History Is A Weapon (and a blog)

CHANGE THE ADDRESS FRIENDS

noreply@blogger.com (History Is A Weapon) — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 13:06:00 +0000

The New History Is A Weapon Blog Can Be Found at http://blog.historyisaweapon.com

Change your RSS Subscriptions, friends!

Be prepared spammers!

noreply@blogger.com (History Is A Weapon) — Thu, 22 Apr 2010 00:25:00 +0000

So we know a lot of you read History is a Weapon, and we're sure a handful of you have us in your rss feed. If so, this blog is going to hide out for a little while, while we temporarily use another blogging service until the new blog is ready. Exciting? Nah. Boring. But we're giving you a head's up that you might have to change your RSS subscription soon.

The Combahee River Collective Statement

noreply@blogger.com (History Is A Weapon) — Sun, 11 Apr 2010 01:30:00 +0000

Why didn't we post The Combahee River Collective Statement until now? What were we thinking? Problem corrected.

Left Forum

noreply@blogger.com (History Is A Weapon) — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 00:04:00 +0000

A few of us attended the Left Forum this weekend, and with the exception of an embarrassingly biased panel on the current civil war in Labor, had a pleasant enough time. Besides picking up a new Burn Collector, we saw some great stuff from some wonderful places, not least of which include the Just Seeds Collective (who we have bought enough prints from to decorate numerous rooms in the apartment I am in and who we would stop buying prints from if they would only quit making such nice prints), Deep Dish TV, Autonomedia, and the relatively new PM Press who put out the Big Noise Dispatches series that we love so much.

Why are we name dropping so blatantly? Well, we enjoyed the conference, but we have a longstanding and complicated relationship to the "big-L" Left and can't help but notice that these left media and art institutions, that provide us such wonderful and enriching material, are not funded by our opponents, the rich. And so they really do need all the help they can get to stay afloat and get to the next level. So if you're getting birthday gifts for Aunt genericname or looking to learn more about topic Imakeupoffthetopofmyhead, instead of heading to the mall for a boring print or amazon for the book, maybe check out some of these fine institutions, their fine wares, and get it from them at the source and make sure none of it gets skimmed off the top to some megacorp that we all hate.

Additions

noreply@blogger.com (History Is A Weapon) — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 18:29:00 +0000

So we added "There Was No Rules At All: Stories from Vietnam" by Haywood T. "The Kid" Kirkland, but then we realized we forgot to add the RIOT GRRRL MANIFESTO. We recently got a chance to meet Kathleen Hanna (secret information: there's going to be new Le Tigre projects happening and she is awesome in person), so we've been meaning to add this for awhile. But here they are and spread the word.

Redesigning

noreply@blogger.com (History Is A Weapon) — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 03:55:00 +0000

This isn't gruel html, we like History Is A Weapon to look beautiful. It is for this reason that we are delighted to announce the improvement we've made to a People's History of the United States section of History Is A Weapon. For a whole book, it was too difficult to read chapter to chapter. Well, look at it now. Beautiful.

Additions

noreply@blogger.com (History Is A Weapon) — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 20:53:00 +0000

Added Tecumseh's Speech to the Osages (Winter 1811-12) and "Characteristics of the Early Factory Girls" (1898) by Harriet Hanson Robinson as transparent pleas for you to continue your work ending the wars and overthrowing patriarchy.

General Alexander Haig Jr.is dead

noreply@blogger.com (History Is A Weapon) — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 02:51:00 +0000

He is currently immersed eyebrow deep in the Phlegethon and is scheduled to burn there until past the end of time.

New Howard Zinn DVD and Addition

noreply@blogger.com (History Is A Weapon) — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 22:55:00 +0000

We make no secret of the fact that we like PM Press and twe're happy to share that they're coming out with a new DVD with Howard Zinn and Noam Chomsky.

It is also worth noting that we have a new addition: "The Feminization of Earth First!" by Judi Bari. Enjoy and, as always, spread the word.

hiaw.org

noreply@blogger.com (History Is A Weapon) — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 03:23:00 +0000

We love it when you link to us, but we know we have the longest url in the world: historyisaweapon.com and historyisaweapon.org! What can we say? We like long urls (you video buffs, have you been to documentaryisneverneutral.com yet?

But we also know some of you like to twitter about us. Well, a little secret is that you don't have to use a url shortening device for us because we were lazy long before those became popular: we're also always at hiaw.org.

So link away and be as lazy as we are. It's cool, you're our friend.

Favicon

noreply@blogger.com (History Is A Weapon) — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 03:07:00 +0000

Our mourning continues for the loss of Howard Zinn. A lot of people clearly got a chance to meet and interact with him and it's been comforting that so many people have expressed such positive recollections. He really wasn't just the author of an amazing book, but a living inspiration and guide on how one can live their life. While National Public Radio shamed themselves with an embarrassing interview with a right wing loser*, others, including a surprising Bob Herbert in the New York Times, really strove to capture what we all lost with Zinn's passing and what we gained in his lifetime of contributions.

In totally unrelated news, a number of you wrote to complain about the scrolling favicon that we used to have. We replaced it with a static one. We listen.

We couldn't help but notice that Meredith Tax, a recommended author in our reading list, has a new website. We'd suggest the cooler amongst you go check it out.

*there is so much good independent media out there that needs your help, this was one more reason not to give to NPR

Howard Zinn Rest In Peace

noreply@blogger.com (History Is A Weapon) — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 23:43:00 +0000

It is with the greatest sadness that we mark the passing of Howard Zinn.
History Is A Weapon is an anonymous project and will always remain so, but Zinn's life, his work, and his words have played a big part of my life, to such an extent, that I can't possibly do justice to his memory and legacy just yet.

It almost hurts to type this, but as he quoted Joe Hill in Voices of a People's History of the United States, "Don't waste time mourning. Organize!"

History Is A Weapon wants a logo

noreply@blogger.com (History Is A Weapon) — Mon, 28 Dec 2009 02:37:00 +0000

Yo, graphic designers! We need a sick logo, one good enough to convey history is a weapon and get on ffffound. If you, or someone you know, can make us it* on the free, we'd love to hear from you. Of course, we'll send you awesome presents that'll make your parents proud and school children follow you singing. Contact info us at: "the directorate at history is a weapon dot com," except translated into emailese.

*it meaning a scalable vector in EPS, SVG, or AI document. Preferable with a Black and White and color option, but at least a black and white option. We really will mail you something awesome.

EDIT: We received these two in the comment section. Keep working, people, we need a logo!

The People Speak

noreply@blogger.com (History Is A Weapon) — Sun, 13 Dec 2009 23:44:00 +0000

The People Speak is premiering tonight and, though we've already seen it, we are pretty excited. It's on at 8pm Eastern, on the History Channel and it is going to knock socks. Set up the TIVO, email your friends, prepare to see the best thing the History Channel has ever done.

The People Speak has its own site, but don't forget your good friends at History Is A Weapon:

Of course, we have much more than that; start exploring and congrats to Arnove and Zinn and everyone who worked on it.
[EDIT]
How excited were we? We added: People Have The Power by Patti Smith, Letter from Palestine by Rachel Corrie, Organizing in Our Communities Post-September 11th by Monami Maulik, "You Have to Fight for Freedom" by Sylvia Woods, 'Be Down with the Brown!' by Elizabeth ("Betita") Martinez, Surviving the Storm: Lessons from Nature by Julia Butterfly Hill, Organizing the Unemployed in the Bronx in the 1930s by Rose Chernin, Why we Fight by Vito Russo, "Who Will Revere the Black Woman?" by Abbey Lincoln, Women, Power, and Revolution by Kathleen Neal Cleaver, Of Woman Born by Adrienne Rich, Stonewall by Martin Duberman, Coming of Age in Mississippi by Anne moody, Abortion Is a Woman's Right by Susan Brownmiller, and "Back of the Yards" by Vicky Starr ("Stella Nowicki"). Maybe even one more that we forgot about...

Ten Years

noreply@blogger.com (History Is A Weapon) — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 15:45:00 +0000

It's been ten years since the last time we kicked off some real capitalism scaring. Check out the real history of Seattle 99.

The People Speak

noreply@blogger.com (History Is A Weapon) — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 15:58:00 +0000

We made some additions to the site, but we have some even more interesting news first. History Is A Weapon is an anonymous site, but one of our participants had the honor of going to the premiere of The People Speak, a new film based on Voices of a People's History by Howard Zinn and Anthony Arnove.

It's going to air on The History Channel and, these are words we thought we'd never type on the History Is A Weapon website, there will actually be something worth watching on the History channel. The comments from the History Channel CEO were kind of embarrassing and the director was a little squeamish about the advertisers when it was done, but the film itself is a real piece of work. Combining a Who's Who of progressive movie stars and musicians with documentary footage and Zinn himself speaking, it's a real treat. History teachers, activists, and everyone else should basically set their TIVO for The People Speak. You won't be disappointed. One note, it was definitely weird watching this with the glitterati at Jazz at Lincoln Center, but you know how History Is A Weapon rolls: we're everywhere.

Okay, keep an eye out. You heard it here first.
We made a few new additions on the spurring of said ~~delinquent~~ History Is A Weapon operative, and added Marge Piercy's The Low Road (which was apparently delivered by a magnetic Stacyann Chin in the movie), as well as Nina Simone's Mississippi Goddam. We also corrected a few errors throughout the site and updated the Start Page.
Remember, if you come across any typos on our site, please send us an email letting us know (info in the FAQ). Now go link to us. The more you link to us, the more random people have a shot at realizing that HISTORY IS A WEAPON

1 Million Visitors!

noreply@blogger.com (History Is A Weapon) — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 04:10:00 +0000

This year is officially our first one with one million visitors. Thanks everybody for linking to us, sending us the kind notes, and just spreading the word. And, obviously, keep it up.

Mobile History Is A Weapon

noreply@blogger.com (History Is A Weapon) — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 02:16:00 +0000

History Is A Weapon does have a small portal to the mobile world. It's at www.historyisaweapon.com/mobilehiaw.html and if you have a small screen, or just no taste and dislike our awesome book-style table of contents, then you can browse to your heart's content.

Irving Kristol has Died.

noreply@blogger.com (History Is A Weapon) — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 23:39:00 +0000

Good.

New Howard Zinn Front Page

noreply@blogger.com (History Is A Weapon) — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 01:33:00 +0000

A People's History Of The United States of America's main page at History Is A Weapon was re-designed today. It looks great. You should go tell people about it.

Alan Berkman Presente

noreply@blogger.com (History Is A Weapon) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 03:39:00 +0000

We wrote about this only a few entries ago, but we didn't realize we'd have to follow it up so soon with such a bummer entry. I didn't know Berkman well, spoke to him on the phone only a few times because of a project I was working on, but he just seemed like a really decent accessible guy.

This got posted online and here it is.

Michael Steven Smith on rembering Dr. Alan Berkman, People's Doctor
After battling recurrent cancers for half his life, Alan Berkman died in Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital in New York City around seven o'clock in the evening of June 5, 2009. He was under a death sentence with a cancer that was going to kill him. He chose to try a risky stem cell transplant procedure where he first had to have chemo-therapy to knock out his own stem cells and then replace them with the stem cells of a donor. Even finding the donor was difficult, the holocaust having significantly narrowed the gene pool of persons who might have a match. One was found. Alan entered the hospital knowing he might not get out. He understood what his doctor's were telling him. He himself was a doctor, a sixties graduate of Columbia's school for physicians and surgeons and now a professor there in the school of public health.
Alan's first was struck by cancer when he was in prison. He did eight years, four of them in solitary. He diagnosed himself. But to no avail. The authorities would do nothing, as if they wanted him to die. They must have hated Alan. A communist. A Jew. A doctor. A supporter of blacks and latinos and native Americans at the second battle of Wounded Knee. They knew his history. It was quite a dossier. A sixties radical. SDS. Active in the anti-war movement. A practising doctor in New York's poor neighborhoods. Forced underground for years because he wouldn't give up the name of a woman he treated for a gunshot wound she got in a failed Brinks truck robbery that killed two cops and a security guard in Rockland County. Then arrested and convicted and doing hard time in a maximum security prison. He helped a cop killer. And now he is in our hands. But Alan was unbent and unbowed. He was tough.
Finally his family and attorneys got him medical attention. He told me they operated on him while handcuffed to a gurney. Deep stomach surgery where the muscles need to be cut. When he awoke from anesthesia they took the handcuffs off and made him get up off the gurney and walk. He got cancer again before getting out on parol. Amazingly Bill Kunstler and Ron Kuby prevented the State from taking away his medical license. He started working as an AIDS doctor in the South Bronx.
That's when I met him. About twenty years ago. He helped me on a case. We drove out to Brooklyn to see the client and then had dinner, the first of many. A steak and a martini. Alan and Barbara, Debby and me. We four. Good friends and comrades.
We went back to that restaurant a couple of weeks ago, just before Alan checked into Memorial. We thought we would see him the next week at the event honoring him and Dr. David Hoos for co- founding HEALTH GAP. But that was not to be. His doctors couldn't give him the time and he was whisked into the hospital for first the chemo and then the transplant. Alan got the new cells but died before they could take root.
When HEALTH GAP was formed with the help of ACT UP and HOUSING WORKS the anti-viral aids medicine "cocktail" cost ten to fifteen thousand dollars a year. Big pharma controlled manufacturing and distribution with their intellectual property rights. Alan helped change that , not having the requisite respect for private property. Now the drugs cost about eight-seven dollars a year and some four million people are taking the medicine, prolonging their lives.
Alan wasn't religious. Religion to him was superstition. Being part of a sect was too narrow and confining for Alan. The Jewish heretic who transcends Jewry belongs to a Jewish tradition. The historian Isaac Deutscher had a phrase for it, "the non-Jewish Jew." Alan was in line with the great Jewish heretics, rebels, and revolutionaries of modern thought; Spinoza, Heine, Marx, Luxemburg, Trotsky, Freud, and Einstein. They too went beyond the boundaries of Judaism, finding it too narrow, archaic, constricting.
I don't wish to stretch the comparison. Alan was not so much a radical thinker as a man of action. But his intellectual understanding - and he was well educated and widely read - powered his activity. He had in common with these great thinkers the idea that for knowledge to be real it must be acted upon. As Marx observed: "Hitherto philosophers have only interpreted the world, the point however is to change it."
Like his intellectual predecessors Alan saw reality in a state of flux, as dynamic not static, and he was aware of the constantly changing and contradictory nature of society. Alan was essentially an optimist and shared with the great Jewish revolutionaries and optimistic belief in humanity and a belief in the solidarity of humankind.
The stem cell procedure failed to save him. Alan Berkman has passed, but his work and his example have taken root. Goodbye dear friend. We all remember you with the two best words in our language: Love and Solidarity.

by Michael Steven Smith

Grassroots Media Conference

noreply@blogger.com (History Is A Weapon) — Fri, 29 May 2009 00:44:00 +0000

A friend of History Is A Weapon will be speaking at the Grassroots Media Conference. The panel will be on Movement Building and Media Making. If you go and are nice, you might get an ultra rare History Is A Weapon sticker.

Documentary Is Never Neutral

noreply@blogger.com (History Is A Weapon) — Tue, 26 May 2009 03:28:00 +0000

The always awesome Documentary Is Never Neutral updated. If you love docs, we know you'll love it. Anyone got a spare copy of Peter Davis's Middletown or an invite to ffffound?

Alan Berkman is Awesome

noreply@blogger.com (History Is A Weapon) — Tue, 19 May 2009 01:07:00 +0000

Word has come that Alan Berkman is preparing for a medical ordeal. We ask that people keep him in your thoughts and prayers. Why? Because Alan Berkman is awesome.

Dot org is back

noreply@blogger.com (History Is A Weapon) — Thu, 14 May 2009 03:14:00 +0000

Friends,

History is a weapon can be found at history is a weapon dot org, dot com, and one other brief spot, but it should always be open for business. Last week, the dot org went down, and it took us a few days to get it off a junk site, but we're alive and well and will be forever. If you love us, please feel free to post up that historyisaweapon.org is back and alive. Maybe you'll help people who thought we mysteriously died, maybe you'll send new people our way. Either way, we'd totally appreciate it.

History Is A Weapon