Photo of the Decade

Photo: Jonathan Bachman

Yes, I know it's gone viral and can be seen absolutely everywhere, and for absolutely good reason- I, like so many others, can't stop looking at it. And like any good great photo, there's good reason for that, basically because it works on so many levels, and does so, so very, very well. Composition- check, decisive moment- check, content- check, check and check.

What I first thought when I saw this photo was... superhero. Nefarious, super villains rising from the netherworld to wreak havoc on the lone guardian of the light. Alone, unafraid, strengthened by the very forces of the winds and nature at her command; she is secure and confident in her calm demeanor. Those advancing in attack formation are quick, aggressive and heavily armored- but overwhelmingly cautious all the same, fully cognizant of her latent power. 

And then, of course, there's real life- what seems an entire city's police force vs. one lone, very human Black female. And such has it always been, no matter the decade, when men of color have been attacked, beaten and killed by overwhelming forces. Their women have never been far behind, and in fact, often leading many of the various opposing and conciliatory forces at play. And always too... the iconic photo to remind us of just that.

Great Advice; Greater Action

Good advice any day, any year- too bad we're still in such dire need of it.



(available on Netflix streaming)

Gideon's Army is what can happen when people get that chance of a lifetime and fight to try and salvage others in similar circumstances. Call them heroes, call them saints- they're people who actually care and won't turn their backs, or shrug their shoulders, or just keep going on with their own world of problems... like most of us.

Wanna Lay Odds?

You can bet this guy would've been one very dead hero in the U S of A! 

(just ask FOX)

Honesty vs. Cowardice

Iraq War vet/peace activist Tomas Young died Monday. Tomas Young was a victim of a needless, unnecessary war fought at the behest of a man too cowardly to go to war himself. Instead, the coward chose to fly planes at home, and when bored of flying planes, just left and got drunk.

Mr. Young died a slow, excruciatingly painful death- a death that lasted a good ten years. While Mr. Young suffered, the man who sent him to death laughed and made fun of the needless, useless war he himself had created- a war that cost hundreds of thousands of lives (many, women and children) was laughed at by those that didn't have to fight it. A needless war that created more conflicts and more enemies, persisting to this very day. 

Mr. Young is dead- but thousands of others, wounded and maimed, survive silent and unseen. The remainder of their lives spent in pain, while one man lives the rest of his in luxury and denial.

Gary Webb- Kill The Messenger

If we had met five years ago, you wouldn’t have found a more staunch defender of the newspaper industry than me … I was winning awards, getting raises, lecturing college classes, appearing on TV shows, and judging journalism contests. So how could I possibly agree with people like Noam Chomsky and Ben Bagdikian, who were claiming the system didn’t work, that it was steered by powerful special interests and corporations, and existed to protect the power elite? And then I wrote some stories that made me realize how sadly misplaced my bliss had been. The reason I’d enjoyed such smooth sailing for so long hadn’t been, as I’d assumed, because I was careful and diligent and good at my job … The truth was that, in all those years, I hadn’t written anything important enough to suppress.   --Gary Webb




Before Assange, before Snowden, there was Gary Webb, not anywhere near as famous or internationally known, but a true American patriot and hero, who as overly dramatic as it may sound- yes, died for our collective sins. Repeatedly warned, by both fellow professionals and government officials alike, to keep his nose out and mouth shut, he divulged corruption to its deepest core- no matter the cost. Up until recently, I had always believed his death a suicide, end of story. But as most laypersons and professionals alike would naturally (and correctly)  assume... it's rather difficult to shoot yourself twice in the head...

On Dec. 1, 2005 I spoke with Ted Gunderson about Webb's death. Mr. Gunderson is a retired FBI agent who enjoyed a distinguished career with the FBI that spanned 27 plus years. Prior to his retirement in 1979 Mr. Gunderson was a "senior special agent-in-charge" with a $22 million annual budget at his disposal and over 700 persons under his charge. Mr Gunderson told me, "my expertise is analyzing and reconstructing crime scenes." He said, "Gary Webb was MURDERED. "He (Webb) resisted the first shot {to the head that exited via jaw} so he was shot again with the second shot going into the head {brain}." I asked Mr. Gunderson what he thought about the "two shots" to the head suicide theory that posits Webb "simply missed " his brain with the first shot, so he had to shoot himself again, this time successfully hitting the brain with a .38 revolver? Without hesitation Gunderson exclaimed, "impossible!"

 

 

I have yet to see Kill The Messenger; Jeremy Renner is one good actor, and whether the movie is good, bad or indifferent is inconsequential in the long run- I'm just glad more people will be exposed to the type of person Gary Webb was, and the work he sacrificed his life for... as opposed to the scum clothed in the aura of respectability that control so much of this country, who continue to propagate their horrors worldwide, unchecked and undeterred.

A Tale Of Three Heroes

Henk Zanoli,  Gen. Majid  and  Witness B-129. 

Even thankful tasks are often... thankless.

What Can One Man Do?

Lead us, show us, point the way...  but as with all the greats, they do it with the strength of will from their own two hands...

Signs Of... Intelligence On American TV!

This was truly... SHOCK AND AWE!!!  

And in a very BIG way. No bachelorettes, no pseudo-reality pretension, none of the incessant and purposely dumbed down, celebrity obsessed programming that perpetually constipate our national airwaves. Instead, we were treated to the most intelligent and frank talking head interview on prime time TV that I can recall in years, decades, one helluva, very long time...

I'm talking, of course, about the Edward Snowden interview on NBC. The honesty and clarity of his responses, the complete lack of bombast and subterfuge, the sincerity and commitment to the very core of what this country supposedly stands for- all of it laid bare for those with eyes to see and ears to listen.

And still, there are those who call him traitor, coward and worse, who want to see him jailed, humiliated, and yes, executed. Truth is such a rare commodity these days; it sounds shrill and foreign to so many ears. We have been trained to ignore it, dismiss it, lampoon the ever lovin' hell outta it. We dare not risk recognizing and acknowledging what we have been conditioned to avoid and fear- the word of a man who for no personal gain, has exposed the lies we trust, swear to and live by.

PS- Two things: First, he did (repeatedly) alert his superiors to the illegalities being committed- all to no avail. Second, for those who say he should face the music- remember, just about anything and everything that he could possibly bring up in his defense can be (would be) automatically dismissed "in the name of national security." It would be a "trial" in name only, the only question- the severity of his sentence.

Actually, three- many members of Congress, and even POTUS himself now grudgingly agree that the NSA "overreached." Translation: OK, technically he's right, but... he must be punished anyway to set the example. Right- soon as they indict, convict and imprison each and every bankster who broke our laws...

UPDATE: The Snowden Effect

Blinded Them With Science

To say this is so scary on so many levels is, of course, a cliche. And yet scary is exactly what it is- and this I found particularly chilling (and telling)...

And eventually, when I spoke with the lawyer here at the University, I was told that, "Well, I represent the university, and I protect the university from liability. You’re kind of on your own." And I remember I looked at him, and I said, "But the very university, from the Latin universitas, is a collection of scholars, of teachers and students, so who is this entity, the university, that you represent that doesn’t include me?" But clearly there’s some entity that doesn’t really include us, the professors and students, and doesn’t really protect our academic freedom, I think, the way that it should.  (emphasis mine)

"Please have no leniency with me."

Said the 80 yr old nun to the judge... Hero(es), plain and simple.
(and truly Christlike).

The unmitigated hypocrisy! Not only should Homeland Security thank them for exposing such obvious lack of security, think of all the banksters who robbed us blind and didn't serve one, single day!

Donna Decesare

Photo: Donna Decesare

Documentary photographer Donna Decesare will be at North Gate Hall Library, UC Berkeley Graduate School of Journalism on Thursday Oct. 10, 7PM.

This is what the work of a dedicated photographer committed to the subjects and subject matter she is documenting looks like. It is not taken incognito at arm's length, with an extended prosthesis, behind an ever moving and concealed window. And as Ms. Decesare herself states- she goes up close, in your face and personal, not to shock and have you look away, but to grab your attention and engage you. View (and listen to) her work, as she gives voice to the voiceless and let's us into their lives- and them into ours.

Photo: Donna Decesare

The ONLY Thing That Stops A Bad Guy...

...with a gun, is a good guy with a gun. Just don't tell that bullshit to Antoinette Tuff...