Many of you have asked how I feel about the Obama administration . . .
In short: the fact that we moved from a conservative Republican oilman from Texas to a liberal Democratic African American from Illinois, and yet change plods along at a snail's pace - if at all - is a confirmation of what I discuss in detail in my book Hoodwinked.
Our president has little real power.
In recent years, geopolitics have shifted; the corporatocracy rules.
Democrats and Republicans alike fall under the thumb of the multinational corporations.
We have entered a time of realignment not unlike that when city states joined together to form nations. Except this time it is global; countries are becoming less relevant. The emerging rulers are corporate CEOs, members of the corporatocracy.
Like huge clouds swirling around the globe, their conglomerates reach every continent, country, and village. They are unrestricted by national borders or any particular sets of law. Although many are headquartered in the United States and call upon the U.S. military to protect their interests, they feel no sense of loyalty to any one country. They form partnerships with the Chinese and the Taiwanese, with the Israeli and Arab nations, with Brazilians, Australians, Russians, Indonesians, Congolese--with anyone who possesses resources or offers markets they covet. As we have seen with Halliburton, they think nothing of relocating to places like Dubai, where they pay fewer taxes.
They hire a vast army of lobbyists who influence every politician in Washington and every other capital.
They either own the mainstream media or control it through their advertising budgets.
The good news: for the first time in history this new empire has been created not by military force, but through the sale of goods and services. And the marketplace is democratic--once we decide to see it as such. It is the ultimate polling booth. Corporations exist only because we vote for them in their stores, at the malls, and over the Internet.
It is up to us to decide which companies will succeed and which ones will fail.
Politicians will not change the world, because they are beholden to the big corporations. AND the corporations are dependent upon you and me.
About a hundred fifty years ago we as a nation voted for Abraham Lincoln, and then we fought a Civil War to get rid of slavery. Later our women picketed Woodrow Wilson everywhere he went over women's suffrage; they would not allow him to send troops into WWI to defend democracy in Europe "until we women enjoy democracy here at home." We held teach-ins for Richard Nixon to educate him and the country on the travesty that had become the Vietnam War. We won those struggles, because we the people forced our leaders to change. In recent decades, we forced corporations to clean up polluted rivers, do away with ozone layer destroying aerosols, and remove trans fats from our foods.
Today, we the people are called upon to speak again. When we impact bottom lines, we change stock prices and attract the attention of boards of directors. Those boards influence the decisions made in the halls of legislatures.
We must not look to President Obama to change the world. We must do it - we must force those in control to adopt a new goal for the people of our planet: creating a sustainable, just, and peaceful world for all who live on this special space-station we call home.
Perhaps President Obama's greatest gift to us will be that he taught us a lesson in democracy. We the people must take charge. We cannot look to a president to change the world. It is up to each of us to do it.
"They used to tell me I was building a dream, and so I followed the mob,
When there was earth to plow, or guns to bear, I was always there right on the job.
They used to tell me I was building a dream, with peace and glory ahead,
Why should I be standing in line, just waiting for bread?" (Yip Harburg, lyrics, "Brother Can You Spare A Dime")
My prayers go out to the Chilean people during this time of crisis. I also feel it's incredibly important in light of Walmart's announcement yesterday that they would be donating a million dollars in aid, to provide some perspective on this "corporatocracy" in action.
On January 23, 2009, barely a year and a half ago Walmart's press release touted "Walmart Confims Successful Tender Offer for D&S - Investment provides major foothold in key South American market." While most North Americans, financial analysts and journalists did not take note of this announcement, those of us tired of being "hoodwinked" certainly did.
D&S at the time of the acquisition was Chile's largest food retailer. Walmart's Executive vice president and CEO of the Americas, Craig Herkert said, "Partnering with D&S, with its strong brands, and its position as Chile's largest food retailer, is an important step in implementing Walmart's international strategy. We continue to focus on portfolio optimization, global leverage and winning in every market."
Walmart, because of this acquisition, now owns 58.2 percent of the issued and outstanding shares of D&S, while the Chilean owners now only hold 40.1 percent, with the remainder 1.7 percent being held by the public.
In both my books, HOODWINKED and THE SECRET HISTORY OF THE AMERICAN EMPIRE, I've noted Walmart as a one of the companies that has avoided a true commitment to environmentally or socially responsible operations.
Walmart, Monsanto, De Beers, Exxon Mobile, Adidas, Ford, and GE are just some of the companies that exploit labor forces and destroy the environment in the name of enhancing their "portfolio optimization, global leverage" and greed-driven bottom lines.
When I read the announcement of Walmart pledging an initial one million dollars to aid grief-stricken Chile on Saturday, I could not help recalling the lyrics of Brother Can You Spare A Dime. Written in 1931, today it continues to herald the great failure of the predatory form of capitalism I write about in HOODWINKED.
In February 2010, Walmart posted a record profit for the fourth quarter. According to the New York Times (Profit Rises at Walmart, but Outlook is Clouded, NYTIMES 2-19-2010) , during the quarter ending in January, Walmart posted a profit of $4.63 billion or $1.23 a share, up from $3.79 billion, or 96 cents a share, a year earlier. The story notes, "Almost all of the increase was because of the international division."
It strikes me as nothing but manipulative that a company whose profits are so incredibly high, chose to spare less than their equivalent of a dime to the people of Chile during their time of need. This is the same company that exploits the Chilean labor force and disrupts their environment.
Thomas Paine wrote, "We have it in our power to begin the world all over again." Whenever devastating events happen in countries like Haiti and Chile, let us each commit to assuring that the beginning of the rebuilding is done with only the people in mind, and not solely to benefit the corporations.
What can you do? Send an email to Walmart to let them know that you do not intend to buy from them until they become truly committed to a sustainable, just, and peaceful world. When you and I, and a few of our friends, send such emails the message is impossible for them to ignore. The market place is a voting both. We can use it effectively.
Together let us contemplate the possibilities of a new economy based upon producing things that people actually need, and goods and services that serve the earth and offer hope for the future.
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"They used to tell me I was building a dream, and so I followed the mob,
When there was earth to plow, or guns to bear, I was always there right on the job.
They used to tell me I was building a dream, with peace and glory ahead,
Why should I be standing in line, just waiting for bread?" (Yip Harburg, lyrics, "Brother Can You Spare A Dime")
My prayers go out to the Chilean people during this time of crisis. I also feel it's incredibly important in light of Walmart's announcement yesterday that they would be donating a million dollars in aid, to provide some perspective on this "corporatocracy" in action.
On January 23, 2009, barely a year and a half ago Walmart's press release touted "Walmart Confirms Successful Tender Offer for D&S -- Investment provides major foothold in key South American market." While most North Americans, financial analysts and journalists did not take note of this announcement, those of us tired of being "hoodwinked" certainly did.
D&S at the time of the acquisition was Chile's largest food retailer. Walmart's Executive vice president and CEO of the Americas, Craig Herkert said, "Partnering with D&S, with its strong brands, and its position as Chile's largest food retailer, is an important step in implementing Walmart's international strategy. We continue to focus on portfolio optimization, global leverage and winning in every market."
Walmart, because of this acquisition, now owns 58.2 percent of the issued and outstanding shares of D&S, while the Chilean owners now only hold 40.1 percent, with the remainder 1.7 percent being held by the public.
In both my books, Hoodwinked and The Secret History of the American Empire, I've noted Walmart as a one of the companies that has avoided a true commitment to environmentally or socially responsible operations.
Walmart, Monsanto, De Beers, Exxon Mobile, Adidas, Ford, and GE are just some of the companies that exploit labor forces and destroy the environment in the name of enhancing their "portfolio optimization, global leverage" and greed-driven bottom lines.
When I read the announcement of Walmart pledging an initial one million dollars to aid grief-stricken Chile on Saturday, I could not help recalling the lyrics of "Brother Can You Spare A Dime." Written in 1931, today it continues to herald the great failure of the predatory form of capitalism I write about in Hoodwinked.
In February 2010, Walmart posted a record profit for the fourth quarter. According to the New York Times (Profit Rises at Walmart, but Outlook is Clouded, NYTIMES 2-19-2010) , during the quarter ending in January, Walmart posted a profit of $4.63 billion or $1.23 a share, up from $3.79 billion, or 96 cents a share, a year earlier. The story notes, "Almost all of the increase was because of the international division."
It strikes me as nothing but manipulative that a company whose profits are so incredibly high, chose to spare less than their equivalent of a dime to the people of Chile during their time of need. This is the same company that exploits the Chilean labor force and disrupts their environment.
Thomas Paine wrote, "We have it in our power to begin the world all over again." Whenever devastating events happen in countries like Haiti and Chile, let us each commit to assuring that the beginning of the rebuilding is done with only the people in mind, and not solely to benefit the corporations.
What can you do? Send an email to Walmart to let them know that you do not intend to buy from them until they become truly committed to a sustainable, just, and peaceful world. When you and I, and a few of our friends, send such emails the message is impossible for them to ignore. The market place is a voting both. We can use it effectively.
Together let us contemplate the possibilities of a new economy based upon producing things that people actually need, and goods and services that serve the earth and offer hope for the future.
"Small acts, when multiplied by millions of people, can transform the world." (Howard Zinn)
My professor, friend, and mentor Howard Zinn passed away on January 27 at the age of 87.
Much has been written about Howard, but those who had the opportunity to know him personally will remember him for his most wonderful attributes of kindness, wit, and wisdom -- and for his determination to right the wrongs of the past and present.
While I was a student at Boston University, Prof. Zinn inspired me to think deeply about humanity, politics, and the need to stand firm against bullies -- even when the bully was my own government. He often warned his students that material wealth, if left unchecked can corrupt and lead to despotic uses of power.
Howard was a giant among both intellectuals and activists. He also lived a life of small acts that helped inspire millions of people to work at transforming the world.
I was teaching in Central America on the morning I learned that he had died -- suddenly, from a heart attack. It was the day when I was supposed to celebrate my 65th birthday. At first I was overwhelmed with grief, but quickly realized Howard would want me to rejoice over his life rather than mourn his death.
I wandered into a nearby forest and sat on a rock. Not much time passed before a family of howler monkeys arrived. They seemed oblivious to my presence. The adults swung from limb to limb. Their acrobatics looked effortless. I had to wonder how they knew that the next limb would bear their weight. Two babies followed at the end. Where their elders had swung, they were forced to leap, to literally fly through the air. It struck me that each leap was an amazing act of faith.
The howlers departed; the forest went silent. As I sat there alone, I kept seeing Howard's smiling face, his intense and compassionate eyes. I recommitted to spreading the message that he taught me in the late '6os at BU: that true democracy requires action from each and every one of us; that our focus on instantaneous material gratification has sent us into a stupor that allows multinational corporations to exploit us, our government, and human and natural resources around the planet; and that we the people MUST insist on change. Like those howler babies, we must muster the courage to leap -- to fly through the air and have faith that the branches will support us.
Howard once told me that he wanted to be remembered for "Helping people understand that the men with the big mansions and guns do not hold the power, unless we give it to them. We the people have the power. The women's suffrage and civil rights movements showed us this, as did the anti-Vietnam War movement. As do those people in other countries who defy tyranny." His legacy motivates us to understand that we must take action. Every one of us can, and must, rebel against the abuses of power we see around us today. We may choose to take to the streets. Or to do it through "smaller acts," like refusing to buy products from corporations that are not committed to being environmentally and socially responsible. And by insisting that Congress reign in the Supreme Court, reverse the latest campaign financing ruling, and assure Net Neutrality.
Howard said, "If those in charge of our society - politicians, corporate executives, and owners of press and television - can dominate our ideas, they will be secure in their power. They will not need soldiers patrolling the streets. We will control ourselves."
It is time to take back our power, to wrest it from all the megalomaniac corporations and those who profit from withholding information from the people. It is time to revisit the true meaning of "democracy," "freedom," and "of, for, and by the people."
It is comforting and inspiring to know that Howard's spirit is with us through the writing he left behind. Someday my two year old grandson will study Howard Zinn's work just as I have. I know too that we will all continue with our small leaps (actions) knowing that they will benefit and inspire future generations to change the world.
