UG#521 - Walling Us In and The Illusion of Separation
Robin Upton | 23.10.2010 07:21 | Migration | Repression | Social Struggles | Sheffield | World
This week, we continue our series on separation, we look at wall building by governments to keep people separate. Is this, as we are told, to keep ordinary citizens safe from terrorism or drug smugglers? In light of the mound of evidence about false flag terror and CIA-sponsored drug smuggling, it seems rational to look for another explanation. In our second hour, Wendy Brown asks whether it could it be to keep us separate and, symbolically, divided, to symbolically perpetuate the illusion of state power? Our first hour starts with a short clip from George Draffan speaking on the introduction of passports and state use of technology to control people. It finishes with a condensed speech by Jaggi Singh on migration and the growing No One Is Illegal resistance movement.
This week is a packed show without much time for commentary. We start our first hour with a short section of an interview with George Draffan about his book, Welcome To The Machine, talking about how governments ratchet up social control mechanisms in times of 'temporary' crisis and then neglect to roll them back. As an example, passports, were introduced ostensibly to prevent German spies from entering France, but in fact to prevent escape of French young men seeking to avoid fighting in WW1. This temporary measure was never repealed.
Next it's Jaggi Singh, talking about migration. It is a response both to war and natural disasters and the economic imbalance resultant from the exploitation of the 'poor' countries by the 'developed' ones. Focussing on Canada, he uncovers the reality behind the oft cited tolerance of the Northern countries, detailing injustices done to minority groups in Canada in the 20th century, and recent legislation aimed at reducing immigration while upholding a façade of legitimacy and tolerance. He touches on ICIS, the Canadian secret service, their role in setting up white extremist movements, inciting acts of terror by Muslim young men, and comments on Canada's worst act of terror, Air India Flight 182, noting the destruction of evidence by ICIS officers. I condensed Jaggi Singh's original presentation (74 minutes) down to about 45, so you may wish to download it - see the list of contents below.
Our second hour, Porous Sovereignty, Walled Democracy, an insightful and highly concentrated lecture from 2008. Wendy Brown addresses the curious phenomenon that finds nation-states building physical walls at their borders as never before. The US government's plans would dwarf the great wall of China! An interesting contrast with the free flow global capital. Yet these walls may not be what they appear. In an ostensibly ever more globalized world, such walls raise a series of questions. What is the relationship between these walls and the erosion of national sovereignty by transnational forces? Do the walls assert sovereignty or do they confess its failures? What is the relationship of economy and security at the site of walls? And what transformation in democracy do the new walls herald? You may need to listen to this more than once, as it is highly refined stuff!
Music: R.E.M., Babar Luck
Next it's Jaggi Singh, talking about migration. It is a response both to war and natural disasters and the economic imbalance resultant from the exploitation of the 'poor' countries by the 'developed' ones. Focussing on Canada, he uncovers the reality behind the oft cited tolerance of the Northern countries, detailing injustices done to minority groups in Canada in the 20th century, and recent legislation aimed at reducing immigration while upholding a façade of legitimacy and tolerance. He touches on ICIS, the Canadian secret service, their role in setting up white extremist movements, inciting acts of terror by Muslim young men, and comments on Canada's worst act of terror, Air India Flight 182, noting the destruction of evidence by ICIS officers. I condensed Jaggi Singh's original presentation (74 minutes) down to about 45, so you may wish to download it - see the list of contents below.
Our second hour, Porous Sovereignty, Walled Democracy, an insightful and highly concentrated lecture from 2008. Wendy Brown addresses the curious phenomenon that finds nation-states building physical walls at their borders as never before. The US government's plans would dwarf the great wall of China! An interesting contrast with the free flow global capital. Yet these walls may not be what they appear. In an ostensibly ever more globalized world, such walls raise a series of questions. What is the relationship between these walls and the erosion of national sovereignty by transnational forces? Do the walls assert sovereignty or do they confess its failures? What is the relationship of economy and security at the site of walls? And what transformation in democracy do the new walls herald? You may need to listen to this more than once, as it is highly refined stuff!
Music: R.E.M., Babar Luck
Robin Upton
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