, and the more you believe you belong there, the less you’ll tolerate the notion of righteous indignation morphing into action upwards. Time for the famous Eugene V. Debs quote:
Your Honor, years ago I recognized my kinship with all living beings, and I made up my mind that I was not one bit better than the meanest on earth. I said then, and I say now, that while there is a lower class, I am in it, and while there is a criminal element I am of it, and while there is a soul in prison, I am not free.
Posted by Keir from here and there on 11/23 at 06:39 AMI read an e-book of Steal This Book lately.
In it, Abbie Hoffman urges you to carry weapons as the ‘pigs’ are armed themselves.
Peaceful counter culture people didn’t make a point of going against him either - they just got on and DID their stuff too, an equally powerful statement.
Despite all the bluster about freedoms, can you imagine any of that stuff going on, say, tomorrow?
Mickey mentioned Gitmo - yes, and the other ‘international’ camps.
The Anglo-American power network can ‘disappear’ you without you being tried or convicted of a crime.
Isn’t that a regime?
Again, that’s what I learned coming to China and seeing how free and open it actually is in many respects --- NOT that China is “not that bad” and we were tricked by stereotypes of regimes ...but that WE are the ones being tricked by the types ... we are in regimes that are free in many other respects.
We have the military and police might, we have the Gitmos ... we have all that stuff. We have the regimes.
And ‘intellectuals’ tell us we are not that bad simply because our powers are not as extreme as others. And most people believe it.
That’s like saying, sure, I beat you up, stabbed you and broke your legs, but I’m fundamentally benevolent because that other guy would have pulled out your finger nails too.
Posted by Andy from shanghai on 11/23 at 06:50 AMBy the way
another Guardian gallery, but of a very different kind.
Recently released shots from the UK’s national archive showing aerial photos of sites after allied bomb attacks at the end of the war.
The most affecting, for me, is number 2 showing the centre of a German city after carpet bombing, every block is a hollow shell. It’s all downtown/residential and no warnings were given.
Posted by Andy from shanghai on 11/23 at 11:19 AMhi again,
Mickey, I wasn’t suggesting that you had written a call to arms (nor am I calling for that). It’s just that the question of violence often comes up in my seminars...Can’t wait to read…Posted by noah from santa barbara, CA on 11/23 at 11:20 AMHello again, everyone...and no sweat, Noah. I understood your point.
A new post is up...including more about the book.
Posted by Mickey Z. from Astoria on 11/23 at 11:48 AM
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