The Black Myths Podcast

Executive Editor of Grassroots Thinking, J. Ezra McCoy joins Black Myths Pod to Interview Too Black regarding his latest pieces on "Nonviolence is Violence Too". They discuss the process for writing the pieces, the limitations of nonviolence as a concept, how historically violence is a companion to nonviolence, and some of the background editing that went into the piece. pt. 1 https://www.grassrootsthinking.com/nonviolence-is-violence-too-somebodys-gotta-die/ pt. 2 https://www.grassrootsthinking.com/nonviolence-is-violence-too-part-2-were-all-in-the-gunk/

In this episode, we are joined by guest Momodou Taal, a PhD candidate in the Africana Studies department at Cornell University, host of The Malcolm Effect podcast, and a co-founder member of VoxUmmah. We dive into a critical discussion on the intersections of Iran, global power, and religion. We open with reflections from our previous episode, including an assessment based on Dr. Bikrum Gill's analysis of "Imperialism as the primary contradiction". We focus on Islam, exploring its material role in the current war against Iran, and analyzing why the left often finds it challenging to integrate Islam and religion into its analysis. Lastly, we look at Imperialism Today. We examine the utility of debating the roles of the US versus Israel in the war effort, discuss how imperialism has mutated over time, and identify the anti-imperialist forces in the world today—and how to build them up.

Bikrum Gill, scholar of international political economy and anti-imperialist academic, argues that separating the Iranian people from the state repeats imperialist logic. He traces the 1953 coup, the 1979 revolution, and how sanctions and foreign intervention shape crises. He discusses Iran’s regional role, deterrence, and why opposing sanctions and standing for sovereignty matter now.

This podcast delves into the violent contradictions at the heart of mass movements, challenging the idea of "spotless innocence." We explore how tactics of nonviolence function as a form of sacrificial violence, drawing in the State—both as a protector and a predator—and how insurgent violence acts as a "positive radical flank," forcing political concessions. From the Civil Rights Movement's reliance on federal troops to the global legacy of colonialism, discover why violence is the inevitable companion to confrontation, and why movements must seize the power to impose peace. https://www.patreon.com/blackmyths

They argue that so-called nonviolence often depends on opponents using brutality. The conversation introduces "sacrificial violence," describing deliberate absorption of repression to win concessions. Historical cases like the Freedom Rides and Albany are compared to show when confrontation exposes or blunts brutality. Modern parallels and tactical choices for provoking or avoiding violence are explored.

In this episode, we talk with the Millennials Are Killing Capitalism podcast about their series on organized white supremacist groups, a series that has centered in particular around the KKK. We also talk about the academic use of the term "white supremacy" in recent years, which has been taken up in many left-wing movement spaces. We discuss the utility of this analytical framework alongside the lack of serious engagement with the politics and ideology of white supremacist, far right, and white nationalist organizations. https://www.patreon.com/c/blackmyths

We explore the inconsistent history of the political slogan "America First." We are joined by environmental sociologist and Black Alliance for Peace Comrade, Kim Miller. We delve into the earliest documentation of America First including its use by the nativist "Know Nothing" party in 1855, tracing its evolution through various eras of American policy. Then we examine how the Monroe Doctrine coincides with sentiments. The discussion also covers its contemporary applications, such as in Secretary of State Marco Rubio's "Americas First Foreign Policy," particularly concerning Venezuela. By defining key concepts like nationalism, non-interventionism, and anti-imperialism, we seek to understand the various meanings—or lack thereof—that have been attached to "America First" throughout American history. Kimberly Dawn Miller is an environmental sociologist who holds a PhD in Global Studies with a concentration in Sociology from Florida International University. Her dissertation, Ecotourism Development in the Nature Isle: Navigating the Politics of Eco-Cultural Sovereignty in Dominica, examines the intersections of ecotourism, post-disaster reconstruction, Indigenous cultural revival, and sustainable land-use politics in the Eastern Caribbean. https://www.patreon.com/c/blackmyths

This discussion debunks the myth that white supremacy equals unity among white people. It explores the differing ideologies within early white supremacist groups and how their politics have evolved. The hosts analyze the influence of eugenics on immigration laws and debate the distinct aims of various factions, from annihilation to assimilation. They emphasize that political unity is manufactured rather than inherent and highlight the significance of studying white supremacist writings to understand and counter their movements.

We dive into a critical examination of the 3rd Ku Klux Klan. This episode challenges the notion that the Klan was simply a product of its time to be understood as a bad group of individuals representing white supremacy, as opposed to a strain of white supremacy that many people opposed. We return with Rasul Mowatt to review the history of the KKK's decline in the 1940s and 50s to its resurgence through multiple chapters during the Civil Rights Movement. Discover the tactics, motivations, and ultimate failures of the Klan in preventing the formal end of Jim Crow. We'll also delve into the Greensboro massacre and its precursors, examining the characters involved and the tragic events of November 3rd, 1979, and the accountability (or lack thereof) that followed. Finally, we explore how even within white supremacist circles, there was pushback against their extreme methods, ultimately paving the way for a new, darker white power movement. Some Sources: Klansman's Manual (1925) https://history.hanover.edu/courses/excerpts/336KKKmanual.html Hooded Americanism https://www.dukeupress.edu/hooded-americanism Klansville, U.S.A.: The Rise and Fall of the Civil Rights-Era Ku Klux Klan https://www.amazon.com/Klansville-U-S-Civil-Rights-Era/dp/0199752028 Patreon https://www.patreon.com/c/blackmythsth

We return for part 2 of our series as we delve into the common misconception that the Ku Klux Klan was primarily a movement of poor white individuals. It explores the historical context of urbanization, industrialization, and the aftermath of war in the early 1900s, examining how these factors contributed to the grievances of middle-class white Protestant men and impacted labor dynamics. The episode will also discuss the founding of the second Klan in 1915, the significant influence of D.W. Griffith's film "Birth of a Nation," and how the Klan evolved from a small organization into a national movement. Listeners will learn about the Klan's prominent areas, their political aims, and why their focus extended beyond Black people to emphasize white Protestantism. A specific segment will explore the Indiana chapter, its unique characteristics, and its unexpected popularity in cities with small numbers of its perceived enemies. Finally, the podcast will analyze the rapid decline of the second Klan by 1930 and how its successes and failures laid the groundwork for future iterations of the organization. Some Sources The Rise of the Ku Klux Klan: Right-Wing Movements and National Politics The Ku Klux Klan in the Heartland An extended episode can be found on our Patreon 00:10:23 - Whiteness 00:17:55 - Political Economy of the Klan 00:55:28 - Birth of a Nation 01:31:35 - KKK Organizing 01:48:44 - KKK Political Aims 01:58:53 - KKK Decline 02:18:40 - Last Thoughts