The Rag Blog | The Latest in News and Views from the Progressive Front

Robert Jensen :
MEDIA | Journalist launches online archive to document diversity of rural India

Posted on January 19, 2015 by Thorne Dreyer

P. Saimath’s People’s Archive of Rural India aims to make the ‘invisible India’ both visible and audible, not only to urban Indians but to the whole world.

Worshipping a steel rath in the state of Orissa, India. Image from People’s Archive of Rural India.

By Robert Jensen | The Rag Blog | January 19, 2015

P. Sainath started building the People’s Archive of Rural India only a couple of years ago. But the passion behind the innovative online project that mixes journalism and oral history, which was launched last month to overwhelming acclaim, goes back more than two decades.

As a young journalist in the early 1990s, Sainath helped focus India’s attention on rural poverty by traveling 100,000 kilometers to report stories for The Times of India. Born into an urban political and intellectual culture, Sainath found his professional calling in a countryside that many in the country’s rising middle class wanted to ignore in the era of the government’s “India Shining” public relations campaign.
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Posted in RagBlog | Tagged India, Indian Society, Journalism, Media, Oral History, P. Saimath, People's Archive of Rural India, Rag Bloggers, Robert Jensen | 1 Comment

Steve Weissman :
We are all Charlie, even as political hacks steal Charlie’s soul

Posted on January 18, 2015 by Thorne Dreyer

Within days, the French political elite and their international allies were using the tragedy to sell new policing measures.

A tearful cartoonist Luz (Renald Luzier) shows Charlie Hebdo cover at press conference in Paris, January 13, 2015. Photo from Getty Images / CBS News.

By Steve Weissman | Reader Supported News | January 19, 2015

∗ French-based journalist Steve Weissman joined legendary satirist Paul Krassner and The Rag Blog‘s David Hamilton as Thorne Dreyer’s guests on Rag Radio, Friday, January 16. The topic: “Blasphemy, Satire, and Charlie Hebdo.” Listen to the podcast here:

DORDOGNE, France — The Islamist terrorists who killed 12 cartoonists and journalists of Charlie Hebdo took only their lives, which was more than horrific enough. But within days of the massacre, the French political elite and their international allies added to the crime, setting out to steal the soul of an incomparable group of free thinkers in an effort to sell new policing measures.

Proudly left-wing, anti-racist, and against all forms of authoritarianism, the mischievous French anarchoids at Charlie Hebdo have long embodied the real meaning of free speech — and not some abstract notion that loses all meaning when mouthed by people who hate what the satirical weekly represents.
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Posted in RagBlog | Tagged 9-11, Charlie Hebdo, Charlie Hebdo Massacre, Espionage, Francois Hollande, Free Speech, Freedom of Press, French Politics, Islamic Extremists, Political Repression, Rag Bloggers, Satire, Steve Weissman | Leave a comment

Rabbi Arthur Waskow :
Is murder a ‘sacred practice’ in ALL religions?

Posted on January 17, 2015 by Thorne Dreyer

Why are there streaks of both blood and love in the histories of religious communities?

“Saracens and Crusaders.” Illuminated manuscript from Les Grandes Chroniques de France.

By Rabbi Arthur Waskow | The Rag Blog | January 18, 2015

The murderous attacks in France last week have called forth a mixture of horror, outrage, disgust, and fear — all legitimate responses.

One response has been to claim that Islam is — uniquely — a religion of violence, terror, and war. Another has been to claim that the perpetrators of these murders, though they claimed they were acting for the honor of God and of Islam, were acting falsely, betraying the Islam that is entirely a religion of peace.

Both these responses evade the truth.
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Posted in RagBlog | Tagged Charlie Hebdo, Cultural Sensitivity, Islam, Islamic Extremists, Nonviolence, Rabbi Arthur Waskow, Rag Bloggers, Religious History, Religious Violence | 2 Comments

Dan and Christy Foster :
METRO | The unforgettable voice of John Clay

Posted on January 14, 2015 by Thorne Dreyer

John Clay, whose unique musical vision reflected a vicious honesty tempered only by his darkly innocent sense of humor, is dead at 74.

John Clay performs on the UT-Austin campus in 1965 at a rally for Gary Thiher, SDS candidate for student body president. Photo by Jim McCulloch.

By Dan and Christy Foster | The Rag Blog | January 14, 2015

AUSTIN — Austin lost its most unique and unforgettable voice when John Clay died Wednesday, December 17, 2014, at the age of 74. Intense, direct and fiercely distinct, with a vicious honesty that was tempered only by his darkly innocent sense of humor, John had an innate ability to capture so much of life in such a very few words even though many of his songs, like “West Texas Memories,” were notorious for length.

Epic numbers like that brought listeners along for a seemingly endless ride through the flatlands of memory that in the end turned out to be over much too soon. Some, like “Mr. Bowly’s Still” or “The Meter Reader” were deliciously compact vignettes, like Thurber with a southern accent, or cummings with capitalization, set to music.
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Posted in Metro, RagBlog | Tagged Austin History, Austin Music, Counterculture, Dan and Christy Foster, Deaths, Folk Music, Folksingers, Janis Joplin, John Clay, Leo Sullivan, Lost Austin Band, Metro, Powell St. John, Rag Bloggers, Remembrance, Sixties, Songwriters, Texas Ghetto, UT-Austin, Waller Creek Boys | 10 Comments

Lamar W. Hankins :
Assault weapons regulation and the ‘Charlie Hebdo’ killings

Posted on January 13, 2015 by Thorne Dreyer

I have yet to hear or read a persuasive rationale for anyone in civilian life needing an assault weapon.

Come and get it! Assault rifle for sale at Illinois sporting goods store. Photo by Scott Olson / Getty Images.

By Lamar W. Hankins | The Rag Blog | January 14, 2015

The recent mass killings at the offices of the French publication Charlie Hebdo brought to mind what I learned on a trip last summer while traveling around rural upstate New York with my wife. We noticed a good many yard signs demanding the repeal of the SAFE Act. As soon as we could get internet access, we checked out what these signs were about.

We learned that in December 2013, the New York State Legislature decided that some new gun regulations would make the state safer for its citizens and visitors. It passed the New York Secure Ammunition and Firearms Enforcement Act of 2013, referred to as the NY SAFE Act.
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Posted in RagBlog | Tagged Assault Weapons, Charlie Hebdo, Gun Control, Gun Regulation, Lamar W. Hankins, NRA, Rag Bloggers, SAFE Act, Second Amendment | 1 Comment

David P. Hamilton :
Muslims in France: A little context

Posted on January 12, 2015 by Thorne Dreyer

You can’t generalize with much accuracy about Muslims in France, no more so than about
Christians or secularists.

African lades in Place Blum. Photo by Sally Hamilton / The Rag Blog.

By David P. Hamilton | The Rag Blog | January 12, 2015

It is impossible to generalize about Muslims in France. Anyone who speaks of some unitary “Muslim community” in France is spouting nonsense. This is most commonly heard as, “Why doesn’t the Muslim community condemn these terrorists?”

It is often stated that Muslims make up about 8% of the population of France, a total of 5-6 million people, comprising “the largest Muslim population in Europe.” This is usually spoken in slightly shocked tones by Americans. But who are these Muslims? Actually, the statistics concerning them are somewhat obscure and slippery.
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Posted in RagBlog | Tagged Charlie Hebdo Massacre, David P. Hamilton, France, French Culture, French Muslims, French Society, Rag Bloggers | Leave a comment

Paul Krassner :
‘Charlie Hebdo’ : Killing cartoonists

Posted on January 7, 2015 by Thorne Dreyer

It’s an awesome outrage. Of course, some dinosaur Republicans might try to blame Obama.

“I am Charlie.” Screen grab from Charlie Hebdo‘s website,
January 7, 2015. Image from BBC News Europe.

By Paul Krassner | The Rag Blog | January 7, 2015

This massacre is an awesome outrage, even to liberals and conservatives alike, although some dinosaur Republicans might try to blame Obama. It’s a horrendous violation of semantic principles, such as “The menu is not the meal” and “The map is not the territory.” As an atheist, I perceive the irony of those assassins shouting “God is great” to justify their insane act in the name of a deity that I believe doesn’t exist.

And what could happen in America? Security guards protecting the Onion offices? Treat Funny or Die as Islamic marching orders? Invade the cyberspace of NBC for broadcasting Saturday Night Live until it morphs into Saturday Night Dead, if it’s not already deceased?
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Posted in RagBlog | Tagged Charlie Hebdo, Charlie Hebdo Massacre, Islamic Extremists, Paul Krassner, Rag Bloggers, Satire, Terrorism | 1 Comment

Harry Hurt III :
Let us now praise famous men: Remembering Mickey Leland, and opening the door to Cuba

Posted on January 7, 2015 by Thorne Dreyer

My dear friend, the late Houston congressman Mickey Leland, once declared: ‘I am as much a citizen of the world as I am of this country.’

Harry Hurt III and Fidel Castro display each other’s books in Fidel’s Havana office in March 1983. Screen grab from television footage.

By Harry Hurt III | The Rag Blog | January 7, 2015

“Hello, Harry. This is your nigger congressman Mickey Leland. You want to go to Cuba?”

It’s a Monday morning in mid-March 1983. I’m at my writing desk in a rental house in Houston, trying to think up story ideas for Texas Monthly magazine. Mickey’s proposition almost sounds too good to be true. I immediately commit without bothering to get approval from my editor in Austin. Four days later, we’re on a private jet to Havana with a Houston television crew and three of his congressional staffers.

The official purpose of our Cuba trip is to negotiate the release of two American prisoners, a young white couple who hail from a Republican congressional district in north Houston. The Cubans suspect they’re marijuana smugglers, but there’s no hard evidence against them. Their plane crashed on the island, and the husband had the presence of mind to torch it before they were captured.
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Posted in RagBlog | Tagged African-American History, African-American Leaders, Cuban Baseball, Cuban History, Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro, Harry Hurt III, Houston History, Mickey Leland, Mickey Leland Archives, Rag Bloggers, Remembrance, U.S.-Cuba Relations | Leave a comment

Alice Embree :
METRO | Honoring the enduring courage and generosity of Rev. Bob Breihan

Posted on January 6, 2015 by Thorne Dreyer

Spiritual counselor and social activist Bob Breihan is celebrated on the occasion of his 90th birthday.

Rev. Bob Breihan, center, with The Rag Blog‘s Alice Embree and Thorne Dreyer, at his 90th birthday party. Photo by Carlos Lowry / The Rag Blog.

By Alice Embree | The Rag Blog | January 7, 2015

AUSTIN — Rev. Bob Breihan sported a black top hat — with the words “Can you believe it?” — at a party held for him on Sunday, January 4. A large gathering of family, church colleagues, and long-time friends came together at the University Methodist Church in Austin to celebrate his 90th birthday.

Bob Breihan was a prominent voice in the 1950s movement to desegregate Austin, a courageous advocate for reproductive rights, and a vocal opponent of the Vietnam War. Between 1960 and 1980, Bob Breihan was director of the Methodist Student Center on Guadalupe — a place that opened its doors to young people who were part of the political and social movements of the day.
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Posted in Metro, RagBlog | Tagged Alice Embree, Austin History, Ichthus Coffee House, Methodist Student Center, Metro, Rag Bloggers, Rag Radio, Rev. Bob Breihan, Sattva, Sixties, Social Activism, Spiritual Leaders, Terry DuBose, University of Texas | 2 Comments

Alan Waldman :
The 27 best films I saw in 2014

Posted on December 31, 2014 by Thorne Dreyer

My favorite 2014 movies include ‘The Imitation Game,’ ‘Boyhood,’ and ‘A Place at the Table.’

Benedict Cumberbatch is magnificent in The Imitation Game.

By Alan Waldman | The Rag Blog | December 31, 2014

I saw 27 excellent films in theaters, on cable/dish TV, and via Netflix and Netflix Instant streaming — which is 59% more good movies than the 17 I saw last year. I have been compiling a best films list for more than 20 years, and usually more than half of my selections are foreign, but this time the Yanks predominated.

Once again, the most enjoyable shows I saw were TV series (mentioned below the films list), probably because writers are unfettered there and allowed to do good work. If you click on my name, you will find 23 terrific mysteries and comedies from U.K, Ireland, Scotland, Australia and New Zealand that I reviewed this year on The Rag Blog.
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Posted in RagBlog | Tagged Alan Waldman, Best Films of 2014, Criticism, Film, Rag Bloggers | 3 Comments

Kate Braun :
On Winter Solstice, holly invites good fortune
for the coming year

Posted on December 19, 2014 by Thorne Dreyer

This is a time to celebrate newness: a new moon cycle, a new spiritual cycle, a shift of energy.

Winter Solstice. Image from Indian Country Today.

By Kate Braun | The Rag Blog | December 19, 2014

“Od Yavo Shalom Aleinu / Ve al kulam / Salaam Aleinu
ve al kol ha olam / Salaam”

Sunday, December 21, is Winter Solstice, which you may also call Yule or Yuletide. Lady Moon is new on December 21; a new cycle is beginning. Fix a sprig of holly hear the front door; this invites good fortune for the coming year. Including holly, ivy, and mistletoe in your decorations also invites Nature Sprites to join your celebrating.

The longest night and shortest day of the year, this is a time to celebrate newness: a new moon cycle, a new spiritual cycle, a shift of energy, a welcome to more daylight time. This is a fire festival. Yule signifies the return of Lord Sun and fire reinforces his growth. Burn candles, have a Yule Log, cook over open flames outdoors, whatever is easiest for you to do to incorporate fire energy into your celebrations.
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Posted in RagBlog | Tagged Astrology, Ceremony, Kate Braun, Metaphysics, Rag Bloggers, Ritual, Spirituality, Winter Solstice, Yule | 1 Comment

Tom Hayden :
The U.S.-Cuba deal is a victory for the
Cuban Revolution

Posted on December 17, 2014 by Thorne Dreyer

The embargo is going to be hollowed out from within, with American tourist and investment dollars permitted to flow.

Cubans celebrate. Image from AP.

By Tom Hayden | The Rag Blog | December 17, 2014

No one in the mainstream media will acknowledge it, but the normalization of American relations with Havana, symbolized by release of prisoners today, is a huge success for the Cuban Revolution.

The hostile U.S. policy, euphemistically known as “regime change,” has been thwarted. The Cuban Communist Party is confidently in power. The Castros have navigated through all the challenges of the years. In Latin America and the United Nations, Cuba is accepted, and the United States is isolated.

It is quite legitimate for American progressives to criticize various flaws and failures of the Cuban Revolution. But the media and the right are overflowing with such commentary. Only the left can recall, narrate, and applaud the long resistance of tiny Cuba to the northern Goliath.
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Posted in RagBlog | Tagged Alan Gross, Cuba, Cuban 5, Cuban Embargo, Cuban Revolution, Diplomacy, Marco Rubio, Rag Bloggers, Tom Hayden, U.S.-Cuba Relations | 3 Comments