Woody Guthrie and Left Settler-Colonialism Woody Guthrie died in late-1967, a few months after I was born. Many people understand him to be one of the great “American” (yes, the quotes are deliberate) folk singers and song-writers, and many of those people are also aware that Guthrie was an avowed socialist and anti-fascist. His guitar famously displayed the regular message, threat, or promise: “This machine kills fascists.” Believe it or not, there was a time when this was not an unusual sentiment, way …
Category: Political Writings
It’s December 19th, 2023. We’re coming up to the season when self-described Christians start saying lovely things like “peace on Earth, goodwill to all,” and paying lip service to the teachings of a Hebrew Palestinian carpenter with …
This article was published in Active History on Aug. 9, 2021 On August 3, 1871 the negotiations that became known as the “Stone Fort” treaty, or Treaty 1, were wrapped up at Lower Fort Garry, north …
A version of this was published in Canadian Dimension magazine (July 4, 2021) Every so often the media and political pundit classes work themselves into a frenzy of finger-wagging over the vandalism, toppling, or destruction of …
Paul Burrows (March 7, 2021) Today is the 100th anniversary of the day that the repression against the Kronstadt soviet began. Judging from the relative absence of any discussion about Kronstadt over the last several years …
Originally posted in the Media Co-op (November 11, 2019). It’s Remembrance Day in Canada, and so rather than talk about how ignorant and racist Don Cherry is, or how the day is typically used by disingenuous …
“Debates” over the last month triggered by events in Syria have been almost unbelievable. Not because reasonable people cannot disagree about facts, about ethical priorities, and about the efficacy of different strategic and tactical options. They …
[Some brief remarks for “Red November / Black November,” Winnipeg I.W.W. feast, November 15, 2014.] It’s an honour to be invited to say a few words about memory and martyrs of the working class. But sadly, …
Review of James Daschuk’s Clearing the Plains: Disease, Politics of Starvation, and the Loss of Aboriginal Life (University of Regina Press, 2013) Originally published in Briarpatch Magazine (March 2014) In the context of a Canadian popular …
Originally published in The Media Co-op on December 16, 2013 The eulogies and myth-making began almost immediately –– in Canada as notably as elsewhere.[1] On December 5th, the day Nelson Mandela passed away, former Prime Minister …
Originally published in The Uniter (October 3, 2012) This year marks the 200th anniversary of the Red River Settlement, an agricultural colony founded by a Scottish “noble” named Thomas Douglas, the Fifth Earl of Selkirk. Familiar Winnipeg …
Originally published in The Media Co-op (June 16, 2010) As many of you may know, there has been an uproar in the House of Commons recently, and a flurry of parliamentarians (Tory, Liberal, and NDP) expressing …
Speech by Paul Burrows (originally posted to Media Co-op and ZNet) When you board a civilian ship in international waters, and proceed to threaten, shoot, kidnap, or rob its inhabitants, you are generally called a “pirate” …
Paul Burrows Originally published in Chris Spannos (ed.), Real Utopia: Participatory Society for the 21st Century (AK Press, 2008) Editor’s note: This chapter is based on a talk given at the Life After Capitalism Conference, World …
Originally published in Manitoba History Journal (Number 57, February 2008) Emma Goldman visited and lectured in Winnipeg on five separate occasions: first in 1907, twice in 1908, again in 1927, and finally in late-1939, just five …
Originally published on the Electronic Intifada website on 2 October 2005. TO PROFESS “NEUTRALITY” IN THE FACE OF INJUSTICE IS TO SIDE WITH THE OPPRESSOR, SAYS CANPALNET-WINNIPEG In a press release dated September 28th, 2005, B’Nai Brith Canada claimed that the 2nd Annual Canada Palestine Film Festival, which opens today at Winnipeg’s prestigious Cinematheque …
ANARCHISM & RADICAL DISSENT: “Winnipeg Social Forum,” University of Winnipeg, May 7th, 2005 I’ve been asked to initiate a discussion about something called “anarchism & radical dissent,” and touch on some core issues of activism: like …
Originally published on ZNet and Winnipeg Indymedia (November 2, 2004) The latest deportation order has arrived. After pursuing various legal avenues over the last few years, Syrian-born Ammar Khatib received a letter at the end of …
Originally published on rabble.ca on November 11, 2003. This Remembrance Day, let us remember Canadians who fought and died during the two World Wars and the Korean War. Let us also remember those of other nations …
Originally published on the Electronic Intifada website on March 21, 2003 Those of us in the International Solidarity Movement (ISM), and involved in Palestine solidarity work more generally, are deeply shocked and horrified by the recent …
By Paul Burrows Originally published in ZNet (August 26, 2002) Binyamin Netanyahu is coming to Winnipeg on September 9th, and the local Canada-Palestine Support Network (CanPalNet-Winnipeg) is helping to organize a peaceful information picket and protest. …