Swans online June 9, 2003

[Louis Proyect <lnp3@xxxxxxxxx>]

http://www.swans.com/
June 9, 2003 -- In this issue:

Mulling over the stories that permeated the prating crowds for the
past week or so -- the Middle East Road Map with a "ride herd"
vision-thing, the once-ubiquitous weapons of mass destruction turned
MIA in Iraq, Iran's nuclear program, Martha Stewart's legal
tribulations, etc. -- we felt these stories had very little leg absent
the obfuscated context within which they are being peddled by the media;
that of the November 2004 US presidential elections. Why then
follow this all-around herd-like, scripted mentality, we wondered; and
we thought, as Tennessee Williams stated, "[T]here is a time for
departure even when there's no certain place to go."

So, keeping in mind the literary aspect of Swans, we are departing
alright. First, we visit the doldrums many have encountered lately with
Phil Rockstroh's experience of awfulness in a world consumed by
'Junk' (Alma Hromic may have had this world in mind when, following
her reading of Subhankar Banerjee's "Seasons of life and land," she
wrote her essay on preserving the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge);
and then we let Scott Orlovsky weave his way, with solidarity and
determination, "to energetically augment the vitality and beautiful
strength of creation." For his part, Louis Proyect brings forth the
third installment in his series of reviews of radical authors; this time
he scholarly delves into John Sanford's "The People From Heaven."

Then we move to our regular heading, "Patterns which Connect," with
a thorough essay by Gerard Smith on the 'liberation theory' and the
use of Aquinas to advance through force a hegemonic democratization
and a global market economy, while Milo Clark revisits our
immensely destructive and quite dystopian social system and Richard
Macintosh shows how the two major American political parties have
historically pursued the same terrorizing nuclear policies to achieve
their strategic objectives.

This brings us to the "Countdown to November 2004" that, although
still largely under the radar-screen, is directing most of the current
decisions being made in the corridors of power. Deck Deckert once
more relates the unresponsiveness of his representatives -- actually the
total disregard they have for their constituents (with the exception of
the fat cats). Eli Beckerman, a Green activist, suggests that the peace
movement needs an increasingly independent political stance; and we
are reposting an October 2002 article by Gilles d'Aymery in which he
argues in favor of a third-party candidate. Finally, we conclude this
issue with Richard Hine who brings a view from Britain concerning the
various demonstrations of "anti-Americanism" that have surfaced there
in the past few months.

As always, please form your OWN opinion, and let your friends (and
foes) know about Swans. It's your voice that makes ours grow.
[Note: Please see the announcements further below in regard to fonts
and formatting in this issue.]

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Here is the list of all the pieces:

http://www.swans.com/library/art9/procks02.html
Bouquet Of Corn Dogs - Prose Poem by Phil Rockstroh

http://www.swans.com/library/art9/sorlov06.html
Quantum Jump - Poem by Scott Orlovsky

http://www.swans.com/library/art9/aah038.html
Seasons Of Life And Oil - by Alma A. Hromic

http://www.swans.com/library/art9/lproy05.html
John Sanford's "The People From Heaven"
Book Review by Louis Proyect

http://www.swans.com/library/art9/gsmith05.html
Liberation Theory: Precedent for a New Millennium of Bloodshed
by Gerard Donnelly Smith

http://www.swans.com/library/art9/mgc113.html
Reviewing, Refocusing And Recapitulating - by Milo Clark

http://www.swans.com/library/art9/rmac07.html
The Time's Plague - by Richard Macintosh

http://www.swans.com/library/art9/rdeck040.html
They Still Aren't Listening - by Deck Deckert

http://www.swans.com/library/art9/elib011.html
T-Minus None - by Eli Beckerman

http://www.swans.com/library/art8/ga142.html
Vexing Electoral Realities (10/21/02) - by Gilles d'Aymery

http://www.swans.com/library/art9/rhine01.html
Can't See The World For The Trees - by Richard Hine

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Thank you for reading Swans.

Gilles d'Aymery
--
Swans

"Hungry man, rush for the book: It is a weapon."  B. Brecht


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