I've decided not.
Writer-director Boots Riley (SORRY TO BOTHER YOU) has done a strong job deconstructing the film at BLACK AGENDA REPORT:
First, Blackkklansman is not a true story. A story not being “true” is not necessarily a problem for me. I have no interest in telling them myself at this time -- but this is being pushed as a true story and it is precisely its untrue elements that make a cop a hero against racism.When I voiced some criticism before, a few people said, “But it’s a true story!” It’s not.
It’s a made up story in which the false parts of it try to make a cop the protagonist in the fight against racist oppression. It’s being put out there while Black Lives Matter is in discussion, and this is not coincidental. There is a viewpoint behind it.
Here is what we know:
The real Ron Stallworth infiltrated a Black radical organization for three years (not for one event like the movie portrays) where he did what all papers from the FBI’s Counter Intelligence Program (Cointelpro), that were found through the Freedom of Information Act, tell us he did -- sabotage a Black radical organization whose intent had to do with, at the very least, fighting racist oppression. Cointelpro papers show us that these police infiltrators of radical organizations worked to try to disrupt the organizations through things like instigating infighting, acting crazy to make the organizations look bad, getting physical altercations happening, and setting them up to be murdered by police and others. Ron Stallworth was part of the Cointelpro. Cointelpro’s objectives were to destroy radical organizations, especially Black radical organizations.
“It’s a made up story in which the false parts try to make a cop the protagonist in the fight against racist oppression.”
Cointelpro papers also show us that when White Supremacist organizations were infiltrated by the FBI and the cops, it was not to disrupt them. They weren’t disrupted. It was to use them to threatened and/or physically attack radical organizations. There was no directive to stop the rise of White Supremacist organizations. The directive was to stop radical organizations. The White Supremacists were infiltrated to be more effective tools of repression by the state. In some cases, it was the undercover cops who came up with plans and literally pulled the trigger on assassinations. This happened in church bombings of civil rights movement associated Black churches in Birmingham, the assassination of a civil rights organizer from Detroit in Selma, the Greensboro Massacre of Communist Workers Party members in 1979, and more. This s what Ron Stallworth was helping to do, and he was doing it in that era. The events of the film all take place in 1979 and after.
I didn't realize this was COINTELPRO. On TV, it looked to me, the commercial, like it was about some reporter going undercover.
There is no way in the world I would ever buy a ticket to a film glorifying COINTELPRO. I don't know how anyone who considers themselves Black could. I just can't do that.
COINTELPRO destroyed our lives. It destroyed our leaders. To turn around now, years later, and celebrate it? That's ridiculous.
I'm not seeing the film.
"Iraq snapshot" (THE COMMON ILLS):
'Every day we stare at the door, waiting for him to come back.'
Wether their son, husband or sister is #Missing, for 1, 10 or 30 years, wherever in #Iraq, they share the same unspeakable grief & don't know who to turn to.
Their voices need to be heard.
#DayoftheDisappeared
The "disappeared" were not created in Iraq in 2003. People were "disappeared" under Saddam Hussein. But the Iraq War was supposed to 'liberate' Iraq. And the puppets the US installed continued to 'disappear' Iraqis. Former prime minister and forever thug Nouri al-Maliki disappeared people throughout his first term but then-US President Barack Obama still gave him a second term (even after the Iraqi voters rejected a second term for Nouri). That second term saw even more Iraqis disappeared and that was one of the issues that led to the rise of ISIS.
Though Nouri wanted a third term, the havoc he brought to Iraq was such that Barack said no. Instead, Hayder al-Abadi was installed. The disappearances have continued under Hayder and one debate on social media is whether they are higher, lower or the same as Nouri's disappearances? The corporate media has not been too interested in the topic to begin with and, during Hayder's term as prime minister, they've ignored the topic and spent their time insisting that Hayder was a strong representative for Iraq and that he had what was needed for a leader -- you know, the same lies that they spent years spreading about thug Nouri.
Future generations of Americans will have to answer for the disappeared, for the fact that their government installed despots and tyrants who abused the Iraqi people.
"Your country said you wanted to bring liberation? Why would you impose someone who runs secret prisons?"
Questions like that will need to be answered.
The Iraq War continues. Year after year. Even when those who started it, like John McCain, die off, the illegal war still drags on.
this fawning obituary of McCain by @hrw is an embarrassment. No mention of warmongering. No mention of his lockstep support for Israeli & Saudi war crimes. No mention of the 500K-1M deaths he helped cause in Iraq. Couldve been written by the US State Dept.
Imagine that, Human Rights Watches blows kisses to John McCain. Hmm. Where did HRW stand on the human rights of the Iraqi people when the US was going to declare war on them?
There is no mention of Iraq, which is unsurprising given that HRW itself did not oppose the invasion of Iraq:
HRW did nothing to oppose the illegal war. And now they celebrate John McCain?
McCain was a racist and a war monger. He was also no friend of veterans.
he also voted against the post-9/11 gi bill, against a bill requiring mandatory downtime for troops between deployments and against pulling ground forces out of iraq. the Disabled American Veterans scored mccain a 20/100 going into 2008 elections.
The press lies. It celebrates a John McCain and ignores the people. That's how the press works. All over the world. The Iraqi people have been clear throughout the Iraq War on one point: US troops out. But their politicians are always tempted by gifts and bribes. And they betray the Iraqi people. (US politicians betray the American people. Politicians are not known for integrity -- throughout the world.)
Iraq's political circles are divided over the recent #US-led coalition's announcement that its military forces will remain in #Iraq indefinitely @TheIraqPulse
One reason Moqtada al-Sadr is so popular in Iraq is that he has called out occupying forces. (Press reports since the May 12th election have includes claims that Moqtada is okay with US troops on Iraqi soil as 'trainers.') Moqtada is the Shi'ite cleric and movement leader whose bloc came in first in the Iraqi elections.
In Iraqi election news, main election winner Sadr calls for million person demonstration/million person united prayers tomorrow, the weekend before first meeting of new Iraqi Parliament which is expected to announce Iraq's new ruling coalition.
wataniq.com/news?ID=32936
Hamza Mustafa (ASHARQ AL-AWSAT) adds:
Dozens of Iraqis protested near the entrance to the green zone in Baghdad over what they say are US plans to keep Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi in his post for a second term.
They said Brett McGurk, the US special envoy for the coalition against ISIS, has been ‘interfering” in the negotiations aimed at forming the biggest parliamentary bloc.
“No to America,” the protesters chanted as they pledged not to remain silent to the US embassy’s “interference” in the Iraqi government formation process.
Addressing his followers in a statement, Sadr urged them to hold a million man march against the corrupt.
“Say no to sectarianism, no to corruption, no to division of shares, no to terrorism and no to occupation,” he said.
“Iraq needs a peaceful day of rage to set the stage for building a new Iraq away from corruption and oppression,” Sadr added.
Protests have been taking place in Iraq since the start of July. They kicked off in Basra where there are so many issues -- including the lack of safe drinking water.
Today salinity index (EC) was measured in Shat al Arab river #Basra by Dr al Hassan. Salt concentration ranges between 33.5 mS/cm - 34.0 mS/cm. Seven years ago it was 7.7 mS/cm. The recommended levels should not exceed 1.5 mS/cm! #Save_Basra #Iraq Source:facebook.com/drshukri.alhas…
Basra health crisis: 17,000 admitted to hospitals for water poisoning
Watch @AhmadMullaTalal ask Basra Governor @hyaasaadaledan if he showers with the same water he delivers to residents of #Basra or if he uses filtered bottle water. Governor Asaad al-Edani pretended to not hear the question, but managed to hear everything else. #البصرة_تستغيث
Press sources: Dozens of demonstrators have gathered in (Garma Ali) area north of Basra, to protest against the deterioration of services.
Main Shatt-al-Arab water station was closed today following the discovery of toxic algae, leaving 150 thousand people in #Basra without water, relying completely on polluted RO water—purchase price: $12-14 per 264 gallons and require 3 days wait time. #IraqProtests #البصرة_تستغيث
Exactly when does CBS, PBS, et al plan to cover the issue in Basra with regards to the water?
Ever?
The following community sites -- plus Cindy Sheehan and PACIFICA EVENING NEWS -- updated:
That racist John McCain
7 hours ago
New music
7 hours ago
CNN continues to embarrass itself
7 hours ago
A lousy summer for movies
8 hours ago
Voters should pay close attention
8 hours ago
MOTHER JONES gets called out
8 hours ago
screw kpfa
14 hours ago
