Greatest Hits Archives — Page 3 of 160 — Alternative Radio

Distress Signals from Earth
Paul Ehrlich
A steady stream of reports on the deterioration of the environment is issued. There is a brief flurry of media coverage. The corporate-funded climate change deniers make counterclaims. We wake briefly to the crisis then most of us lapse into a couch potato stupor. Neoliberal dogma and an almost mystical belief in capitalism make it […]
The Pathology of Wealth
Michael Parenti
As the planet moves closer to environmental catastrophe, the captains of industry, the robber barons of the age, could hardly be bothered. They have more important matters to consider. Making money. And they better be on the ball and deliver those dividends because if they don’t they will soon be replaced. Profits uber alles is […]
Moral Imperatives
Chris Hedges
What are individuals to do when faced with a moral imperative? And society at large? Philosophers since ancient times have been wrestling with this question as it involves issues of ethics and conscience. When we see an injustice do we remain passive and silent or do we intervene to try and stop it. Is it […]
The Coronavirus Pandemic
Stephen Bezruchka
The coronavirus pandemic has sent waves of fear across the globe. It is a dangerous moment. We are benumbed by the dizzying statistics of new cases and the number of deaths popping up all over the world. What is it? It is a novel virus named for the crownlike spikes that protrude from its surface. […]
The Tax Code: Class Warfare
Richard Wolff
People dread taxes. The tax code is a labyrinth few citizens dare to enter save for the rich and powerful who hire lawyers and accountants to figure out ways to game the system. One corporation paid $26,000 a year to maintain a post office box in Bermuda as its legal HQs. That little trick saved […]
White Privilege
Michael Eric Dyson
White privilege. What’s that? White people have choices and advantages simply because of the color of their skin. Many whites are unaware of it. Peggy McIntosh, a noted women’s studies scholar in her classic essay “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Backpack,” wrote: “I was taught to see racism only in individual acts of meanness, not […]
Economic Crisis and the Tea Party
Arun Gupta
You’ve played by the rules. Went to work every day. Paid your bills and taxes. When your country summoned you to fight in its wars you were proud to serve. You’ve worked hard all your life and now what do you get? Bupkis as they say in Yiddish. Goat droppings. Your job was outsourced overseas. […]
The South, Slavery & the Lost Cause
Jeffery Robinson
The Lost Cause is rooted in the South’s search for justification and the need to find a substitute for victory in the Civil War. In attempting to deal with defeat, the South created an image of the war as a noble epic fought by brave men. The war, the mythology goes, wasn’t about preserving slavery it was about Southern values. Monuments […]
For the World to Live Columbus Must Die
Russell Means
The dynamic Russell Means presents a moving and eloquent talk on Native America. He recounts how consciousness has changed among indigenous people but among the white European settler descendants, many of the old prejudices remain. For example, he says, “The Pope is going to canonize Father Serra an Indian murderer and Indian slave owner.” In […]
A New Story
David Korten
Since the beginning of time people have been telling stories from Gilgamesh in Iraq to The Odyssey in Greece. These tales convey lessons and societal values and warnings about arrogance. The U.S. spins its own yarns. Take say, the one about brave pioneers who fought off savage Indians to settle the country and establish dominion […]
Beyond the Politics of Despair
Chris Hedges
Despair. We all experience it. It can lead to demoralization. What’s the antidote? Engagement. Finding kindred spirits and acting collectively. Building bonds of solidarity. Working toward the common good. John Lewis, long-time Georgia Congressperson and civil rights icon had this advice: “Do not get lost in a sea of despair. Be hopeful, be optimistic. Our […]
Dying Younger Than We Should
Stephen Bezruchka
Over and over U.S. citizens are told,” We have the best health care system in the world.” That would be great if it were true but the facts, baldly stated, don’t support the claim. Not only is it far and away the most expensive system, the U.S. spends half the world’s health bill, it fails […]

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