"Ian Rankin once explained to an interviewer (the head of the Indian Communist Party!) that crime fiction is a way of talking about social inequality. Ron Jacobs applies that same maxim to the Sixties... in his wonderfully noir trilogy of those exhilarating and troubled times. And what Rankin does for Edinburgh, Jacobs amply illuminates for the Movement. Much much more than ripping yarns (though they are that too), from a master who's been there, done that, and lived to tell a tale or two."

--Ramsey Kanaan, Publisher PM Press/noir enthusiast

Thursday, August 27, 2015

If Daydream Sunset:60s Counterculture in the '70s had a playlist, this would be it



I’m Free”----The Who from Tommy
Good Times, Bad Times”----Led Zeppelin
The Israelites”---Desmond Dekker and the Aces
Gimme Shelter”----Rolling Stones from Let It Bleed
Okie From Muskogee”---Merle Haggard
New Speedway Boogie”---Grateful Dead from Workingman’s Dead
Luv & Haight”---Sly and the Family Stone from There’s a Riot Goin’ On
For Everyman”---Jackson Browne from For Everyman
I Threw It All Away”---Bob Dylan from Nashville Skyline
God”---John Lennon from John Lennon/Plastic Ono Band
Them Changes”---Jimi Hendrix from Band of Gypsys
Ohio”---Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young
“Out of Gas”---Prairie Fire
H₂0 Gate Blues”----Gil Scott Heron/Brian Jackson from Winter in America
Hurricane”---Bob Dylan and Rolling Thunder Revue from Live 1975
Break It Up”---Patti Smith Group from Horses
Before the Deluge”---Jackson Browne from Late For the Sky
Rebel, Rebel”---David Bowie from Diamond Dogs
Backstreets”----Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band from Born to Run
Simple Man”---Lynyrd Skynyrd from (Pronounced 'LÄ•h-'nérd 'Skin-'nérd)
Red Headed Stranger”---Willie Nelson from Red Headed Stranger
Sitting In Limbo”---Jimmy Cliff from The Harder They Come
White Riot”---The Clash
Rebel Music”---Bob Marley and the Wailers from Natty Dread
Long Hot Summer”---Tom Robinson Band from Power in the Darkness
God Save the Queen”---The Sex Pistols
Less Than Zero”---Elvis Costello and the Attractions from My Aim is True
What About Me?”---Quicksilver Messenger Service from What About Me?
Estimated Prophet”---Grateful Dead from Dick’s Picks Volume 15/Live Englishtown, NJ 9/3/1977
Respectable”---Rolling Stones from Some Girls
Vicious”---Lou Reed from Transformer
The Pretender”---Jackson Browne from The Pretender
Factory”---Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band from Darkness On the Edge of Town
 Jimmy Jazz”---The Clash from London Calling
California Ãœber Alles”---Dead Kennedys
You Gotta’ Serve Somebody”---Bob Dylan from Slow Train Coming
Comfortably Numb”---Pink Floyd from The Wall
US Blues”---Grateful Dead live 1/15/1980 Cambodian Refugees Benefit, Oakland, CA.










Friday, March 6, 2015

A US War Resister in Germany: A Matter of Conscience

http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/03/06/a-us-war-resister-in-germany/


a slight correction...Since the piece began with Andre thanking you for "a forum in which I can provide factual information on the case,"  I thought it might be helpful to correct some of the mis portrayal of who qualifies as a CO. 

Andre is right that the person needs to be opposed to any war they can imagine themselves fighting in.  (It is not a requirement that the person state whether they accept or reject the war that gave birth to the US.)  Someone who says they would fight in certain wars probably would be turned down.

Religious basis is not a separate way to get out.  No matter what religion the person still must be opposed to participation in all war.  Also, a person need not be religious at all as long as the moral principles that direct their life are comparable in strength to those held by religious people.  We deal with many atheist and agnostic applicants who still get out for CO.

The third issue is sincerity.  A person's lifestyle can help indicate their sincerity. Giving up paintball and combat video games can indicate sincerity of a conscientious objector but a person does not have to give up these things. I have worked with legitimate, sincere conscientious objectors who still bow hunt and nevertheless were discharged.  (There is more than one way to show sincerity).

I realize that for Andre conscientious objection didn't feel right and that is fine.  I just want to be careful that others who might well qualify don't mistakenly believe themselves ineligible because of Andre's mis characterization of the actual definition.  Anyone who even wonders whether they qualify can call the GI Rights Hotline 877-447-4487 to explore whether or not conscientious objection might be the right fit for them.  People who are having issues with the military often go online to learn about others with similar beliefs.  For others reading this interview with Andre it may be helpful to include a note of clarification so as not to unnecessarily limit the pool of future Conscientious Objection applicants.   

Peace,

Steve W.