Left Forum 2017 - Reality Check: Time for Radical Resistance and Green-Left Collaboration

 

This is a panel from Left Forum 2017, held June 2 - 4 at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City. The conference theme was "The Resistance."

From the Organizers:

The converging crises of fascism, endless war, climate change, mass migrations, and economic/racial/gender oppression create unprecedented urgency for united, radical action – in the street and in the voting booth. At previous Left Forums – and over the past many decades – progressives have debated the merits of working to “reform” the Democratic Party versus building a united independent radical political front.

Moderator:

Gloria Mattera, Green Party of New York

Panelists:

Chris Hedges is an author, critic and was a foreign correspondent for nearly two decades for The New York Times, The Dallas Morning News, The Christian Science Monitor and National Public Radio. He is the author of the bestsellers American Fascists: The Christian Right and the War on America, Empire of Illusion: The End of Literacy, the Triumph of Spectacle and War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning. He writes an online column for Truthdig.

Medea Benjamin is the co-founder of the women-led peace group CODEPINK and the co-founder of the human rights group Global Exchange. She has been an advocate for social justice for more than 40 years. Described as "one of America's most committed -- and most effective -- fighters for human rights" by New York Newsday, and "one of the high profile leaders of the peace movement" by the Los Angeles Times, she was one of 1,000 exemplary women from 140 countries nominated to receive the Nobel Peace Prize on behalf of the millions of women who do the essential work of peace worldwide. She received numerous prices, including: the Martin Luther King, Jr. Peace Prize from the Fellowship of Reconciliation, the Peace Prize by the US Peace Memorial, the Gandhi Peace Award, and the Nuclear Age Peace Foundation Award. She is a former economist and nutritionist with the United Nations and World Health Organization.

Dr. Jill Stein, Green Party 2016 Presidential Candidate

Margaret Kimberley, Black Agenda Report. Her Freedom Rider column appears weekly in Black Agenda Report, and is widely reprinted elsewhere. She maintains a frequently updated blog as well as at http://freedomrider.blogspot.com. Ms. Kimberley lives in New York City

Linda Thompson, Left Elect (Not actually a panelist, but she said a few words at the end.)

Note: The Left Forum asked me to film and stream their nightly plenaries, and with only 20 minutes between the scheduled end of this panel and the start of the next plenary, I was unable to stay to the end. If I had I would have missed the start of the plenary. As it turned out I was able to film the presentations, missing only the Q&A.

You can see a complete, if somewhat glitchy, livestream of this panel here.

Please visit these Left Forum links:

Website: http://www.leftforum.org/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/theleftforum/?fref=ts
Twitter: https://twitter.com/leftforum
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/TheLeftforum

Presidential Election Flowchart for Liberals

I'm posting this flowchart just in case any of my liberal friends forget how it's done, although at this point you should know it by heart:

1. Forget about voting for any third parties, even if they're the only ones who embody your values. "Nader, dontcha know. Can't let the Republicans win."

2. Get excited about a Democratic candidate who seems to actually not be a sociopath.

3. Watch helplessly as Democratic Party hacks cheat your candidate out of the nomination.

4. Vote for the candidate foisted on you by those very same Party hacks.

5. Watch helplessly as that candidate loses the general election.

6. Search for a scapegoat: Greens, deplorables, Putin, Assange. Almost anyone (except you) will do.

7. Go to a demonstration.

8. Go home.

And that's all there is to it. (You're welcome.)

Inaugurate the Resistance!

Washington, D.C.; January 21, 2017

Panelists:

Chris Hedges, Jill Stein, Tim Canova, Kshama Sawant, Chase Iron Eyes, Bryan Koulouris

Listen to the 58:00 podcast on iTunes.

From the Organizers:

Trump's pro-billionaire agenda and plans to wage war on the environment, deport three million immigrants, undermine public sector unions, and nominate a reactionary Supreme Court justice are not just idle threats. Yet the neoliberal leaders of the Democratic Party cannot stop Trump now, anymore than during the election. How can we build powerful mass movements capable of decisively defeating the right and providing a real alternative for ordinary working people, immigrants, LGBTQ people and youth? Can the Democratic Party be reformed, or does the left need to build independently?

This event is part of Occupy Inauguration's weekend of resistance, sponsored by the Green Party, Socialist Alternative, Occupy Wall Street, Movement for the 99%, and the Stein/Baraka campaign.

Related Links:

Truthdig
Progress for All

Left Forum 2016 - What Next for the Movement Behind Bernie?

This is a panel from the 2016 Left Forum, held May 20 -22 at John Jay College of Criminal Justice in New York City. The conference theme was "Rage, Rebellion, Revolution: Organizing Our Power."

From the Organizers:

The Sanders campaign has drawn tens of thousands into massive, enthusiastic rallies for "a political revolution against the billionaire class". Grassroots organizations like "Labor for Bernie," "People for Bernie" and "#Movement4Bernie" swelled around the country. How do we continue the fight against the billionaire class after the primaries? Do we need a new party for the 99%? Can this be a step towards revitalizing the labor movement? Come discuss these questions and more with leaders of the movement.

Panel Chair:

Bryan Koulouris is the National Organizer for Socialist Alternative.

Panelists:

Charles Lechner is with People for Bernie.

Philip Locker is the national spokesperson for Socialist Alternative and a founder of #Movement4Bernie.

Micah Landau is with Labor for Bernie.

Kshama Sawant is Seattle's socialist City Councilmember. She was initially elected in 2013 as an open socialist fighting for a $15 an hour minimum wage. After Kshama initiated the "15 Now" movement, Seattle became the first city in the country to win 15, and that victory rapidly spread to other cities across the country. Kshama was re-elected in 2015 with widespread labor support while she campaigned for housing justice. She spoke alongside Bernie Sanders at rallies addressing thousands in Seattle.

Download the audio at the a-Infos Radio Project.

The Principle of Green Political Independence

Why Progressive Democrats Reinforce Corporate Rule

Howie Hawkins spoke at the NY Green Fest 2011, held in Alfred, NY.