In the Context of Empire

Matt and Matt discuss a recent New York Times article, An American in Ukraine Finds the War He’s Been Searching For.. This article is every bit as terrible as the title indicates! Our Work: Read our "In the Context of Empire" blog with corresponding and expanded posts on this content! Find some of Matt M's writing at CovertAction Magazine Social Media: Twitter- @JonTheContrary, @MatthewConnors3 and @mattylongruns

We were privileged to be  joined by Bryce Greene to discuss the current U.S made crisis in Afghanistan and complicity of U.S media in prolonging the suffering of the Afghan people. Bryce is contributor to the media watchdog Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting. His two recent articles titled NPR Distorts History of US Invasion of Afghanistan and NPR Devotes Almost Two Hours to Afghanistan Over Two Weeks—and 30 Seconds to US Starving Afghans are discussed in this episode. Discussed in this Episode: - Bryce's interest in media criticism specifically with regards to foreign policy - NPR's distortion of the beginnings of the US role in Afghanistan - NPR's obfuscation of the fact that the US is starving Afghans - The importance of criticizing liberal networks like NPR - Why it is so harmful for networks like NPR to distort the nefarious role played by the US in Afghanistan and many other nations victimized by the US empire.  Our Work: Read our "In the Context of Empire" blog with corresponding and expanded posts on this content! Find some of Matt M's writing at CovertAction Magazine Social Media: Twitter- @JonTheContrary  

Jon, and the Matts (Connors and McKenna) discuss current events in Ukraine and lend some of their unsolicited commentary on the crisis.  Discussed in this Episode: Jon’s trip to Vietnam - How’s it going? Updates? - Matt Connor's journey as an educator, left wing thinker, and anti-imperialist - Russia - Ukraine - US media coverage of the crisis - Worthy vs unworthy victims - “Russian disinformation” IE explaining relevant context - "Conspiratorial thinking" vs very obvious geopolitical and material goals in US foreign policy Our Work: Read our "In the Context of Empire" blog with corresponding and expanded posts on this content! Find some of Matt's writing at CovertAction Magazine Social Media: Twitter- @JonTheContrary and @Mattylongruns Music produced by Zac McKenna- @mcktasty

Matt was joined by Bryce Greene to discuss the Russia- Ukraine crisis. Bryce Greene is a contributor to Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting. Some of his recent articles include What You Should Really Know About Ukraine and Vox Omits US Military Role in African Instability. More of his work can be found at FAIR.  *NOTE: This episode was recorded on 2/22/22, the day before the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The historical context and media critiques nonetheless remain relevant to the current crisis.* Discussed in this Episode: - Bryce's background and interest in media criticism through the lens of anti-imperialism - Patterns in US media's coverage of US foreign policy - US media misreporting Ukraine crisis- NATO expansion, 2014 Maidan Coup, Russian annexation of Crimea, civil war in the Donbas - Outlooks for the future Our Work: Read our "In the Context of Empire" blog with corresponding and expanded posts to this content! Find some of Matt's writing at CovertAction Magazine Social Media: Twitter- @JonTheContrary and  @Mattylongruns Music produced by Zac McKenna- @mcktasty

The band is back together! Jon rejoined the podcast to talk about his trip to Vietnam, what he hopes to accomplish and its implications for anti imperialist education in US. Matt also does his best at an explainer for the situation in Ukraine.  Our Work: Read our "In the Context of Empire" blog with corresponding and expanded posts to this content! Find some of Matt's writing at CovertAction Magazine Social Media: Twitter- @JonTheContrary and  @Mattylongruns Music produced by Zac McKenna- @mcktasty

Matt was joined by Justin Podur to discuss the terms "whataboutism," "tankies" and "moral equivalence" as useful tools for anti imperialists, despite imperialist attempts to dismiss them. Justin is the  founder of the Anti Empire Project and Anti Empire project Podcast. He is the author of America’s Wars on Democracy in Rwanda and the DR Congo and The Path of the Unarmed. He is the co-author of Extraordinary Threat: The U.S. Empire, the Media, and Twenty Years of Coup Attempts in Venezuela Justin is also an Associate Professor at York University's Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change. Discussed in this Episode: - The origins of "whataboutism," how it has been used, and why imperialists are so quick to dismiss it as a tactics - The racist origins of imperialists dismissing calls for racial equality as "whataboutism" throughout the the Cold War - A discussion about how literally EVERY BEHAVIOR the United States accuses other nations of are behaviors that US either engages in itself, or supports governments that do so.  - The value of "whatboutism" as a tool in argument - The charge of being a "tankie" or engaging in moral equivalence - Is calling out hypocrisy useful? There are endless examples, but do the imperialists actually care if they are behaving in obviously hypocritical ways? Our Work: Read our "In the Context of Empire" blog with corresponding and expanded posts to this content! Find some of Matt's writing at CovertAction Magazine Social Media: Twitter- @JonTheContrary and  @Mattylongruns Music produced by Zac McKenna- @mcktasty

Matt was joined by Alex Avina to discuss the treacherous legacy of US imperialism in Latin America. Alex currently an associate professor of history in the School of Historical, Philosophical and Religious Studies at Arizona State University. He is the author of Specters of Revolution: Peasant Guerillas and the Cold War in the Mexican Countryside. You can find his writing in many places including the Foreign Policy focused blog, Foreign Exchanges along with his own website. You can find his writing in many places including the Foreign Policy focused blog, Foreign Exchanges.  Discussed in this Episode: - The origins of Alex's interest in the history of imperialism in Latin America - Stages of US imperialism and the various forms it has taken - Latin America as a training ground for US empire  - The lesser known but crucially important examples of US imperialism in the hemisphere - The incredible capacity for hyporcrisy displayed by US liberals who while professing anti racism at home,  support incredibly racist US policies in Latin America - Possibilities for a brighter future in the hemisphere  Our Work: Read our "In the Context of Empire" blog with corresponding and expanded posts to this content! Find some of Matt's writing at CovertAction Magazine Social Media: Twitter- @JonTheContrary and  @Mattylongruns Music produced by Zac McKenna- @mcktasty 

Justin Podur and Joe Emersberger join Matt to discuss their excellent new book, Extraordinary Threat: The US Empire, the Media, and Twenty Years of Coup Attempts in Venezuela. Justin is the founder of the Anti Empire Project and Anti Empire project Podcast. He is also the author of America’s Wars on Democracy in Rwanda and the DR Congo and The Path of the Unarmed, He is also an associate professor at York University's Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change. Joe is a prolific anti imperialist author, primarily focused on Latin America. His writing can be found at FAIR, Counterpunch, Venezuelanalysis.com,, TeleSUR English and The Canary.  Discussed in this Episode:  - Justin and Joe's interest in Venezuela - The reality of the "once prosperous Venezuela that existed prior to Chavez. (also covered in Justin and Joe's article in FAIR)  - The accomplishments of Chavismo - The myth of fraudulent Venezuela elections - Actually, "whataboutism" is an extremely useful critique of US empire as it engages in projection in 100% of its accusations against other nations - The manner by which the US attempts to destabilize or overthrow governments,  and then cynically feigns outrage when targeted nations take any measures to defend their nations from subversion.  - The racist, classist and violent character of the Venezuelan opposition - The imperialists' 'cynical weaponization of human rights even when they appear genuinely concerned, IE the New York Times is upset about torture... because it limits the US credibility to bully other nations.  - The shameful role that US progressives (AOC, Bernie Sanders) have played in demonizing Venezuela - Hopes for the future of Chavismo and the Latin American left more broadly,  Our Work: Read our "In the Context of Empire" blog with corresponding and expanded posts to this content! Find some of Matt's writing at CovertAction Magazine Social Media: Twitter- @JonTheContrary and  @Mattylongruns Music produced by Zac McKenna

As events in Afghanistan receive sudden US media attention, Matt was joined by a former student, Joey, to discuss the current situation and history of US imperialism in Central Asia.  Discussed in this Episode: - The ridiculous premise that was used and continues to be used to justify this two decade war - The numerous chances to avoid war that the United States actively chose to not pursue - The hollowness the excuses put forward for a US presence in Afghanistan - Steps forward, what can we do as US citizens? Mentioned in this Episode: Guardian- Taliban warned the US about 9/11 Al Jazeera - The Taliban offered to try Bin Laden PRIOR to 9/11 -Guardian: Taliban offered to give up OBL after 9/11 several times General Wesley Clark admits to the Neoconservative plan to take out "7 countries in 5 years." Our Work: Read our "In the Context of Empire" blog with corresponding and expanded posts to this content! Find some of Matt's writing at CovertAction Magazine Social Media: Twitter- @JonTheContrary and  @Mattylongruns This Episode's Music was Produced by Zac McKenna

Jon returns to the show to speak with Matt about a variety of topics relating to how to responsibly discuss US empire. They discussed how the topic of genocide is generally taught in US schools in a manner that rarely extends past the Holocaust, and almost never identifies the US' historic culpability in the crime past the notion that it "just stood by." Also discussed was Matt's recent post on the In the Context of Empire blog regarding how to responsibly talk about official US enemies. Referenced in this Episode: Matt's recent articles in Covert Action Magazine, U.S. Schools Support Genocide Denial and What To Do About It, and On Memorial Day, We Should Remember Most U.S. Wars Were Started for Resource Theft, Imperial Hubris and Racist Animus Matt's article on the In The Context of Empire blog, An Anti-Imperialist Guide for Discussing Official US Enemies Our Work: Read our "In the Context of Empire" blog with corresponding and expanded posts to this content! Social Media: Twitter- @JonTheContrary and  @Mattylongruns