Empire Files: Abbey Martin w/ Chris Hedges - War, Propaganda & the Enemy Within

This video is a very good examination of the past and current situation facing not only the US citizens but the world. Abbey Martin (previously Breaking the Set on RT America) has a new series through Telesur - Empire Files.

This is not the first episode, and to be honest all of the recent episodes are worth watching. However, Chris Hedges has been in the thick of things as a war-time correspondent and investigative journalist. Hedge's is obviously in the public/media eye given his recent book - Wages of Rebellion: The Moral Imperative of Revolt.

Video:
1. How easily everyone, even the "intellectuals," are duped into buying the stories that have led us to war
2. History of our support of small groups of wealthy people in countries like Guatemala, Cuba, Iran, etc. and how it leads to the support of brutality
3. Bernie Sanders is criticized for falling in line with the war machine
4. "We can't build the great society and maintain imperial war" ~ Hedges echoing MLK Jr.
5. We must change the way we engage with each other and the environment
6. touches on Hedges' essay (below)



Essay:

Hedges' essay entitled The Enemy Is Within candidly describes the nature of our current political/economic climate. The most telling part of this essay is the reality that is our perpetual state of war that hinges on feamongering - Communists, Jihadists... OH MY!!

A great quote from the essay:

The war machine is not, and almost never has been, a force for liberty or democracy. It does not make us safe. It does not make the world safe. And its immense economic and political power internally, including its management of the security and surveillance state and its huge defense contracts, has turned it into the most dangerous institution in America.

My thoughts (brief):
It is nice that people like Hedges are able to expose the reality of our current situation. However, exposing and changing are two different things. I've found that exposing seems to matter in a certain subset of the population. Even discussing these things with a broader audience is difficult, not because the information isn't correct but because they don't want to hear it - either ignore or head in the sand.

Beyond that people seem to want to know a few things:
1. How do we change it?
...not enough ideas on making things better, changing what we have to something that is effective and operational

2. Can we really do it peacefully?
...history tells us the only choice is revolution/violence, but that's not what people generally want

3. Is my life going to change?
...this is the biggie, the truth is human beings (many) are comfortable. Even people that advocate change are not ready to give up their lifestyle. I think this is the biggest deterrent and always has been.

The truth is human beings want to be left alone. We don't want a gov't meddling in our affairs and making useless and unnecessary laws. We want to be able to take care of ourselves and our families unhindered. We also really do prefer a "free market" society - one where goods and services can not only be bought but can be traded.

Watched this and instantly became a fan of Chris Hedges, I didn't know he had been speaking up recently.

This guy is was one of the more high profile war correspondents in the world. And on top of that he gets at the main issue.

He repeatedly says the same thing I say until Im blue in the face. The thing conservatives especially but liberals and any other lame way you wish to classify political groups constantly ignore.

The problem is spending 53% of our budget on the military, and thats not including black ops. Until you cut that assaine percentage down the pidly 1.5% you give to social welfare 4% to schools 2% to infrastructure means nothing. Until we stop spending the majority of our money on better ways to kill eachother no problem will get fixed.

a reply to: WCmutant

Chris Hedges is, in my opinion, the best journalist we have today... but he's wrong on Bernie. He's right to critique and challenge him but falls into the familiar Left (I'm guilty as hell of it a lot) habit of "if it's not perfect, it's trash".

originally posted by: Kali74
a reply to: WCmutant

Chris Hedges is, in my opinion, the best journalist we have today... but he's wrong on Bernie. He's right to critique and challenge him but falls into the familiar Left (I'm guilty as hell of it a lot) habit of "if it's not perfect, it's trash".

I have to agree with you. I've given up on politics and politicians. Bernie is a part of the machine as much as people don't want to admit it. He's definitely saying all the right things, but his voting record and support for the USA Freedom Act tells a vastly different story regarding his "allegiance to the people."

To slough it off and say "he's the best we have," is to really a testament to how screwed up our system really is.

originally posted by: WCmutant

originally posted by: Kali74
a reply to: WCmutant

Chris Hedges is, in my opinion, the best journalist we have today... but he's wrong on Bernie. He's right to critique and challenge him but falls into the familiar Left (I'm guilty as hell of it a lot) habit of "if it's not perfect, it's trash".

I have to agree with you. I've given up on politics and politicians. Bernie is a part of the machine as much as people don't want to admit it. He's definitely saying all the right things, but his voting record and support for the USA Freedom Act tells a vastly different story regarding his "allegiance to the people."

To slough it off and say "he's the best we have," is to really a testament to how screwed up our system really is.

I have to amend this for consistency - he supported, as a co-sponsor, the USA Freedom Act in 2014 but by 2015 he dropped as a co-sponsor. Regardless, it appears to be more of a political ploy than anything else, but I am naturally a cynic.

a reply to: WCmutant

It took me a while to watch this. That happens. So I'm late to the party, whatever.

He seems to be honest. This may be the first time I've seen a interview with him and I can't really argue with anything. I don't know if Global Warming is or isn't happening as I stay well away from those threads. He seems to think it's real and that may be a blunder but I can't call him out on that as I have no clue.

Thanks for bringing this guy up. I'll have to look for more from him. For someone who's been there in war zones to say what he says is slightly refreshing. Only slightly as I wonder how many people are listening.