Tag: culture wars

North America
CounterVortex

Podcast: Politics of the Second Amendment

In Episode Four of the CounterVortex podcast, Bill Weinberg makes the case that the Second Amendment is a non-grammatical muddle of obfuscationā€”because the issue was just as contentious in 1789 as it is today, and the Framers fudged it. That’s why both the “gun control” and “gun rights” advocates can claim they have the correct interpretationā€”as they each advocate solutions that, in their own way, escalate the police state. In the wake of the latest school massacre, youth activists are pressing the issue, and this is long overdue. But the discussion that needs to be had would explore the social and cultural roots of this peculiarly American pathology. Listen on SoundCloud, and support us via Patreon.

Watching the Shadows

Counterpunch justifies Kremlin propaganda

After the Washington Post cited FBI sources to the effect that at least one recent contributor to Counterpunch was a "probable Russian troll," editor Jeffrey St. Clair responds by defending  "pro-Russian" bias, pointing to instances of "bias" in favor of horrible things like torture and nuclear strikes by mainstream wonks. So much for the notion of the "alternative media" actually taking a higher standard than the dreaded "MSM," and actually providing an alternative. Instead the idea seems to be that if they can run sinister propaganda, so can we. (Photo: Wikipedia)

North America

Anti-Semitic threats and ‘false flags’

Are the "false flag" theories about the anti-Semitic threats vindicated by the bust of a left-wing ex-journo? No, because exploiting anti-Semitism to score points is still anti-Semitic.

North America

Orlando massacre in propaganda wars

In the wake of the Orlando massacre, the left blames homophobia while the right blames Islam—both sides ignoring the obvious reality of ā€‹homophobia rooted in political Islam.

Mexico

Was Chapo’s overture to Hollywood fatal?

Chapo Guzmán was apparently tracked down and apprehended after Mexican authorities intercepted his communications with Sean Penn and other show-biz heavies.

North America

Another day, another massacre…

Was the San Bernardino attack politically motivated terrorism or just someone's personal revenge? Either way, pundits right and left are going to be squirming…

North America

Another day, another massacre…

In the wake of the latest campus shoot-up, calls are raised for pre-emptive restraint on the "mentally ill," but it is verboten to ask why so many people are driven to this pathology.

New York City

9-11 at fourteen: spectacle commodified

9-11 still provides an occasion for jingoism and war propaganda. But the day's commodification and transformation into an empty spectacle is now even more disturbing.

Iraq

Kurdish diva wages culture war on ISIS

Kurdish-American pop singer Helly Luv is facing death threats from ISIS after travelling to the frontline in northern Iraq to produce a music video cheering on the Peshmerga.