“Unmasking Empire” with Glen Ford

This week Eric sits down with journalist and commentator Glen Ford to discuss a number of key political and geopolitical issues. Eric and Glen examine the ongoing political theater surrounding the Benghazi attacks, providing their analysis of the real story that is being suppressed. They also provide their analysis of US imperialism in Africa, using Libya as a starting point, expanding the discussion to include other parts of the continent. Additionally, Glen presents his perspective on the continuing imperialist aggression against Syria and the possible motivations for the US. In the second part of the interview, Eric and Glen shift to focus on domestic issues, with particular attention to Obama’s complete disregard and contempt for the Black community. Glen explains how the first black president has effectively criminalized black liberation ideology and used the power of the police state and corporate media machine to suppress dissent. All this and much more…

Glen Ford is the Executive Editor of Black Agenda Report. He has spent more than 40 years as a journalist and activist, documenting and speaking out against racism, injustice, and imperialism. He is the host of Black Agenda Radio on the Progressive Radio Network and the newly created Black Agenda TV. Find all his work at BlackAgendaReport.com.

Listen to the preview Here

Listen to the Podcast here (Subscribers Only):

Recently, a major British psychological association has issued a statement challenging the biomedical basis of what we call “mental illness.” What does this mean? What is mental illness and how is it classified? How can or should we understand mental distress? These are important questions that come at an important time, for if we do not ask them now, we may end up in the Brave New World of what Aldous Huxley predicted would be a highly drugged up society, making people complacent to power structures instead of challenging them. This episode seeks to challenge some of the fundamental assumptions of modern psychiatry.

Listen to the podcast show here (Subscribers only):

This site depends exclusively on readers’ support. Please help us continue by SUBSCRIBING, and by ordering our EXCLUSIVE BFP DVDs.

Jason Ditz joins us to discuss the Israeli bombings of Syria, the chemical weapons hype/re-hype, the US’s capricious nature on their foreign policy regarding Syria and the latest attempted peace negotiations for Syria held jointly between the US and Russia. On a grander scale, is the UN Security Council just a dysfunctional bully’s pulpit? Who can hold powerful governments accountable if not their own public? And how can that happen without independent media?

Listen to the podcast show here (Subscribers Only):

This site depends exclusively on readers’ support. Please help us continue by SUBSCRIBING, and by ordering our EXCLUSIVE BFP DVDs.

“Gitmo, Syria, and Beyond” with Eugene Puryear

This week, Eric sits down with activist and organizer Eugene Puryear to discuss a number of important issues. First, Eric and Eugene discuss the ongoing hunger strike at the Guantanamo concentration camp and the continued use of torture by the US authorities. Eugene also informs listeners about the demonstration he has helped organize in Washington for May 18th demanding the closure of Guantanamo and the end of systematic torture. Eric and Eugene also discuss the US-sponsored destabilization of Venezuela and the nature of the imperialist ruling class in the United States. In addition, they examine the current situation in Syria and the role of the United States in perpetuating this conflict for geopolitical reasons.

Eugene Puryear is an activist and organizer with the ANSWER Coalition. He was the Vice Presidential candidate from the Party for Socialism and Liberation (PSL) in 2008. Eugene has helped organize demonstrations against the Israeli blockade of Gaza, the use of torture by the United States, and countless other important political and social causes. He is based in Washington DC.

Listen to the preview Here

Listen to the Podcast here (Subscribers Only):

Since the Boston bombings, society was promised more “security”… do you feel more secure? Since austerity and ‘structural reforms,’ people were promised economic growth and prosperity. Do you feel that you are in an economic ‘recovery’? Political language holds important meaning and purpose, in that it allows elite groups to communicate with each other openly and publicly, while appearing to be little more than abstract, seemingly meaningless terminology and undefined concepts to most people. There are ways to understand – and translate – political language, and there are solutions to its deception. Learn the language of deception, so that we can re-imagine the language of honesty.

Listen to the podcast show here (Subscribers only):

This site depends exclusively on readers’ support. Please help us continue by SUBSCRIBING, and by ordering our EXCLUSIVE BFP DVDs.

When is murdering innocent people Terrorism and when is it “Freedom Fighting?” When is resisting a brutal military occupation Freedom Fighting and when is it Terrorism? Well it all depends on who is telling you about it. Julie Lévesque is a Global Research journalist who has herself been shot at by Israelis, joins us today to give some analysis on terrorist acts in Boston and in Canada. In Particular we are discussing her article Boston Bombings a Web of Lies. In the wake of any crisis manufactured or not there is always a push to erode civil liberties and enhance the powers of the very profitable security state. Don’t surrender to fear.

Listen to the podcast show here (Subscribers Only):

This site depends exclusively on readers’ support. Please help us continue by SUBSCRIBING, and by ordering our EXCLUSIVE BFP DVDs.

“Free Mumia Now!” Johanna Fernandez

This week, Eric sits down with Johanna Fernandez to discuss the importance of Mumia Abu-Jamal and the movement to free him. Eric and Johanna examine some of the most critical details of the case while, at the same time, focusing on Mumia’s significance in the struggle for peace and social justice. Prof. Fernandez provides some of the relevant historical context that both explains why he is important, and why the white establishment in Philadelphia feared (and continues to fear) him. Additionally, Eric and Johanna broaden the discussion into an analysis of come of the most important struggles today, including the fight to end mass incarceration and police brutality. Finally, they discuss Mumia’s uncompromising stances on issues of imperialism and why, were he free today, we’d have a much better chance of mounting effective resistance.

Johanna Fernandez is a Professor of History at Baruch College – CUNY. Prof. Fernandez is a co-coordinator of Educators for Mumia Abu-Jamal. She is also the writer and producer of “Justice on Trial: The Case of Mumia Abu-Jamal.”

Listen to the preview Here

Listen to the Podcast here (Subscribers Only):

In the past 500 years, the western world has come to rise to prominence over the rest. This process was the result of expansionist imperialism, militarism and warfare; but also of the development and projection of new economic and social models, largely those based around state-capitalism, and the rhetoric of free trade liberal economics. The Great Divergence thus, was the separation which was enforced between the West and the ‘rest.’

Listen to the podcast show here (Subscribers only):

This site depends exclusively on readers’ support. Please help us continue by SUBSCRIBING, and by ordering our EXCLUSIVE BFP DVDs.

Nicolas J. S. Davies author of “Blood on our Hands: The American Invasion and Destruction of Iraq,” joins us today to explain how the West intentionally sabotaged the diplomatic peace process for Syria while simultaneously giving covert support to the Syrian opposition forces as the peace talks were taking place. Make no mistake about it, peace was never the aim. The failure of a diplomatic solution from international bodies was simply a necessary step to take to give the public the appearance of a failed nonviolent solution. What has been the press’s role? Where does Obama stand? Tune in.

Listen to the podcast show here (Subscribers Only):

This site depends exclusively on readers’ support. Please help us continue by SUBSCRIBING, and by ordering our EXCLUSIVE BFP DVDs.

“In Defense of Teachers” with Nick Penkovsky

This week Eric sits down with attorney Nick Penkovsky who has represented a number of New York City public school teachers. Eric and Nick discuss the political and legal attacks on teachers as they are deprived of due process and other Constitutional rights. Nick explains the recent history of this phenomenon and describes the way in which the whole hearing process is essentially fraudulent. Additionally, Eric and Nick examine various examples in which corporations and their political servants use “education reform” to destroy teachers and make billions in profits through the privatization of education. Eric details his first-hand experience with, and knowledge of, the Common Core Standards, proposed as part of Obama’s so-called “Race to the Top” and how they benefit corporations at the cost of our children’s learning. All this and much more…

Listen to the preview Here

Listen to the Podcast here (Subscribers Only):