C-Span 2 gave the American people a wonderful gift for
Labor Day, three hours of conversation and questions and
answers with Howard Zinn, author of "A People's History" and
many other books and articles. The first airing of the
program was at 12 noon and viewers from around the country
called in with questions for Zinn. The program was repeated
at 5:00 p.m. and midnight.
If people are able to tape the program, it would be a
valuable addition to a progressive collection of videos.
Zinn came across as honest, approachable and modest. He
expressed enormous compassion for victims of wars, victims
of slavery, victims of exploitation by businesses and
corporations, for working people, and for oppressed people
all over the world.
It was a delight to hear a lengthy, uninterrupted,
intelligent conversation on a television program. There were
no ads and no people interrupting each other and speaking
over each other, which is a mainstay on cable stations.
This was a thoughtful, calm discussion. What a pleasure to
hear progressive ideas expressed for three hours by such a
great spokesperson.
Zinn spoke against the "war on terrorism," calling it a
war on people. He condemned violence and killing. He
spoke in favor of nonviolent, direct action, including
supporting Plowshares actions, where people damage military
ships or planes or draft board offices, as well as other
forms of sabotage against property. He supported boycotts
and strikes as a means of making social change.
Zinn had no good words for either Democrats or Republicans.
He said there was very little difference between them and he
supports full, public funding of campaigns. Giving a long
explanation of socialism, he also talked about the Industrial
Workers of the World (IWW), the Socialist Party and Eugene
Debs, as well as Mother Jones and Emma Goldman. He spoke at
length about some labor history and a strike of women workers,
who were mostly immigrants, in textile mills. He championed
working people, poor people and oppressed people.
For three hours Zinn spoke for virtually all progressives,
stating our beliefs and ideas. C-Span 2 finally did
something right! It made this Labor Day weekend have real
meaning for all working people. Thank you, Howard Zinn and
C-Span.