Black Agenda Radio - 09.11.17

Welcome to the radio magazine that brings you news, commentary and analysis from a Black Left perspective. I’m Glen Ford, along with my co-host Nellie Bailey. Coming up: Community control of the police activists in New York City take the struggle into the bowels of the subway system, while, in Philadelphia, activists present their case to the City Council; and, Dr. Anthony Monteiro says the time is right for a real progressive movement – but the Left doesn’t know how to take advantage of it.

Peace and environmental activists will hold a conference September 22nd and 23rd at American University, in Washington, to explore the possibilities of political cooperation. Veteran anti-war activist David Swanson is one of the organizers of the conference. According to Swanson, environmental organizations have historically avoided association with the peace movement.

President Donald Trump may have thought he would terrify North Korea, and the rest of the world, with his threats to bring down “fire and fury” if the U.S. doesn’t get its way. However, Dr. Anthony Monteiro, the Dubosian scholar from Philadelphia, says, despite Trump’s huffing and puffing, the U.S. superpower isn’t so super any more.

Diop Olugbala, of the Black Is Back Coalition for Social Justice, Peace and Reparations, has an important date coming up with the Philadelphia City Council. The Black Is Back Coalition and its allies are pressing for Black Community Control of the police.

In the Queens section of New York City, the Coalition to End Broken Windows Policing this year took the fight against police oppression into the subway system. Lauren Concepcion is an organizer with the “Swipe It Forward” campaign, which urges New Yorkers who have unlimited fare cards to swipe through low income and young people, so that they won’t get snatched up by the cops for jumping turnstiles. Black Agenda Radio producer Kyle Fraser spoke with Concepcion.

And that’s it for this edition of Black Agenda Radio.