Howard Zinn: You Can't Be Neutral on a Moving Train

[TRBtree]

Howard Zinn = one of the greatest anarchists of our era.

[Wierderman]

IDK bout u...but Howard Zinn is my hero!!! and im gonna miss him :( RIP

[UfoDan100]

The smell of napalm in the morning ! Reminds me of breakfast in Nam !

[islomane1]

"When two tribes go to war, one is all that you can score" -- Frankie Goes To Hollywood

It's totally a zero-sum game. Always will be.

[trex9008]

The bomb that annihilated Nagasaki killed American POWs and Catholic Nuns as well as all the men,women & children at or near GZ. Go to GZCenter.org to find out how you can fight nuclear weapons that will kill indiscriminately and will return radiation to whomever launches, thru global wind patterns, on there own populations. Like Fukashima that poisons PNW of America as well as No. tier states & Europe we are lied to about amounts of radiation being distributed on our planet. Govs. lie, cheers

[FoxKnightJ07]

The bastards wanted to test their Napalm, I bet.

Probably sent teams in to check on the bodies.

[LoveVanillaRose]

AND THE TRUTH SHALL SET US FREE

[whereismybailouttv]

Well said.

[DJpopel]

So Zinn was the first man to ever roast people with napalm?

As ludicrous as it sounds,There is only one way to end war.

Insurrection

[12107170]

@DJpopel Agreed.

[dillonfreed]

war ended slavery, nazism, japanese militarism, fascism, etc... to think war is not, at times, necessary and useful is quixotic... war saved the western world first from the hordes of despotic persia then from the fanatical moors and later from the conquering turks... war at times is necessary... imagine what the world would look like if someone with Howard Zinn's psychology had been in power during the Battle of Marathon, Battle of Tours, Lepanto, the Civil War, WWII, 9/11... etc.

[aaronsdavis]

@dillonfreed I agree.I like people like Zinn: they are obviously decent and moral. But also naive...

[darkcowboyhero]

@aaronsdavis He was a World War 2 bomadier, an integral part of the Civil Rights Movement, who saw and participated in some of the most important events of the 20th Century.. And you think he is naive? :P

[darkcowboyhero]

@dillonfreed You've clearly missed the point and it has gone sailing over your head.

[kosmasolarius]

There is only one way to come out of the dead circle of wars.

The collective mind. So many people are still uneducated and blinded by their nations.

There is a definition of civilization and it says we are in civilization step ONE right now. Religious terrorists want step MINUS ONE and we need to get into step TWO. The definition of those steps are made by scientists.

This is the way out and there is no other option. No international laws can stop people of building bombs and other arms.

[WeNeedA3rdParty]

I miss Howard Zinn

[johnmacward]

Struggle WONT be without war. The capitalist class are way too violent. But it wont be the same as a typical war. IT will be a war of the ordinary people against the wealthiest, a very easy war when we realise it!

[aaronsdavis]

@johnmacward It already happened, they were called bolsheviks, and they were far worse than the capitalists they replaced. Its not about class, its about being human.

[johnmacward]

@aaronsdavis They we're far from worse, they never really replaced a capitalist class - they got rid of a monarchy and Russia experienced the fastest economic development in human history, nothing has matched it. I do not condone Stalinism but the most shocking revelation of the collapse of Stalinism is when capitalism took back over Russia returned to being a 3rd World country. And yes, it's all about class - the class of the rich or the technocratic elite. One or the other causes suffering.

[aaronsdavis]

@johnmacward So before capitalism there was no suffering? Its so obviously a continuem, you can dress people up as capitalist, communist, fascist etc, they still follow their genetic predisposition towards accumulation of power. At least capitalism has competing power structures within it, while fascism/communism centralises power, resulting in the mountains of human wreckage lying in the wake of monsters like Mao, Stalin, Dzerzhinsky, Hitler. Socialism has been "naturaly unselected"

[johnmacward]

@aaronsdavis What does suffering before capitalism have to do with anything? I wouldn't get too bogged down in natural selection as the key. We simply do not KNOW what drives power structures and whether they're needed at all. If socialism has been unnaturally selected, then humans are quite stupid as capitalism is on it's course for destroying human civilisation. There is no one who denies it - and ironically, it's regulated capitalism.

[aaronsdavis]

@johnmacward We well may be headed toward destruction, that dosnt mean we wouldnt be under socialism. The first requirement of a society is that it runs under a system that people want. They dont want socialism, and i dont believe they will, because its been discredited. Im sure you wont accept this and thats fine. We may not know exactly what drives power structures, but im sure the best way to understand it is to use evolution as starting point.

[darkcowboyhero]

@aaronsdavis A people would need to understand Socialism in order to reject it. I've rarely if ever met an American who did. The American idea of discussing the merits of Socialism was McCarthyism, that in itself tells you quite a bit.

[darkcowboyhero]

@johnmacward The Russian revolution was stillborn. It died the moment the democratic Soviets were annulled. I have zero problem in condemning Lenin, Stalin, Stalinism, all of it. Because after 1920 none of it was Socialism and yet it carried the tag through several decades, doing a great deal of damage in the process. Lenin was the single greatest enemy of Socialism in the 20th Century.

[johnmacward]

@darkcowboyhero I'm totally with you dude, Lenin was truly destructive of the ideas. To create the basis for a massive workers movement and then believe they haven't a clue what they're doing is not conducive to winning a revolution.

[vesemre]

@johnmacward early lenin was a cool worker-management guy. I would like to remember him that way

[ClayDavisStateSenate]

so it goes

[airforcemax]

What gave the late Howard Zinn credibility is he volunteered for war.

[CeeGeeZ]

So COOOL!! I was working on setting up a Zinn playlist and 'Voila!' you've done it! Thank you!

[BarthBunzel]

France was completely liberated long before the end of the war, so I question his story.

[blackiron60]

A true hero, because he taught us, reminded us, that we all can be heroes.

[Diazt3r]

great man

RIP

[CanadienAtheist]

Looks awesome. That man had a lot of wisdom to offer.

[NotTooObvious]

wow, this guy was interesting

[j0e2]

@scorzeny45 i bet you like sarah palin, she's a fascist bigot too

[BarthBunzel]

@j0e2 moron yes, fascist no/

[TheDynamicPsyche]

@scorzeny45

You obviously don't know too much about Zinn then.

[CrustyRim1]

There are going to be more wars. More people who protest. Some will profit, some will die. Life will go on and we will continue to be good little consumers.

Everyone should watch "the Road". It is not about war, yet about what is really important in life.

[BarthBunzel]

@CrustyRim That is a really cheerful upbeat movie.

[rodstermanundercover]

Howard Zinn is my favorite American historian. I am deeply saddened by his passing. This guy has been fighting for civil rights in this country even before 1960's. His book "A people's history of the United States" is a must-have for all Americans.

[mvp111MCA]

I am deeply saddened to hear that my hero Historian Howard Zinn passed away..Today, I was just chatting with a friend of mine how Zinn changed my conception of history when he says those who read History resist those who want to fool them by saying "we are not born yesterday" Today is a big Loss to all humanist historians, a big loss to all humanity.. Rest in peace Howard, we will keep seeing history from the point of view of its victims... An Amazigh from North Africa..

[Jacko86plus5]

R.I.P Mr. Zinn

[shudderbug]

I was very sorry to hear about his passing. My condolences to his family and friends. Also, many thanks to Roy Tuckman of KPFK-FM 90.7 in L.A. for playing many of Howard's talks on your Wednesday midnight political shows. I learned so much from listening to people such as Howard Zinn, Michael Parenti, Dave Emery, etc.

[LauritzH]

Thank you for everything, Dr. Zinn.

[Meadras]

My logic is undeniable: Had we not nuked Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan would not have surrendered - The war would have gone on, perhaps, for years more. That in itself would have brought more casualties than these bombings. Stop crying over the deaths of 7,000 Germans and French and look back at the 6,000,000 Jews, Gypsies, and people deemed "Unfit for living" by the Nazi regime. Look at the atrocities committed by these people you were fighting and thank God you were able to stop them

[losanarchos]

@Meadras

Sometimes seeming cold and calculated really does put up a strong aura of pragmatism and common sense, but often times in history though some results are hidden and some results are obvious, we are not aware of all the facts and how things could have been in hypothetical situations. They're hypothetical. What we know are the bombs killed thousands in Hiroshima, and thousands in Nagasaki while Japanese were preparing their surrender. Bombing raids continued after the A-bombs.

[AtlasObjectivist]

Zinn is an embarrassment to civilization.

He should question his carbon footprint and strongly consider eliminating it.

[LauritzH]

@AtlasObjectivist Well, you got what you wanted. What you called for. Are you happy? Pleased with yourself? Proud of yourself?

[lopedevega111]

@AtlasObjectivist why is he an embarrassment? because he sought justice?

[OHiOfiOviriiO]

@AtlasObjectivist Plug in your name for Zinn, and I agree with your statement. Asshole.

[AriLyrMerSir]

Even when they "fail" - as in the current economic kerfuffle - ultimately about 5% of the US (and the world) at the top benefit while the rest of us who do the work, create the ebb and flow, the products and services get stuck holding the bill (bailout). Problem is, we're not miserable enough yet as a people apparently - still want those Mickey D's cheeseburgers and more American Idol... Have to wake up - the truth is out there to see, but no one's looking. (Also see: Holly Sklar)

[TheEmpressMenen]

what is winning a war?annihilating the other side? what have you gained then when you have destroyed a country/a people/ a race?

all the "winning side" can prove is their lack of humanity.

all i can do is hope one day we come to the conclusion that there must be a better way to deal with world problems than war destruction and death.

most ppl commenting here have never been close to a war (i know i havent) and so i praise zinn for being so open about his experiences as a soldier

[carnigey]

I have been close to war as a US Marine. Zinn is my personal hero and I was honored to have met and spoke with him after he lectured at UCONN. Regardless of which side "wins" any particular conflict, by the time war ends, such atrocities have been committed by both sides that everyone has lost, even those who did not directly participate

[nasafakedit]

humans are barbarians

[aaronsdavis]

@TheEmpressMenen how then do we deal with other aggressive states? How would you have dealt with Hitler if you were Churchil or Roosevelt?

[JohnnyCash08]

What is the point of Zinn? That bombing is always bad? That war is always unjustified? That war is not kindergarden and people die there for no reason? As a German I can only reject his point of you. I'm glad that they bombed Germany to hell in the 1940s. It was the only fucking way to win this war. This or many more dead American soldiers. Ofc many innocent people died, but this was the fault of the Nazis alone. Bombing has to be justified and unfortunately this is not the case in Iraq today.

[fourthtunz]

Johnny evidently you only listen to history from TV.

The point is that all wars have been manufactured by the bankers to make money.

Hitler could not have happened without the bankers.

The federal reserve, trilateral commission, the UN, The council on foreign relations, the world bank and the bilderberg group are all enemies of the peoples of the world.

[JohnnyCash08]

Oh gosh I don't even know why I answer ur retarded comment. You evidently have no education at all. Just let me say that I'm glad that all these lovely institutions have so much power cuz that means that paranoid schizophrenics like you have no power at all You should be happy too cuz without them u wouldn't have a scapegoat to blame ur ignorance on.

[fourthtunz]

Johnny, I'm sorry I can see you don't know what I'm even talking about, you're on another level.

[JohnnyCash08]

I'm sure u can 'see' a lot of things...

[BigHornCanyon]

Johnny you did not comprehend Zinn's point.

Johnny you the guy who says I was only following directions. You lack the capacity to lead or learn. You are happy playing the pawn.

[orockabettyo]

Oh Johnny... I urge you to seriously look into the ideas that fourthtunz put out.

You'll find with a minimal amount of research that those things are true.

It isn't paranoia...unfortunately, it's fact...

[sethdude12345]

but there are a lot more that go into wars than bankers. bankers are not omnipotent players in this world: as you can clearly see by this 700 billion bailout- they need help too

[raptorkiller2k5]

Most of these bankers have been hired to maintain the highly unsustainable Western way of life. That living revolves around the suburbs, and it's going to drive us into world war seven especially if the third world joins.

This really isn't a "bankers" issue, but rather a corporation issue. Bankers are just workers, most of the investors in the corporate realm are middle class through pension and mutual funds.

The bail out was designed to save their investment as well. Not just the rich.

[djboony]

if the baked bean industry collapsed do you think the government would be so quick to bail them out

[allankhorsheed]

"we're not disturbing the peace, we're disturbing the war"

-Howard Zinn

[mickalene]

the party's over...

[wesley1125]

Those are some ghetto-ass bombs.

[nctanner]

i was just about to write that your comment was dumb but then i saw the bombs. they are ghetto-ass.

[nontemporalspatial]

Relevant today- how can human beings justify bombing cities filled with our brothers and sisters! How can torture be just. These so called world leaders are selling out the human race for their own luxury, profit, and control. I reject the it's human nature to war- who writes hisstory anyhow! Thanks Howard.

[MyrrdinMerlin]

Howard Zinn, a man who really thinks.

[plemyk]

your sins are forgiven howard.

[J21212]

plemyk your ignorance is not

[m60darew1]

Sounds like it was done as an experiment. Why was it done so close to the end of the war?

[commieliberal]

i believe we had used it in Asia earlier in the war, it sounds like they just wanted to use it in Europe for testing on different terrains.

great clip. added to my netflix.

[gillespieorama]

Thanks for posting this.