The History Channel's "The People Speak" With Howard Zinn

[Jimaz]

Howard Zinn made the cover of TV Magazine Lite in today's Detroit Free Press. At 8 PM tonight The People Speak debutes.

Democracy is not a spectator sport. Using dramatic and musical performances of the letters, diaries and speeches of everyday Americans, THE PEOPLE SPEAK gives voice to those who spoke up for social change throughout U.S. history, forging a nation from the bottom up with their insistence on equality and justice. Narrated by Howard Zinn and based on his best-selling books, A People's History of the United States and Voices of a People's History of the United States, THE PEOPLE SPEAK illustrates the relevance of these passionate historical moments to our society today and reminds us never to take liberty for granted.

[ccbatson]

Only problem? liberty is not defined as it should be and as it was intended. How do we know? True liberty as established in the founding of this country and via the constitution abhors and opposes all "social change". Freedom and liberty are unalienable....or are supposed to be.

[elganned]

So exactly what is it about "social change" that you believe is antithetical to "freedom and liberty"? And how are you so sure that the Founding Fathers were so opposed to and abhored "social change"? Be specific, please, not just more of your usual generatlites which sound good but say nothing.

[oldredfordette]

This is going to be a wonderful show. Howard Zinn is a great American and he gathered the words of Americans to tell the story of our country. Everyone watch this performance!

[ccbatson]

If man is endowed by the creator with these unalienable rights as an individual [[man)...no government has any quarter to claim a right to social change as this would, by definition, usurp these rights. If it were so, the 2 concepts are antithetical and one cannot exist if the other is true.

[oldredfordette]

Anyway, watch this show. Let Cc collect his premium on another thread.

[ccbatson]

"Anyway" [[sic) disregard reason and reality. Might as well go see a Sci Fi-fantasy film, like...hmmm, I know, Al Gore's "An Inconvenient Truth".

[d.mcc]

If man is endowed by the creator with these unalienable rights as an individual [[man)...no government has any quarter to claim a right to social change as this would, by definition, usurp these rights. If it were so, the 2 concepts are antithetical and one cannot exist if the other is true.

Your argument is based on the thought that the founders are infallible then...

[ccbatson]

Not the founders...the philosophy that they put forth...being an absolute, it [[the philosophy) is infallible.

[Mikeg]

As you watch this program on the History Channel, keep in mind some of the following quotes from Howard Zinn.

On his objectives as an historian:

I wanted my writing of history and my teaching of history to be a part of social struggle. I wanted to be a part of history and not just a recorder and teacher of history. So that kind of attitude towards history, history itself as a political act, has always informed my writing and my teaching.

His advice to others in the academic world:

The responsibility of intellectuals is to discard the notion of "objectivity'' and the notion of "disinterested scholarship.''

His comments to the Cuban press:

So, you have to admire Cuba for being undaunted by this colossus of the North and holding fast to its ideals and to Socialism. And even though there are many problems, it's an interesting Socialism with many possibilities ... With its very meager resources Cuba gives free health care and free education to everybody. Cuba supports culture, supports dance and music and theatre. The United States does not do that.

His vision for a new kind of world:

A vision of the world in which powerful corporations did not dominate the economy...in which economic enterprises were controlled by the people who worked in them...and in which the rights of workers and consumers were represented in the decision-making bodies. It would be a world in which we had a kind of grass-roots democracy that existed in the Paris Commune in 1871...constant participation...meetings of people all over, where people's political participation wasn't confined to voting every two years or every four years, to choosing between two miserable possibilities...a kind of grass-roots participation and decision-making at every possible level.........
And we need a breaking down of national barriers--a world without passports and visas, where people are free to move in the way corporations are now free to move across national boundaries.

His thoughts on how to bring about that vision:

So I think a way to behave is to think not in terms of representative government, not in terms of voting, not in terms of electoral politics, but thinking in terms of organizing social movements, organizing in the work place, organizing in the neighborhood, organizing collectives that can become strong enough to eventually take over – first to become strong enough to resist what has been done to them by authority, and second, later, to become strong enough to actually take over the institutions.

[source]

[ghettopalmetto]

Only problem? liberty is not defined as it should be and as it was intended. How do we know? True liberty as established in the founding of this country and via the constitution abhors and opposes all "social change". Freedom and liberty are unalienable....or are supposed to be.

Didn't the Founding Fathers have an opportunity to "define" liberty several times over, in the three Charters of Freedom? Why didn't they do so?

And if "liberty" is not defined, how do you know what the intent is?

Please go back to the 19th century, or at least let those of us who are not malcontents and misanthropes to exercise and enjoy our LIBERTY to make progress in our society.

[Jimaz]

LOL! Howard Zinn struck a nerve before his program even started.

I was just surprised to see his photo on the cover of anything mainstream at all, minor as TV Magazine is. So much for the "liberal" media.

Record it if you want.

It starts in 30-minutes. Bumpty Dumpty sat on the wall.

[Mikeg]

"I wanted my writing of history and my teaching of history to be a part of social struggle.....history itself as a political act.....", Howard Zinn.

With the History Channel, it's "history as an entertainment act", and "The People Speak" becomes part of their programming struggle to attract semi-open eyeballs with stories about the search for UFO's, Sasquatch and Chumlee's brain.

[oldredfordette]

This must scare the fuck out of you tiny little men. Awesome.

[Mikeg]

This must scare the fuck out of you tiny little men. Awesome.

It's the History Channel that is "awesome" - I hear that next season they're gonna have the Zinnster up in the truck cab with each of the Ice Road Truckers where they will debate the best way to collectively organize reality show workers !

[Jimaz]

Great finale. Very well done. This is definitely on my list to watch every week. Television finally regains some relevance in the world. It can again become a force.

[Lorax]

Don't forget, we needed the Bill of Rights to guarantee those "liberties" CC holds so dear. The founding fathers when writing the constitution failed to include these rights.

The constitution was designed to be organic, and has been through the amendment process. Political parties can come and go, and it's time for both our major parties to go. The constitution specifically requires the people to scrap governments when they usurp liberties, and become tyrannical governing bodies.

I guess we can thank the Bush Crime Family for opening our eyes to just how tyrannical government can become when left in the hands of fascism.

Liberalism on the model of Barack Obama has proven itself weak and of little consequence in light of the truly dramatic changes needed to right this sinking ship.

Republicanism is practically dead anyway, and Democrats, as mentioned, are proving themselves to be as ineffectual as predicted, even with supermajorities in both houses of congress.

Paralysis is the order of the day, and a non-functioning government serves no one.

Time to scrap this mess and for people to organize another half dozen parties to compete for national dominance.

We need another FDR at this juncture, only one taken off the leash. Bold and sweeping changes to our society are needed if we are to survive collectively as Americans.

Thank you, Howard Zinn.

[Jimaz]

Bravo. Those that want the problems to remain uncorrected want the problems to prevail. They're the parasitic saboteurs in power, eagerly yearning for Americans to continue to fail -- for their benefit.

[oldredfordette]

“To be hopeful in bad times is
not just foolishly romantic. It is
based on the fact that human history
is a history not only of cruelty, but
also of compassion, sacrifice, courage
and kindness.
What we choose to emphasize in this
complex history will determine our lives.
If we see only the worst, it destroys our
capacity to do something. If we remember those times and places —
and there are so many — where people have behaved
magnificently, this gives us the energy to act, 
and at least the possibility of sending this 
spining top of a world in a
different direction.
And if we do act, in however small
a way, we don’t have to wait for some grand
utoptian future. the future is an infinite
succession of presents, and to live now as we think
human beings should live, in
defiance of all that is bad around us,
is itself a marvelous victory.”

[d.mcc]

Why are those on the right so scared of free speech?

Also, Chumlee is awesome!

[elganned]

Not the founders...the philosophy that they put forth...being an absolute, it [[the philosophy) is infallible.

You mean the philosophy that women aren't allowed to vote and slavery is okay? That the "infallible" philosophy you talking about?

[Jimaz]

We now need to liberate the Stockholm syndrome victims from their right-wing captors.

We need to help them from undermining their own interests any further. It's become all too obvious that they've been driven too far over that edge by their masters.

Now is the time to rescue them and offer them shelter from the coming storm.

Ethics first.

[jjaba]

Representations of Detroit and Michigan were shown with the Flint sitdowns in 1937 and a photo of Rosa Parks. jjaba enjoyed the show and slices of American history. The music fit the scenes. Good show.
jjaba.

[Lorax]

Bravo. Those that want the problems to remain uncorrected want the problems to prevail. They're the parasitic saboteurs in power, eagerly yearning for Americans to continue to fail -- for their benefit.

Succinct, and correct.

Those of us who have lived long enough to see the changes taking place in our society have no other conclusion than to recognize that America is a nation in decline.

To correct this, we need to organize through our right of freedom of assembly, and change the political landscape in this country.

Making corporate lobbying illegal is a start, followed by campaign finance reform by publicly financing our elections on all levels, national, state, and local.

If we can afford to start and maintain illegal wars to the tune of trillions, we can afford to publicly fund our elections, provide cradle to grave medical care, and provide an education to all our citizens K-college level PhD as socialized democratic nations in Europe do, and have done for generations now.

We are behind the ball on most levels as a nation, and have allowed the wealth and greed interests to get the upper hand. Time to take it all back, and impose stiff regulation, including import tariffs to protect American jobs for the businesses who choose to play by the rules, and refuse to patronize those businesses who don't.

The answers are all around us if we choose to organize and act.

The corporate interests that have brought our nation to it's knees are proven weak by their very natures, and now would be a good time to organize against corporatism and take back our government from their moneyed grip.

Stop tolerating the intolerable and act.

[jiminnm]

Lorax:
"The constitution was designed to be organic, and has been through the amendment process."
"Making corporate lobbying illegal is a start ..."

So, other than whining on an internet forum, what are you doing to amend the Constitution to make corporate lobbying and political contributions? Keep your eye on Citizens United v. FEC, a case currently before the Supreme Court, which may well eliminate any restrictions on corporate political contributions.