Concerned Families of Westchester Newsletter
July 24, 2022
Hello All – There is general agreement among Democrats and those to the left of the Democratic Party that America is "in a crisis." And therefore we have to act. To vote. To do … what else? And here the divisions among Democrats, and among those who foresee a dystopian future and want to defeat it, become apparent.
In the current issue of New York Review of Books – perhaps the flagship of east coast liberalism – Mark Danner writes: "We're in an Emergency – Act Like It!" He writes:
The 2022 election will be the first held in the shadow of an attempted coup d'état—a nearly successful and still-unpunished crime against the state. It will be the first held after a Supreme Court decision that not only uprooted a half-century-old established right but that threatens the rescinding of other rights as well. And it will be the first in which it is clear that, from Republican legislators' relentless efforts to change who counts the votes, the very character of American governance is on the ballot. … American voters have not confronted so grave a choice since 1860. Now as then, two dramatically different futures are on offer
The looming danger is in the world revealed by the January 6th insurrection and committee, and in the world revealed by the Supreme Court in its abortion and environmental protection decisions. "If any election cried out to be nationalized," writes Danner, "to be fought not only on the kitchen-table issues of inflation and unemployment but on the defining principles of what the country is and what it should be—it is this November's." And to this end Danner proposes a liberal version of Newt Gingrich's 2010 "Contract with America," though this liberal contract focuses on promises of congressional and executive action to support the right to abortion, to safeguard contraception and same-sex marriage, and to end the filibuster so that progressive legislation – indeed, even "moderate" legislation – can be passed.
And yet what is missing from this proposed "Contract with America" is any substance that might speak to the additional needs of low-income Americans; and thereby win the fall elections for the Democrats. Danner notes that the failure of the Democrats to raise taxes on corporations and the very wealthy -- "a wildly popular measure vital to the entire Democratic program" – "casts embarrassing doubt on their legitimacy as a working- and middle-class party." Indeed, advocating a social-democratic, Sanders-style legislative program is rejected by much of the Democratic Party leadership, which has rallied against many left-of-liberal Democratic office-seekers, in favor of "centrists" and "moderates," as Robert Reich points out in an article linked below.
Finally, Danner's "Emergency" seems not include what CFOW and many others regard as the elephant-emergencies in the room, the climate crisis and the danger of nuclear war. In this the proposed "Contract with America" reflects our political reality, as poll after poll find that US voters and US media personalities do not regard either question as important – or, for pollsters, questions even worth asking about. Yet the military budget, the war in the Ukraine, and the increasing military friction between the USA and Russia surely puts the issue of nuclear war on the table. And our evening news shows beyond a doubt that our climate crisis is not just looming, it has arrived. Billions of dollars misspent, and billions unspent, and yet this disasters cannot even rise to the level of "Emergency" in progressive messaging. This silence may be our real emergency.
News Notes
The climate crisis, the Covid pandemic, and the war in Ukraine have dramatically raised the cost of food and threaten millions of people with starvation. According to the World Food Programme head David Beasley, at least 325 people are on the brink of starvation. For a useful overview of what's happening and what can be done to save millions, read "How the Treasury Department could prevent mass starvation with no cost to the taxpayers," by By Mark Weisbrot, Marketwatch [July 21, 2022].
The congressional redistricting mess has resulted in the displacement of the progressive politician serving CD 17, Mondaire Jones, and his likely replacement in the person of a Democratic "moderate," Sean Patrick Maloney. Regarding the context or back story of this disappointing event, I found this article – "Local Grassroots Organizations Condemn Sean Patrick Maloney for Prioritizing Political Gains over Working Class Communities of Color" – by A.J.Woodson in his Black Westchester illuminating.
There are many stories about big money – particularly Republican big money – and how it is deforming our electoral "system." Here's another good one: "Just 27 Billionaires Have Spent $90 Million to Buy GOP Congress: Report," by Kenny Stancil, Common Dreams [July 18, 2022].
CFOW Nuts & Bolts
Please consider getting involved with Concerned Families of Westchester. Weather permitting, we meet for a protest/rally each Saturday in Hastings, at 12 noon at the VFW Plaza (Warburton and Spring St.) A "Black Lives Matter/Say Their Names" vigil is held each Monday from 5:30 to 6:00 pm in Yonkers at the intersection of Warburton Ave. and Odell. To learn about our new project, "Beauty as Fuel for Change," go here; and to make a financial contribution to the project, go here. If you would like to join one of our Zoom meetings, each Tuesday and Thursday at noon, please send a return email for the link. Our newsletter is archived at https://cfow.blogspot.com/; and news of interest and coming events is posted on our CFOW Facebook page. If you would like to support our work by making a contribution, please send your check to CFOW, PO Box 364, Hastings-on-Hudson, NY 10706. Thanks!
Rewards!
This week's Rewards for stalwart readers come from a 1994 project focusing on black and white contributions to the Delta blues coming out of Memphis and Nashville. It is called "Rhythm, Country & Blues." Here are two clips from the album – Al Greene and Lyle Lovett, "Funny How Time Slips Away"; and Aaron Neville and Trisha Yearwood, "I Fall to Pieces." There are more songs in this interesting documentary about the music and the musicians. Enjoy!
Best wishes,
Frank Brodhead
For CFOW
CFOW Weekly Reader
Featured Essays
(Video) 187 Minutes: Jan. 6 Hearing Examines Trump's Refusal to Urge Mob to Stop Violent Attack on Capitol
From Democracy Now! [July 22, 2022]
----- The House Select Committee to Investigate the January 6th Attack on the United States Capitol held a primetime hearing on Thursday night focused on former President Donald Trump's refusal to take action as his supporters attacked the Capitol on January 6. Lawmakers dissected the three-hour period on January 6 after Trump urged his supporters to march to the Capitol and "fight like hell." For 187 minutes, Trump refused to call off the mob or reach out to law enforcement or military leaders to try to stop the violence. Instead, Trump called Republican senators, urging them to stop the certification. "For hours Donald Trump chose not to answer the pleas from Congress, from his own party and from all across our nation to do what his oath required," said Congressmember Liz Cheney, the committee's vice chair. [See the Program] Also of interest: "187 Minutes of Treason," by John Nichols, The Nation [July 22, 2022] [Link].
Asking "What About…?" Is Essential to Achieving Justice
By Viet Thanh Nguyen, The Nation [July 22, 2022]
---- The war in Ukraine and the Western reactions to it offer a real-time example of how sympathy and hypocrisy sometimes go hand in hand. Of course Ukrainians deserve sympathy—and much more—for their suffering under Russia's invasion. But as other populations who are undergoing or have undergone bombardment, occupation, or other forms of domination—often by nations in the West or their allies—have remarked, "What about us?" This raises the issue of when one can reasonably ask this question without being accused of "whataboutism"—the practice of deflecting a demand for justice or care with a self-serving claim about one's own victimization or that of supposedly equally deserving others. As someone who came to the United States as a refugee fleeing the Vietnam War, I've asked myself "What about…?" many times. When I visit the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, which commemorates the more than 58,000 Americans who died in the war, I wonder about the 3 million dead Vietnamese and whether a nation's memory and moral imagination can be capacious enough to remember not only one's own dead, but the dead of one's enemy and allies. The problem is mirrored in Vietnam, where the government built numerous memorials to honor the 1.1 million North Vietnamese war "martyrs" but erased the more than 200,000 South Vietnamese soldiers who died. [Read More]
Voting Isn't Enough. Our Democracy Requires Radical Reform
By Representative Ilhan Omar, The Nation [July 19, 2022]
---- Our country is in a crisis. On a near-daily basis, evidence mounts implicating the former president of the United States in a coup attempt against our republic. And in just the past two weeks, a spate of extremist Supreme Court decisions have gotten rid of a woman's fundamental right to make decisions about her own body, our government's ability to regulate clean air and water as required by law, and the separation of church and state, all while curbing our ability to regulate deadly weapons. The legitimacy of a democracy rests on the consent of the governed, on the premise that decisions made by civic institutions reflect the will of the citizens and noncitizens they impact. From the January 6 insurrection to the increase in voter suppression, it has become increasingly clear that our country is in the midst of a legitimacy crisis, with the Supreme Court at the heart of it. But the court's recent rulings signify more than just a curtailment of our rights. As an immigrant who has seen countries descend into civil conflict, I recognize a familiar trend here: These are the latest signposts in the frightening backsliding of US democracy into authoritarianism. [Read More]
War & Peace
Why is Biden joining the warpath against Iran?
By Ted Snider, Responsible Statecraft [July 20, 2022]
---- On July 14, the White House announced the signing of the "Joint Declaration on the US-Israel Strategic Partnership." That declaration states not only the familiar U.S. commitment "never to allow Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon," but, as Biden had said, "it is prepared to use all elements of its national power to ensure that outcome." But why, in Biden's words, would the U.S. "use force" against Iran? Why, in the words of the Joint Declaration, would it use "all elements of its national power?" There are several problems with the joint declaration's commitment. Not the least of which is the question of whether it is legal under international law. Would international law permit a pre-emptive war against a country that has not attacked or threatened to attack the US in order to prevent it from acquiring a nuclear weapon? … The second problem is that, despite popular conventional belief, it is not altogether clear that Iran is even pursuing a nuclear weapon. [Read More]
Time Is Running Out to Save the Truce in Yemen
By Hassan El-Tayyab, Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL) [July 2022]
---- The deadline to extend the truce in Yemen is fast approaching, and without serious steps to save it, the truce could fall apart. Despite its flaws, the first nationwide cease-fire in more than seven years of war has brought some relative hope to Yemen. Agreed to back in April for an initial two months, and then extended for another two months in June, the U.N.-brokered truce between Yemen's Houthis and the Saudi-led coalition fighting them "offers a rare opportunity to pivot towards peace that should not be lost," as Hans Grundberg, the U.N. special envoy to Yemen, told the U.N. Security Council. Yet the Houthis, who are aligned with Iran, have indicated that they will not accept an extension of the truce without significant changes, especially the easing of the ongoing blockade of Yemen. … The U.N. is pushing for a six-month extension of the truce, and has reportedly presented its proposal to both the Houthis and the Saudi-led coalition. But an agreement on extending the truce again will only happen if Yemen's warring parties act responsibly and fairly. The United States has a role to play as well. President Biden and the U.S. Congress have an enormous amount of leverage that can be used to ensure that the truce continues and Yemen's peace process stays on track. [Read More]
The Climate Crisis
A Burning Planet: Should the climate movement embrace sabotage?
By Thea Riofrancos, The Nation [July 23, 2022]
[FB – I especially recommend this article to all those who, like me, think violent thoughts and imagine violent actions when reading about how the fossil fuel executives or government officials are pushing our civilization closer to extinction. Why doesn't someone … [fill in the blank with whatever]? – This article maintains that, in spite of our march to doom, nonviolent action still holds out the best chance of saving ourselves.]
---- In the United States, climate activists' commitment to pacifism is capacious enough to foreclose property damage, let alone bodily harm to fossil fuel executives. But despite these heroic efforts, corporations emit with impunity and states continue to delay any action to stop them—and all the while, the world gets hotter and hotter. It is this consensus about peaceful activism amid elite recklessness that Andreas Malm rejects. How to Blow Up a Pipeline will not tell you how to blow up a pipeline, but it will try to convince you that efforts to physically dismantle the infrastructural tentacles of fossil fuel capitalism are historically grounded, strategically intelligent, and morally imperative. "There has been a time for a Gandhian climate movement; perhaps there might come a time for a Fanonian one," avers the book's penultimate line. "Perhaps" is performatively ambivalent, equal parts prediction and provocation. While slippages between these rhetorical modes pervade the text, one thing is crystal clear throughout: For Malm, the climate movement needs to attack the crisis at its root, defusing "carbon-emitting devices" one by one. [Read More] Also of interest: "If this isn't an emergency, what is?" by Bill McKibben (founder of 350.org) [July 22, 2022] [Link].
Civil Liberties
Religious Doctrine, Not the Constitution, Drove the Dobbs Decision
July 22, 2022]
---- No one really buys the argument that what was "egregiously wrong" with Roe v. Wade, to quote the Dobbs majority, was the court's failure to check the right analytic boxes. It was not constitutional analysis but religious doctrine that drove the opposition to Roe. And it was the court's unacknowledged embrace of religious doctrine that has turned American women into desperate refugees fleeing their home states in pursuit of reproductive health care that less than a month ago was theirs by right. To be sure, the Supreme Court has not outlawed abortion. Justice Samuel Alito left that dirty work to the states: Who will rid me of this bothersome right to abortion? … The Casey decision was five days shy of 30 years old when the court overturned it, along with Roe v. Wade, on June 24. Given that this was their goal from the start, the justices in the Dobbs majority really had only one job: to explain why. They didn't, and given the remaining norms of a secular society, they couldn't. There is another norm, too, one that has for too long restrained the rest of us from calling out the pervasive role that religion is playing on today's Supreme Court. In recognition that it is now well past time to challenge that norm, I'll take my own modest step and relabel Dobbs for the religion case that it is, since nothing else explains it. [Read More] Also of interest: "'They've taken down the mask': A new generation of abortion bans make no exception for rape," by Jess Bidgood, Boston Globe [July 21, 2022] [Link]
The State of the Union
Controlling Bodies and Subverting Democracy: How Dobbs Is an Attack on Us All
By Rev. Dr. Liz Theoharis, Tom Dispatch [July 21, 2022'
---- For millions of us, the Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization decision on abortion means that life in America has just grown distinctly more dangerous. The seismic aftershocks of that ruling are already being felt across the country: 22 states have laws or constitutional amendments on the books now poised to severely limit access to abortion or ban it outright. Even before the Supremes issued their decision, states with more restrictive abortion laws had higher maternal-mortality and infant-mortality rates. Now, experts are predicting at least a 21 percent increase in pregnancy-related deaths across the country. … While the Supreme Court's grim decision means more pain and hardship for women, transgender, and gender non-confirming people, it signals even more: the validation of a half-century-old strategy by Christian nationalists to remake the very fabric of this nation. For the businessmen, pastors, and politicians who laid the foundations for the Dobbs ruling, this was never just about abortion. The multi-decade campaign to reverse Roe v. Wade has always been about building a political movement to seize and wield political power. [Read More] Also of interest is "The So-Called "Pro-Life" Movement Couldn't Care Less About the Living," by
Katha Pollitt, The Nation [July 21, 2022] [Link].
AIPAC's horrendous role in this year's Democratic primaries
By Robert Reich, former Secretary of Labor under Clinton [July 22, 2022]
---- On Tuesday, in a House Democratic primary contest to represent a predominantly Black middle-class district north and east of Washington, DC., Glenn Ivey, a former state's attorney for Prince George's County, defeated Donna Edwards, the first Black woman elected to the House from Maryland. (Edwards left the seat to run unsuccessfully for the Senate in 2016 and had hoped to return.) Progressive groups backed Edwards, but television and radio were saturated with ads questioning her willingness to perform basic services for her constituents and to make the kinds of compromises necessary for legislative success. The argument was horse manure. Where did the money for those ads come from? The American-Israel Political Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and its new super PAC, the United Democracy Project (along with another group, the Democratic Majority for Israel). Together they spent almost $7 million to defeat Edwards. That's a staggering sum for a single Democratic primary. What did Edwards do to deserve this degree of AIPAC enmity? [Read More] Also of interest is this program from Democracy Now!, "The Israel Lobby Is Spending Millions to Defeat Progressive Democrats in Primary Races," with Peter Beinart.
Israel/Palestine
Palestinians Face Forced Expulsions as Biden Pledges Allegiance to Israel
By Marjorie Cohn, Truthout [July 16, 2022]
---- President Joe Biden's much-heralded visit to Jerusalem has confirmed that the United States remains Israel's enabler-in-chief. Biden promised to continue providing Israel with $3.8 billion in annual military aid (more than the U.S. gives any other country) to maintain the illegal Israeli occupation of Palestinian territory. … In the newly released Jerusalem U.S.-Israel Strategic Partnership Joint Declaration, Biden and Lapin "affirm that they will continue to work together to combat all efforts to boycott or de-legitimize Israel, to deny its right to self-defense, or to unfairly single it out in any forum including at the United Nations or the International Criminal Court." That means the Biden administration commits to: opposing the constitutionally protected boycott, divestment and sanctions movement; affirming Israel's illegal claim of self-defense against Palestinians under its occupation; stymying the International Criminal Court's investigation of Israeli war crimes; and voting against any criticism of Israel in the UN General Assembly. [Read More] Also of interest is "For Both Israelis and Palestinians, Biden's Agenda Looks Like Trump's," by Giorgio Cafiero, Gulf State Analytics [July 2022] [Link].
At the Movies
FB – This week's film is "Official Secrets," which came out in 2019 and is now available (free) via Kanopy if you have a library card. This film is a true-to-life drama documenting the heroic actions of a British intelligence analyst, Katherine Gun, who "leaked" information showing how the Blair and Bush governments were spying on certain members of the UN Security Council in get information to use in "pressuring" those countries/individuals to support a vote for war against Iraq in early 2003. Needless to say, this leads to big trouble for Katherine; but, sadly, did not prevent the war. I thought the film was terrific and the acting great. When the film first appeared in 2019, Democracy Now! ran a two-part interview with the real Katherine Gun, the news reporters portrayed in the film, and the film's director. Go here to see this excellent program.
