Journalist Chris Hedges was recently interviewed on C-SPAN program In-Depth.
https://www.c-span.org/video/?524629-1/depth-chris-hedges
It is a two-hour program with call-ins after 45 minutes. Hedges discusses his views on war and America as an empire in decline. Strangely enough, this is his first interview on C-SPAN in eleven years, despite being a prolific writer about the American society and its actions throughout the world. I guess it's his "radicalism". But Hedges is an ordained Presbyterian minister. Daniel Berrigan baptized his youngest child. Hedges is not just a writer of jeremiads, although I think he is very good at that. He teaches college level courses in the New Jersey prison system. He obviously loves his students and treasures the work they do for his classes. One of the call-ins is one of his students who also fought to establish the Rutgers program.
In addition to his life experience as a war correspondent , Hedges has an extensive knowledge of literature and the classics. His books lay bare the seemingly insurmountable problems in our world. He is no optimist but no cynic either. Cynicism is only an excuse to roll up in a ball and do nothing. No matter the odds of success and failure, there is a moral imperative to do good things. And there are people doing them.
Thanks for posting this!
ReplyDeleteI have listened to the first 45 minutes, and it is filled with stunningly provocative statements uttered in a very matter of fact tone. Below is an example. Unfortunately, the transcript provided is in all caps and is not always accurate. I have added a couple of his books to my Kindle. He makes me wonder if I should become a Presbyterian. Very impressive.
I KNOW ABOUT THAT BECAUSE I TEACH IN THE PRISON. IF YOU WORK FOR GOLDMAN SACHS OR LEHMAN BROTHERS OR IF YOU ORCHESTRATE THE LARGEST FINANCIAL FRAUD IN DECADES, YOU DON'T GO TO JAIL. IF YOU WALK INTO A BODEGA AND GRAB A COUPLE OF CASES OF BEER AND RUN OUT THE DOOR, YOU ARE GOING TO END UP IN JAIL. ISHMAEL REED HAD THAT GREAT LINE -- I HEARD HIM GIVE A TALK AT A BOOK FESTIVAL AND HE SAID BLACK PEOPLE SHOULDN'T EVEN TRY AND STEAL. LEAVE THAT TO THE WHITE PEOPLE. MATT TIE YOU B WROTE A BOOK ON THIS CALL DIVIDE WHERE HE FOLLOWED THE PEOPLE WHO CARRIED OUT FINANCIAL FRAUD AND WHAT HAPPENED TO THEM IN THE COURTROOM AND THEN HE WENT TO THE CIVIL COURTS WHERE POOR PEOPLE WERE GETTING WHACKED, A LOT OF IT BECAUSE THESE COUNTIES DEPEND ON UP TO 30% OR 40% OF THEIR INCOME FROM FINES. ST. LOUIS COUNTY, FOR INSTANCE. SO THEY INVENT CRIMES. WHEN ERIC GARNER WAS KILLED IN INDIANAPOLIS -- MY FAVORITE IS OBSTRUCTING PEDESTRIAN TRAFFIC. THESE THINGS TO HARASS THE POOR IN ORDER TO GENERATE INCOME. IT IS A COMPLETELY TWO-TIERED LEGAL SYSTEM. AND WE MUST NOT FORGET, ALTHOUGH EVERYONE HAS A RIGHT TO A FAIR TRIAL, AND 95% OR 96% OF THOSE IN OUR PRISON SYSTEM NEVER GET A JURY TITLE -- NEVER GET A JURY TRIAL BECAUSE THEY ARE COERCED TO PLEA OUT. HOW DOES THAT WORK? THEY STACK ALL SORTS OF CHARGES AGAINST YOU, MANY OF WHICH THE PROSECUTOR AND POLICE KNOW THAT YOU DID NOT COMMIT AND THEN THEY ORGAN. KIDNAPPING IS A FAVORITE. THEY WILL TAKE OFF KIDNAPPING. IF YOU GO TO A JURY TRIAL, YOU RARELY HAVE ADEQUATE LEGAL REPRESENTATION AND ALL OF THOSE CHARGES STAY. ONE OF THE TRAGEDIES IS -- AND I WOULD ESTIMATE MAYBE 20% OR 25% OF PEOPLE DO NOT COMMIT THE CRIME FOR WHICH THEY ARE IMPRISONED FOR AND THEY ARE OFTEN THE ONES WHO WENT TO TRIAL, AND THEY THOUGHT THAT BECAUSE THEY WERE INNOCENT, THE SYSTEM WOULD FIND THEM INNOCENT AND THAT WAS THE BIG MISTAKE. BECAUSE THEY ARE USED AS AN EXAMPLE. YOU DON'T WANT TO PLEA OUT.
Glad you liked it. I'm a subscriber to his Substack blog as well. I don't consider my news coverage complete without his commentary. He also has podcast interviews with a variety of writers including Andrew Bacevich , who is often published in Commonweal.
DeleteThanks for this post.
ReplyDeleteI am not familiar with Hedges but when I had a TV, C-Span was my
favorite channel.
The mercenary character of police activity is readily apparent. There are always stories about local jurisdictions using speed traps to raise money. I have only been stopped a few times in my life. It appeared the process was to look at the persons’ record (or lack of it) and then decide about a ticket. Fortunately, I don’t have much of record, so I suspect the times that I have been stopped, the officer has decided that it was probably better not to disturb a “law abiding citizen.” Therefore, it is likely a matter of the rich getting richer (no ticket), and poor getting poorer (ticket).
Betty and I will probably decide to watch this, however our computer watching time is booked for a few days. We will watch the noon Mass for Benedict at the National Shrine (with the Apostolate Delegate), and the rebroadcast of the Papal Mass at 3pm. Tomorrow January 6 is Theophany in the Orthodox Church (more a feast of the Baptism of Christ than the Wise Men). Vespers livestreamed this evening, and Divine Liturgy tomorrow morning. We may fit it in Friday evening or Saturday afternoon.
Yes. After being stopped twice within a couple months last year in NJ, I'm aware of fishing expeditions by the police. At the last stop because if a burnt out tail light, seeing the tools in my cab after doing some home improvement for M, he kept asking if I were a contractor. Probably looking for some licensing violation. Asked me why I'm in NJ with a PA license. I said I worked in NJ for 40 years and have many friends. I didn't tell him the reason I lived in PA while working in NJ was because I was not a big fan of Peoples Republic of New Jersey cops. I am always tactically polite with them but I am not a fan.
DeleteBetty and I watched the first half of the video but skipped the call in-part because it was getting past bedtime.
ReplyDeleteWe were both impressed by all the things that Hedges has done. Certainly, his war and third world experiences underlie his impression that the USA is in decline.
I was impressed by the number of talented people whom he found in prison; it is very similar to my experience with the mentally ill. Contrary to the American myth, talent does not overcome adversity.
Over the years I have been impressed by the presentations that I have found on C-Span. Many of the people deserved to be more widely known.