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Cablecast and web streaming of program in serieS "Conversations with Harold Hudson Channer" Upcoming Cable Television/Web Show: For details of airing see bottom of page
Guest For
FRIDAY
JANUARY 2,
2008
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- GUEST: (Repeat Airing of Interview - Videotaped June 1991)
HON. MU-AMMAR AL GADDAFI
HON. MU-AMMAR AL GADDAFI
Leader:
The Great Socialist Peoples Libyan Arab Jamahiriya An Arab Islamic Challenge for Fundamental Change   Libyan
leader Muammar Qadhafi addressing the summit. He along with
Mbeki were the prime movers behind the creation of the African
Union.
President Gamal Abdel
Nasser's Farewell Message"I shall be leaving you tomorrow ... "I feel
a new strength, a new blood in me ... I feel that the
Arab people recognise themselves in you, and that they
have rediscovered their determination. "In leaving, I say to you: 'My brother Mu`ammar al-Gadhafi is the representative of Arab nationalism, of the Arab revolution, and of Arab unity.' "My dear brothers, may God watch over you for the well-being of the Arab people. May you go from victory to victory, for your victories will be the victory of the whole Arab people ...
"May God keep you." -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The program can be viewed in its entirety by clicking the you tube link below: - HON. MUAMMAR AL GADDAFI-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- More about: HON MU-AMMAR AL GADDAFI
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- The program can be viewed in its entirety by clicking the you tube link below: - HON. MUAMMAR AL GADDAFI--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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The Great Socialist
People's Libyan Arab Jamahiriya is situated in North
Africa, stretching along the Mediterranean shoreline for
nearly 2,000 kilometres. Its area is 1,775,500 square
kilometres making it the fourth largest country in
Africa. Egypt is on its eastern border; Sudan, Chad and
Niger are to the south and Tunisia and Algeria lie to
the west.
_________________________________________________________________________________________
A
Not So Brief Summary of Program and General Commentary
by Harold Channer:
In a "Conversation" originally taped in
1991 Colonial Gaddafi talks primarily about his concept
of Government, Economics and Social Organization which
collectively constitutes his "Third Universal Theory".
His ideas are largely contained in his "Green
Book" which he summarizes here. This is particularly
timely as United Nations sanctions have recently been
lifted and Libya is very possibly posed to have a major
effect on the World - particularly IF and as his ideas
and those behind the organization of that society - are
valid in an Historical sense! The program was not
intended as a "News" oriented exercise - but rather as
an opportunity for him to present to the American people
- and the people of the World - his Philosophy which is
unique and deserves a hearing in something other than
the prejudicial terms in which most reporting about that
Country has been couched. He explains the
organizational schema in Libya is termed a "Jamaihiriya"
- or "State of the Masses" system - which he claims is
destined to become characteristic of the whole World -
as an Historical inevitability!
The country is divided in a large number of "People
Congress's" with meeting halls established everywhere in
the country where all citizens over 18 year of age
are actually able
to meet directly to debate and decide on
policies of local, national and international concern, -
and Sovereignty is theoretically vested in the People
Congress's. It seems very much like the traditional
New England notion of "Town Hall Meetings" - allusions
to which were so prevalent in the American "political
season of Ross Perot" at the time the program was
originally videotaped and aired. Mr. Perot received
some 20% of the National vote in 1992, and the
term "Direct Participatory Democracy" is more and more a
common place reference in theoretical political
parlance. In practice the situation in Libya is much
more complicated of course, but the idea and impetus is
in keeping with the best, most progressive ideas and
ideals of the modern era. The notions of Representative
Democracy as advanced by America's founding fathers in
1776 must have seemed equally impossibly chaotic to the
well established "Ancien Regime"
Dynastic States in Europe of the time. REAL Democracy
can at times seem Untidy. His ideas and the
organization of the Country MAY WELL have great
significance as an early and appropriate model to the
World?
Colonel Gaddafi also criticizes, in an interesting
manner, the economic assumptions of the United States,
Multi National Corporations and International
Institutions such as the International Monetary Fund and
the World Bank which collectively might be seen as
representing a "Modern Day Ancien Regime".
Technology is advancing and ushering in an era of
unprecedented productive capabilities. He points out
that the "Ownership" of technology is very narrowly held
around the World by a very small Plutocratic ownership
class - while the bulk of the worlds citizens are
resigned to serve only as laborers in a system where
technology, often measured as Capital Assets, is
increasingly responsible for production. Echoing themes
found in his "Green Book" he states in the program that
"Wage earners, however
improved their wages may be, are a type of Slave"..."Wage
earners are but slaves to the masters who hires them".
This is likely to find resonance among a great
number of American as well as others around the World
when and where it fully dawns that a minuscule "class"
own virtual all the capital assets which are
increasingly responsible for production. And even when
a economic boom occurs under a so called "liberal wing"
of the ruling class as occurred in the United States
during the recent so called: "dot com" bubble, the
system was structured in an inherently flawed manner so
as to further enrich the few with preferential stock
options and immoral and illegal financial slight of hand
shenanigans. However even during the growth period and
particularly following the bursting of the bubble as the
dust settled, it was obvious that the experience had
left massive numbers of the "workers" penniless - many
all but destitute - while the wealthy owners pocketed
millions. It might justifiably be claimed such an
outcome was inherent in the system and financial
assumptions about the way Capital Formation is allowed
to be achieved. Enron, Worldcom, Arthur Anderson and
the whole panoply of corporate and financial scandals
which rocked America and the system which created them
and that still goes all but unchallenged and continues
to undermine confidence in the United States - was not,
in other words, the result of a momentary mistake or
lack of judgment here and there but intrinsic to the
assumptions of and the very structure of the system
itself. Despite all the "happy talk" by Sycophant and
Myopic Courtesans - Sinecured Courtiers - the System
itself which has held sway for 200 years and daily
declares itself invincible (representing the "End of
History" according to Francis Fukuyama) is struggling
under the weight of it's "Inherent Contradictions" (It
seems Marx May have been right about that) and is very
possibly vulnerable to competition by newer more
appropriate Models. Again Libya - particularly at the
level of basic grounding ideas and principals - may have
moved ahead of the curve?
As Difficult - in practical terms as it obviously would
be - Colonial Gaddafi would
"Abolish the Wage System"!! There are few
public road side signs in Libya but one which is very
prominently and widely displayed says:
"Partners Not Wage Earners".
Libya seems unique in attempting to make sure
those who make up an organization are
"Owners or Partners" of the
operation rather than merely "Wage
Slaves". Entrepreneurs
are encouraged in Libya and helped in their start up
trials but there is customarily one aspect there which
is unique: "They Are Not Allowed
To Hire Anyone!! ..... "Everyone Involved in the
Enterprise Must Be a Partner - Or Owner - of the
Corporate Entity". Again the reality is
somewhat more complicated but the Democratization of the
Economy is again very much with the tide of History.
Colonial Gaddafi said to me in off camera in informal
conversation (in English) : "It
Is Often Difficult Being Straight in a Crooked Crooked
World" ! Indeed one telling moment in
the taped "Conversations" (you could look it up - it's
right there in the program) was when I made a statement:
"That It Is Unfortunate That in
The United States Everyone Is Asking For 'Jobs' When
They Should Be Asking For Ownership" and he
empathically answers "EXACTLY!!"
To challenge "employment" as the Holy Grail seems
outlandish to most in the Ruling Circles of the Modern
Ancien Regime" - but when considering the
increasing "input" to production by technology and
particularly with impending Cyber additions to the
pattern - questioning and challenging the proposition
that all income distribution to the masses should be
through "jobs" (which is the case with the vast majority
of the World's population) may be destined to soon
become a front and center issue of World debate in the
time ahead. "Partners Not Wage
Earners" might well become a real rallying call
with deep political implications.
Unfortunately there is little concern with this among
the very well ensconced old order where all assets -
again increasingly responsible for production - are so
narrowly held by a small group who can control the
entire society by their selection of compliant managers
for their "Wholly Owned and Operated" Media Outlets"
etc. Resting on long accepted practice they feel they
are assured of an army of compliant
"Wage Slaves" to manage and
man their institutions as faithfully as the Loyal Royal
retainers on Mediaeval feudal estates. Metaphorically
they are as Gaddafi surmises
"Industrial Age Serfs - Cotton Picking Slaves" -
in a Dawning Age of Cybernetic Cotton Picking Machines -
and everything else. Aristotle observed that the Slave
conditions which applied in ancient Athens would be
necessary - so that some could lead a civilized life of
the mind and spirit - and would be remain necessary
"unless and until the loom
learned to weave." That age may be dawning
and even at hand - and again Libya may be ahead of
History's curve.
Libya is very well positioned to play an extremely
important modernizing role in the Middle East and the
Islamic World where the United States has very likely
become mired in a inappropriate disastrous extension of
Military Power in what can only be seen by most of the
World as an extension of traditional European Style
Colonial rule. Besides threatening to exhaust the
American National Treasury It has created a deep well
of resentment among the World's growing hordes of
Les Miserables reduced metaphorical and actually to
attending to and manicuring the lawns within the gated
communities - Castle Keeps - of their plutocratic
overlords - much like their counter part serfs on the
Feudal estates of the "good old days". Or the current
system which insists on characterizing itself as the
Model for the "End of History" - for the Ages as It were
- while the poverty plagued masses of the World (over
50% live on less than $2.00 a day) are left to die of
Aids and other easily preventable diseases.
Gaddafi
has won the whole hearted support of Nelson Mandela by
taking a Progressive position concerning Africa with
it's daunting problems which are all but being ignored
by the "Established Powers" that be. He has had
interesting communications with Fidel Castro, Hugo
Chavez of Venezuela, Luiz Inácio Lula Da Silva
Lula of Brazil and many of the Progressive elements of
"World Public Opinion" which the New York Times
characterized as "The Other World Super Power" aligned
against the United States in it's Unilateral March to
War in Iraq. It would seem that if there is any hope
for the needed change which treats the Earth as United
Whole System including the Masses and all within a
proper ecological context - it will only come from the
will of the people inspired by a vision of the means
toward the Universal Justice and Practical efficiencies
predicated on ideas truly relevant to the dawning new
realities.
Tax Cuts for the already wealthy will not serve -
catering to the powerful alone is actually counter
productive - for, in truth, the politically and
economically powerful are sure to be a "lagging
indicator" - the last to see - the wisdom and the means
of doing the "Right Thing" which may now be possible for
the whole of Planet Earth. There are other sources of
course - but a big change is, as Bob Dylan sang,
"Blowing in the Wind" - and Libya presents an
interesting possible source worthy of study
particularly for ideas which are neither Right Wing or
Left Wing - neither Proletarian Marxist or Plutocratic
Capitalist but grounded on ideas and principles which
are able to subsume and ultimately accommodate both with
comprehensively conceived understanding of the
consequences of the crucial times in which we live and
particularly within which all Humanity's progeny will
hopeful prosper - "one and all."
Democratic Ownership Economics - or even assumptions
which could lead toward that direction - would represent
a real Paradigm shift which the Old Order shows no real
sign of contemplating. But as always it seems the new
ideas never come in Societies which are heavily
structured upon assumptions and institutions and habits
of thought - of the outdated Paradigm. It was the
"Loutish" America example which inspired Les
Miserables of France and It may well be that the
example of Libya might become a Model - which has the
basic ideas and issues right - and in keeping with the
times - and might inspire the Emerging Masses of the
World including - in the end - the People of the United
Sates and its allies to think anew the need for a just
and Historically relevant future pathway out of the
morass they so proudly proclaim as representing the "End
of History?" Of course the bulk of "establishment
thought' will pooh- pooh the notion of any need for
fundamental change and will deride and scoff at any who
attempt to question the basic legitimacy of the old
order. But the mighty force of their propaganda machine
need not restrain the thinking of people around the
world - including the United States of America - whose
leaders seem - to increasing numbers around the World -
to be caught like a deer in the head lights - unable to
comprehend the changes the times call for and can only
flail about defending the old outmoded ways of
Political, Economic and Social organization. This
"Conversation" might help instill thinking about
possible new ways of seeing the world - and it's
necessarily liberating potential for a new order of
things. For that reason you would be encouraged to view
this brief and therefore inherently limited introduction
to one system which challenges the whole proposition by
which the world has been and is being run by a system of
thought which can increasingly be seen as mired in an
Historical "Ancien Regime" myopia!?
--------------------------------------------------------------------------- Friday January 2, 2009 10:30 - 11:30 AM / (NYC Time)
Channel 34 of the Time/Warner & Channel
83 of the RCN The Program can now be viewed on the internet at time of cable casting at
www.mnn.org
& click on channel 34 at site ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ |
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