Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Chauncey DeVega's Conversation With Ring of Fire TV About the Baltimore Uprising, Race, and Justice is Now Online


Here is my latest interview with Ring of Fire on Free Speech TV.

I touched on many topics with Mike and we did some good truth-telling about race, police brutality, the young lions of the Baltimore Uprising, and the nebulous topic of "race relations" in the United States.

Given that I was working in more than a whee bit of discomfort given my leg injury--you can see my eyes not as focused and fixed forward in the beginning as they usually are--but once I got going I settled in.

As always, I appreciate the good folks at Ring of Fire and Free Speech TV giving me the opportunity to provide the type of commentary on pressing matters of public concern that you do not usually see in many other places.

Thoughts? Suggestions? Ideas?

16 comments:

joe manning said...

Good job Chauncey. The visuals give extra emphasis to the points which you so articulately made. For every symbolic step forward there's at least two reactionary steps back. Hence, whites' blanket condemnation of uprisings haven't changed for these 50 years, though its clear that the news reels show demonstrators not rioters, the young lions being cheered on by orderly groupings. The violent acts are essentially politically symbolic and not vandalism as characterized by the media. We're in the street to protest the New Jim Crow not to loot and cause mayhem.

drspittle said...

I hope you heal quickly, Chauncey! It sounds like you're on the right path.

chauncey devega said...

I hope so to. Thanks for the good energy.

chauncey devega said...

The visuals were good. Complements to the editors.

You are spot on--we move forward and backwards.


Great quote.


Any thoughts or suggestions?

drspittle said...

You're welcome. Also, too, nice job on Ring of Fire.

joe manning said...

A extensive youtube interview with Ta-Nehisi Coates could be ground breaking.
And always try to bring in you're unique perspective on the interaction of pop culture with real life.

Hondok said...

First time I've seen you speak, Chauncey, and you were really good. I'm so glad you mentioned disabled people as one of the targets of the police, but I encourage you to work on replacing "the handicapped" with "disabled people" or, not as good but still totally acceptable, "people with disabilities." thanks!

Gable1111 said...

That was a great turn on Ring of Fire. Hopefully you weren't too uncomfortable what with the knee and all.


You touched on all the key points, and I like how Papantonio essentially gave you the floor; one of the reasons I like his show.


One thing that was said that resonated with me: black folk are tired. Over the last two years, from Trayvon to Freddie Gray, and all those in between, I have vacillated from anger to weariness. It gets tiresome that you have to keep dealing with this stuff. But we have no choice but to deal with it.


What keeps me going is I find myself having reason to be proud of men and women like you and others who stand up and speak truth and slice through the absurdist nonsense of racism that supposedly "explains" blacks, the poor and all of the "others."


Great job.

chauncey devega said...

Thanks for the love. Mike and I have a good rhythm. I just take the mic when he passes it along. My observation about our tiredness was totally spontaneous. I don't have talking points or a script. But that just came from the heart. Got to be real.


I was at about 80 percent given my level of distraction. Next time 100 percent as a given. I had a few flubs because the mind was focused on compartmentalizing discomfort. Fingers crossed the body and mind will be in harmony.


Your point on the FCC is very important. I am going to be doing some research on that great point.

chauncey devega said...

I appreciate that corrective. I will be sure to make that correction. I have some other stuff out there if you are curious. The more recent material is halfway decent.

chauncey devega said...

One day. We shall see. Who knows? Small world and I will leave it at that.

DanF said...

Excellent interview Chauncey - I really like your matter-of-fact delivery style. It's does not come off as angry or confrontational - despite being a confrontational message. "Here is the bullshit we deal with. This is why it's bullshit. Yes, it's the same bullshit going back generations. Here's why it's in everyone's interest to stop the bullshit." It's a tactic that can change some percentage of hearts and minds, seed a kernel of doubt in others, and galvanize the converted. Must be the educator in you.


With regards to what Gable1111 said above about being tired - as a white guy, it's unfathomable to me what it must be like to armor-up mentally each and every day to simply function in a society that not only has the deck stacked against you, but also blames you for not excelling in the rigged game. We know what stress does to the body - It affects day-to-day health and kills you years before your time. And it's been going on for generations ... I hope we can get to the point of talking about reparations in my lifetime, but that would take seismic shifts in attitudes and beliefs. Maybe our robot overlords will do better.

Gable1111 said...

I'll be looking forward to that follow up.


My 50K foot level understanding is the "public" still owns the airwaves by which media broadcasts, and media thus has a responsibility to adhere to certain standards that contribute at least to honest debate,if not unvarnished representation of the facts. A willful dissemination of stereotypes, rumors and outright lies in order to garner viewers and traffic that ends up inciting violence, which is what we've seen, would seem to warrant at least a warning from the FCC, and consistent violations would be treated more seriously. You would think.


But I'm not naive; the FCC has been captured by corporations as well. But still, that may be where part of the focus needs to be in addressing this aspect of racism running amok, and that is calling out the FCC.

Hondok said...

Thanks for the reply, Chauncey! Would love to see your stuff, I'm guessing it's on police meeting (very often black) disabled people and killing them? keep up the great work,!

chauncey devega said...

Not that topic in particular, but on a range of things. The Youtube page should have some other interviews.

chauncey devega said...

I appreciate your picking up on that move. I always try to go to self-interest. I don't believe in folks' goodness. I hope that I can reach a few of them on what is in it for them. Makes me happy that you picked up on that.