The Flim Flam Man

It's so damn American. The settler class of white Europeans living away from the big mean city get conned by a loudmouth bullshittin' big city con man who has never made an honest buck in his life. He plays into their fears; of brown skinned foreigners, angry black people still pissed about their ancestors being enslaved, uppity women who misuse the rights they got, and big city banks and financiers who just want to take their money and their land.  Promising to keep the scared people safe, the film-flam man goes back to his rich friends, laughing to himself about how he loves the uneducated. 

http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/11/09/the-flim-flam-man-does-pennsylvania-avenue/

The Greeks, the Troika, Resistance and History

As we head into 2017, the world seems to be heading towards even greater uncertainty.  The nationalist rejection of the EU in Britain, the uncertain meaning of the US election and future (at this writing) results, a seeming desire by western capitals and Russia for greater war in the Middle East, and various artificial bubbles created and maintained by the gamblers in the financial markets; all of these seem to point to more of the same for Greece with an ever growing likelihood that the next burst financial bubble will take down more than just those economies considered on the fringe of the central markets.  This uncertainty alone is reason enough to read this book. 

http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/11/04/the-greeks-the-troika-resistance-and-history/

Death to the Fascist Insect! The SLA and the Cops

http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/10/28/death-to-the-fascist-insect-the-sla-and-the-cops/

A Theory of Despair? The Frankfurt School Gets a Biography

http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/10/21/a-theory-of-despair/

STFU About World War Three Already

http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/10/14/stfu-about-world-war-three-already/

A Brief History of the Last Fifty Years in This Nation of Swine

http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/10/11/a-brief-history-of-the-last-fifty-years-in-this-nation-of-swine/

Studs Terkel--Interpreter of America

A review of Alan Wieder's new biography...

http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/10/07/studs-terkel-interpreter-of-america/

A Cycle of Death Underscored by Greed and a Lust for Power--On Vijay Prashad's Latest Book

http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/09/30/a-cycle-of-death-underscored-by-greed-and-a-lust-for-power/

Killing Unarmed People is Murder

Regarding police killings of unarmed individuals....
https://vtdigger.org/2016/09/21/ron-jacobs-killling-unarmed-people-murder/

A Change Has Gotta' Come

"Ideally, Demand the Impossible! would be distributed for free at every rally and meeting called to discuss the issues explored therein.  It is not the only book or article that provides an outline of what must be done, but it is certainly one of the most concise and evocatively written ones.  Imagine a series of speeches designed to inspire and teach; to move us from frustration and apathy to the streets; that is what this book is all about."
http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/09/23/a-change-has-gotta-come/

Interview on International Peace Day

http://www.tehrantimes.com/news/406568/Activists-say-war-not-a-moral-answer-to-inequalities-in-the

The Daily Courage of Resistance--Viewing the film Peace Has No Borders

http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/09/16/the-daily-courage-of-resistance/

Attica Means Fight Back!

http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/09/02/attica-means-fight-back/

Education for Liberation

http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/08/26/education-for-liberation/

Interview With Algerian Journalist Mohsen Abdelmoumen

In English:
http://ahtribune.com/politics/1141-ron-jacobs.html

En Francais:

http://www.palestine-solidarite.org/analyses.mohsen_abdelmoumen.140816.htm

https://www.oximity.com/article/Ron-Jacobs-l-Occident-a-besoin-des-ter-1

The Lawyer as Hero

http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/08/12/the-lawyer-as-hero/

Puerto Rico is a Colony No Matter How Else You Dress It Up

http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/08/05/puerto-rico-is-a-colony-no-matter-how-else-you-dress-it-up/

Something Besides Politics for the Summer's End

http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/07/29/something-besides-politics-for-summers-end/

Exacerbate the Split in the Ruling Class

http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/07/22/exacerbate-the-split-in-the-ruling-class/

Apres Nice: Why We Need an Antiwar Movement

http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/07/15/apres-nice-why-we-need-an-antiwar-movement/

Gentrify it All!

http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/07/05/gentrify-it-all/

An Immediate End to Police Brutality and Murder of Black People by Police

http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/07/08/an-immediate-end-to-police-brutality-and-murder-of-black-people-by-police/

Is Everything Permitted? Review of Sin, Sex and Subversion

http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/06/24/is-everything-permitted/

The Show's Over, On With the Show

http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/06/09/the-shows-over-on-with-the-show/

The State of the Left: Many Movements, Too Many Goals?

http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/05/30/the-state-of-the-left-many-movements-too-many-goals/

Let the Games Begin: Behind the Olympic Sheen

http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/05/20/let-the-games-begin-behind-the-olympic-sheen/

Opposing the Lies Military Recruiters Tell

http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/05/13/opposing-military-recruiters-lies/

Psychedelic Rangers Extraordinaire

http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/05/06/psychedelic-rangers-extraordinaire/

The Battle at Big Brown: Joe Allen's The Package King

http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/04/29/the-battle-at-big-brown-joe-allens-the-package-king/

Management: Your Friend Until They Aren’t

http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/04/22/management-your-friend-until-they-arent/

Call Me Zimmerman--Bob Dylan's Great White Wonder

http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/04/15/call-me-zimmerman-bob-dylans-great-white-wonder/

Oakland, Hutton and Grant

http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/04/08/oakland-hutton-and-grant/

Meursault and the Sickness of Imperialism

http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/04/01/miersault-and-the-sickness-of-imperialism/

Homage to Aleppo

http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/03/25/homage-to-aleppo/

Stray Cat Blues

http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/03/18/stray-cat-blues/

Don't Believe the Bullshit, Trump is Not the Answer

http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/03/14/dont-believe-the-bullshit-trump-is-not-the-answer/

A Crisis with No Capitalist Way Out

http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/03/11/a-crisis-with-no-capitalist-way-out/

Why Super Tuesday isn't Really That Super

The sentence regarding RFK should read "did not have a serious lead over McCarthy in the delegate count"....

http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/03/01/why-super-tuesday-isnt-really-that-super/

The Failure of a System: A Review of From #BlackLivesMatter to Black Liberation

http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/02/26/the-failure-of-a-system/

Talkin' World War Three Blues

Originally published in Counterpunch print magazine, December 2015...

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1_JNNpeclBPIic6gWrNEv2_frDyzMhBKHi_vKI-TLpHs/pub

Fire and Blood, Socialism or Barbarism

http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/02/19/fire-and-blood-socialism-or-barbarism/

Springsteen: Rockin’ the House in Albany, NY

http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/02/12/rockin-the-house-in-albany-ny/

Cold Weather Comforts....--Some Capsule Reviews for Groundhog Day

http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/02/05/cold-weather-comforts-of-a-certain-sort/

Solitary Hell: There but for Fortune

http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/01/29/solitary-hell-there-but-for-fortune/

Can We Escape the Eternal Flame?

         

Love, war and peace. Passions transcending time and as permanent as the history being made. Manhattan, 911, and desire. Vietnam, Berkeley and the road. Three main characters personify them all. This novella is a reflection of the time and on the times.

and a link to order it:

Can We Escape the Eternal Flame?  

By Ron Jacobs

Also available from Amazon and other online bookstores. 

ISBN-13:  978-1523695744

thanks....

The Madness of Reason

http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/01/22/the-madness-of-reason/

Anarchy in the USA

http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/01/15/anarchy-in-the-usa/

Mein Trumpf Makes a Stop in Vermont

http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/01/08/mein-trumpf-makes-a-stop-in-vermont/

A History Defined by the Trade in Human Beings

http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/12/31/a-history-defined-by-the-trade-in-human-beings/

Leningrad, Shostakovich and the Music of Transcendence

http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/12/25/leningrad-shostakovich-and-the-music-of-transcendence/

We have Nothing to Lose But Our Nightmares

http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/12/18/we-have-nothing-to-lose-but-our-nightmares/

Review of All the Sinners Saints from Michael Schiffman (auf Deutsch)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B01dj5QyuLDeM0J2U1NLNU5TeVB3WnlzUzFTb2ZCTkFMUGhR/view?usp=sharing

The Radical Priest From Quebec

http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/12/11/the-radical-priest-from-quebec/

Public by Definition

http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/12/04/public-by-definition/

Rosa Luxemburg-From Street Organizer to Street Name

http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/11/27/rosa-luxembourg-from-street-organizer-to-street-name/

The California Germination of Right Wing Politics

http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/11/20/the-california-germination-of-right-wing-politics/

Shove Your Free Speech in Their Face

http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/11/16/shove-your-free-speech-in-their-face/

Dylan, Last Kind Words and a Mole in the Ground

http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/11/13/dylan-last-kind-words-and-a-mole-in-the-ground/

Mr. Smith in New England

http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/11/06/mr-smith-in-new-england/

Angela Davis, Still Agitating for Freedom

http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/10/30/angela-davis-still-agitating-for-freedom/

Stories From the Underground

http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/10/23/stories-from-the-underground/

Get the Hell Out of Afghanistan Already!

http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/10/21/get-the-hell-out-of-afghanistan-already/

Encyclopedia of Wretchedness

http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/10/16/an-encyclopedia-of-wretchedness/

Patti Smith and the Beauty of Memory

http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/10/06/patti-smith-and-the-beauty-of-memory/

Standing Naked: Bob Dylan and Jesus

http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/10/02/standing-naked-bob-dylan-and-jesus/

The Murderer as Hero

Talking About War, Daydream Sunset and Other Stuff with some of the Green Mountain Veterans for Peace

http://www.vermontcam.org/show/daydream-sunset

May the Prisons Rot and Burn in Hell

http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/09/18/may-the-prisons-rot-and-burn-in-hell/

The West is the Best? Stoney Spring's New CD

http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/09/11/the-west-is-the-best-stoney-spring-checks-in/

KBOO-FM Interview with Paul Roland

Subject:  Daydream Sunset...

https://kboo.fm/sites/default/files/episode_audio/kboo_episode.2.150909.0800.15845.mp3

Bernie Sanders’ Vision: As Myopic as Every Other Candidate or Not?

http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/09/04/bernie-sanders-vision-as-myopic-as-every-other-candidate-or-not/

The League of Empire

http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/09/02/the-league-of-empire/

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

“Here’s to the State of Richard Nixon”---Phil Ochs

“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 'Lĕh-'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 Über 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.

Africa, China and the West: an Exchange With Thomas Mountain

http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/08/21/africa-china-and-the-west-an-exchange-with-thomas-mountain-2/

Show a Little Faith, There's Magic in the Night

http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/08/14/show-a-little-faith-theres-magic-in-the-night/

The US Military's African Footprint

http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/08/07/the-us-militarys-african-footprint/

Black Literature and the FB Eye Blues

http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/07/31/black-literature-and-the-fb-eye-blues/

Police, Racism and Progressives

http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/07/22/police-racism-and-progressives/

Women, Girls and the War on Terror

http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/07/17/women-girls-and-the-war-on-terror/

What Did In the Counterculture?

http://historynewsnetwork.org/article/159756

The Ship of the Sun Bids Farewell

The line I said is from the Tibetan Book of the Dead is really from the Egyptian Book of the Dead---

http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/07/07/the-grateful-dead-the-ship-of-the-sun-bids-farewell/

Midsummer Shorts

http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/06/26/midsummer-shorts/

Walking On the Wild Side: An Interview With Filmmaker Denis Mueller

http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/07/03/walking-on-the-wild-side/

Ishmael Reed Gets in the Ring

http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/06/19/ishmael-reed-gets-in-the-ring/#

The Stuff No One Talks About

http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/06/12/the-stuff-no-one-talks-about/

Enhancing Paranoia is Part of Power--An Interview with Betty Medsger

http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/06/05/enhancing-paranoia-part-of-the-nature-of-power/

Changing the World for Profit

http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/05/29/changing-the-world-for-profit/

Conversation on the Radio with Dylan Kelley

http://yourlisten.com/dylan.kelley.1044/5-13-ron-jacobs

Inside the Drug Wars

http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/05/15/inside-the-drug-wars/

Keeping Time for the Grateful Dead

http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/05/06/keeping-time-for-the-grateful-dead/

The Problem With Bernie

Sanders was elected to the Senate in 2006, not 2008.  I apologize for the typo.

http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/04/30/the-problem-with-bernie/

Deadly Eye Contact: Freddie Gray and the Baltimore Police

http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/04/27/deadly-eye-contact-freddie-gray-and-the-baltimore-police/

Talking About Palestine

http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/04/24/talking-about-palestine/

Outlaws in the Eyes of Amerika

http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/04/17/outlaws-in-the-eyes-of-amerika/#

The Tragedy of Capitalism

http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/04/10/the-tragedy-of-capitalism/

Springtime Sounds for a Spring Barely Sprung

http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/04/03/springtime-sounds-for-a-spring-barely-sprung/

Rejecting Revisionist History: Losurdo's War and Revolution

http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/03/27/rejecting-revisionist-history/

Embodiment of Absolute Evil

http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/03/20/embodiment-of-absolute-evil/

Upstairs, Downstairs/India, Pakistan

http://www.counterpunch.org/2015/03/13/upstairs-downstairsindia-pakistan/

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.