Thoughts & life experiences of a Chicago area graphic artist

02 December 2009

Peoples' American Historian Howard Zinn Q-and-A with Students


Yesterday I went to a event featuring the author of the documentary that will air on the History channel on December 13th, 8/7c. Here are my notes from the Howard Zinn Phone Conference.
1 December 2009, At the Dundee crown High School, Instructor Mr. Bruce Taylor Moderating

Notes by Doug Jennings. Comments of Howard Zinn are not verbatim.

Questions by DCHS Students. Answers by Howard Zinn

Q. Has the Media been a negative influence on American society?

A. The Media has badly influenced the thinking of Americans. For one thing it ignores the true History of the United States. The Media is tied to the establishment and too respectful of authority. It goes along with the most powerful interests. The Media is not to be trusted.

Q. How has religion impacted feminism?

A. Religions have not been helpful to the cause of feminism overall. Women would be better off with atheism. Islamic culture has been intolerant of equality for women for the most part. Western religions have a mixed record. In the Catholic Church, nuns are second class citizens. Women are not allowed to serve as clergy. Protestant denominations have been slow to come around to equality for women. In the Native American religions women had more equality. Women are better off with no religious influence.

Q. How much of U.S. (foreign [?]) Policy is influenced by Corporate and Business Interests. And what impact does this have on the way other countries view us?

A. Businesses and Corporations have had and have very heavy influence on U.S. Government policy. Removal of the Indians from their land was motivated by greed for the land and its resources. The Mexican War was waged to satisfy the desire for more U.S. land for exploitation of resources and on behalf of slave interests. After the Spanish/American War, Businesses quickly moved in to Cuba and to also exploit the Asian market by moving in to the Phillipines. A good book to read in this regard is Overthrow: America's Century of Regime Change from Hawaii to Iraq, a book (published in 2006) by (award-winning New York Times foreign correspondent and author) Stephen Kinzer.

Overall this behavior on the part of our government engenders hostility toward the U.S. by other countries who view us as a predator.

Q. What role did Nationalism play in the Post World War II de-colonisation?

A. Post War de-colonization was definitely a result of Nationalistic movements. Roosevelt and Churchill promised self-determination to colonial nations. And that encouraged Nationalist movements to take hold and flourish.

Q. Has the Implementation of Welfare programs benefitted the American Economy?

A. First of all it must be understood that there are two kinds of welfare. 1) Corporate Welfare where businesses are given tax breaks, subsidies and tariff breaks. 2) Welfare for ordinary people. Corporate Welfare can stimulate the economy but that can do little to help the ordinary citizen. The economic crisis in the 1930s lead to the New Deal under Franklin Roosevelt which put forth true measures to help common people. These measures included Social Security for retired people, Public Works projects to improve our infrastructure and provide jobs.

Regarding the U.S. Economy, we should always ask who (what group) is benefitting from any improvement to the Economy.

The Obama administration is still dominated by corporate interests.

Q. Do you have any predictions for the Copenhagen Summit?

A. International agreements are often just window dressing; a resolution to look good but are not implemented. Too often many countries don't sign. Those that do sign do not follow through on what's promised. International Global environmentalists need to apply pressure through demonstrations. If enough pressure by environmentalists by way of massive demonstrations is applied, leaders will be moved to make better treaties. Europe has more of a tradition of mass protests than the U.S.

Q. What has been the impact of NAFTA (North American Free Trade Agreement)?

A. Free trade has not been working as well as promised and has not had a good effect. Job loss in the U.S. has been a result as Corporations go overseas for their workforce to avoid regulations.

Look to other kinds of international agreements to be more fair.

Q. Which industry do you think will have the most job growth?

A. Not manufacturing. Information and technical industries and service industries.

Q. Is America the most Democratic country?

A. Democracy is much overrated. Democracy suffers when our nation is at war. Freedom of speech and the Bill of rights are often suspended. We see this happening recently under President Bush and the Patriot Act. The most democratic countries have better represention through more political parties. The U.S. only has two parties and both of those are dominated by Big Business. We should ask how fair, egalitarian and democratic is the U.S. economy? America is far behind other countries in providing for those in need (in such areas as infant mortality rates and healthcare for poor children, etc.).

NOTE: Howard Zinn documentary "The People Speak" premiered on Sunday, December 13, 2009, at 8 pm, on the History Channel.

UPDATE: See interview with Howard Zinn on Youtube:

 

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