9.12.2010

A People's History of the United States a must read!

Finally, after lottsa near misses, i bought a copy of A People's History of the United States, 1492 - Present. i'm an american, i was brought up there, don't remember any of this being taught in any of my classes. One of the main reasons we have the divisions among us is ignorance of our real history, of the class struggle, of the consequences of capitialist greed and of the potential energy we could have if we united our against common enemy.

Howard Zinn's biography is stunningly admirable, he lived, worked and wrote throughout his life in tune with his ideals. Professor Zinn's most excellant history is a powerful force in the prevelant paradigm of US history. "Historians may well see it as a step toward a coherent new version of American history"-Eric Foner, NYTBR

Written from the vantage point of the workers, the non-whites, the women 'A People's History' is unique in its empowering of todays underclass by teaching/showing us that our ancestors courageously stood up to the tyrannts of their times. Zinn transmits their long lost voices accross time to tell a history of resistance to corporate capitialism. As Zinn points out 'we the people' have allowed ourselves to be conquered by division, by the illusion of entitlement that allows the 'middle class' to be the gaurdians of the rich instead of our brothers and sisters at the barricades demanding social justice.

If i could be the Easter Bunny just once, i'd magically turn everyone onto Zinn's masterpeice, make it cool to be a Zinnhead.

Why the Feds Fear Thinkers Like Howard Zinn - by Chris Hedges
Zinn knew that if we do not listen to the stories of those without power, those who suffer discrimination and abuse, those who struggle for justice, we are left parroting the manufactured myths that serve the interests of the privileged.