Tithi Bhattacharya on Muslim Heterogeneity
Tithi Bhattacharya dispels the myth of a Muslim monolith.
…while ISIS can quote the hadith as it executes other Muslims, and Trump can inveigh against the “Muslims,” we need to continue to look to the multiethnic neighborhoods of Istanbul, Paris and Beirut as lived histories of our times of mutual human coexistence. And it is such lived experiences of multifaith communities that need to be both defended and extended.
Source: Adventures in Islam: The Myths and Legends of Muslim Homogeneity | Tithi Bhattacharya
Roger Waters Interview
Rolling Stone’s Andy Greene interviews Roger Waters, who weighs on in his current projects and surveys the worldwide political scene.
I think people are just beginning, as they sleepwalk their way through imperial capitalism, to realize the law is being eroded and the military are taking over commerce and the corporations are taking over government and that we the people no longer have a voice. To some extent, The Wall is asking the question, “Do you want a voice? And if you do, you better bloody well go out and get it because it’s not going to be handed to you on a plate.”
Source: Roger Waters on ‘The Wall,’ Socialism, His Next Concept LP | Rolling Stone
Our Story Starts Now
As people worldwide are taking stock, looking backwards to 2015 and forward to 2016, “A Resolution” shows that amidst growing catastrophe, the only real future is the one we’ll make.
This video was produced by Woodbine, an experimental hub in Ridgewood, Queens for developing the skills, practices, and tools for building autonomy in the Anthropocene.
Sinatra’s Leftist Roots
Alexander Billet surveys Frank Sinatra’s early career, which was shaped by the Popular Front’s experiments in left-wing culture.
Read the Article: Fellow Traveler Frank | Jacobin Magazine
Labor Notes 2015 In Review
As the assault on union standards continues — wherever we still have them — glimmers of hope in 2015 came from grassroots resistance. Al Bradbury looks back on the year for Labor Notes.
Read More: 2015 Year in Review: Grassroots Resistance Points the Way Forward | Labor Notes
Folk Songs from Bernie Sanders
On November 19, 1987, Bernie Sanders went into a recording studio with 30 Vermont musicians. It was a crazy idea that could have produced laughable results, but for some reason, it worked.
James Napoli has the story on Atavist.
Read it: We Shall Overcome
The Fallen of World War Two
Neil Halloran has produced an animated data-driven documentary about war and peace called The Fallen of World War II. It looks at the human cost of the second World War and sizes up the numbers to other wars in history, including trends in recent conflicts.
The data he presents challenged many of my tacit assumptions about the war.
You can view the video above, or access an interactive version at fallen.io.
What Socialism Demands
The PKK and Murray Bookchin
Syrian Kurds have launched an unlikely radical experiment in governance without hierarchy, patriarchy or capitalism. Their inspiration? American political philosopher Murray Bookchin.
Source: America’s Best Allies Against ISIS Are Inspired By A Bronx-Born Libertarian Socialist
Read more about the PKK at this link.