This Wreckage

A wave of wildcat strikes, blockades, and general militant organizing is spreading the University of California system based on the demand that academic workers be paid a living wage. We're joined by three union members of UC Santa Cruz who were fired for refusing to turn in grades until their demands are met. We discuss the history of UC strikes starting with the 2009 occupations that were a precursor to Occupy Wall Street, how this struggle began, the meaning of Bernie's support, its broader political vision, and what lessons the broader working class can draw. Support their strike fund: https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-fund-for-striking-workers-at-ucsc The roots of the strike: https://thefilemag.org/the-roots-of-the-santa-cruz-wildcat-strike/ Letter to UC President Napolitano: https://thefilemag.org/dear-president-napolitano/ The strike spreads: https://www.kqed.org/news/11805470/uc-berkeley-graduate-students-stage-walkout-push-for-strike-authorization?fbclid=IwAR2Z2XKKgHX-rzs6HtwFBfGnLIFbYNgNfH_guZVBC0fX55xBq6_R7NER0us Another essay from a striker: https://communemag.com/become-unreasonable/ Closing song: Lost Kids - Cola Freaks

The gang delves into some of the discourse around Bernie, Warren and "intersectionality" to figure out just what liberal pundits mean when they say that word. Closing song: Kayla Nicole - Move Like A Snake Become a member at patreon.com/theantifada to unlock this and all other bonus content!

The gang is back with special guest Shuja Haider, @shujaxhaider, writer-at-large for Outline Magazine and contributing editor of Viewpoint. We begin with an analysis of the political economy of coronavirus, then continue with a lengthy discussion of the Bernie Sanders campaign. (You know we had to talk electoral politics eventually!) What kind of social forces are being brought together? What potentials might the campaign bring? What are the limits of electoralism and how does a robust anti-capitalist movement relate to politics-at-large? Coronavirus article: http://chuangcn.org/2020/02/social-contagion/ Shuja's superdelegates article: https://theoutline.com/post/8721/democratic-debaste-superdelegates-dnc-convention Outro: Chumbawumba - The Wasteland To support our work and access bonus content, become a patron today at www.patreon.com/theantifada

Jamie is joined by writer, musician, and leftist shitposter Hether Fortune (@hetherrfortune), formerly of the band Wax Idols, for a recap of their canvassing trip to New Hampshire, which involved seeing Bernie open for the Strokes and starting a riot! Also: the state of the music biz, a bit of girl talk, and Hether spills the tea on why she quit White Lung. Check out Hether's music at https://hetherfortune.bandcamp.com/ Closing song: Lydia Lunch - St. Marks Place

On this episode of Vampire Castle, Jamie and Leslie discuss 'Blade' (1998) and 'Blade II.' (2002). 'Blade: Trinity' can go ice skate uphill. Become a patron at patreon.com/theantifada to unlock the full version plus tons of other bonus content!

In this episode of the Antifada sideproject about space, sci-fi, the paranormal, and parapolitical, we talk to Joseph L Flatley -- the investigative journalist behind "The So-Called Prophet from Pittsburgh" podcast. Through interviews with ex-members, Flatley provides new details about Gabriel of Urantia and his small UFO apocalypse cult in the desert of Tuscon, inspired by psychedelic culture, intentional communities, and a cosmic self-help book of unknown authorship from the twenties. It is a thoroughly "destructive cult," but is there any other kind? We ponder the possibilities through a wide-ranging discussion of Raelianism, Scientology, Posadism, Marxism-Leninism, and the militia movement. Stay tuned after the interview for an audio essay about a 1973 strike at Skylab, the Anti-Space movement, Ad Astra, and the Star Wars trilogy! Shownotes: Follow Joseph L Flatley on Twitter! Follow Andy on Twitter! Audio taken from the Aquarian Concepts episode Rael Encourages World Revolution Unarius: the "good UFO cult" near San Diego I mentioned Closing clip: TaliasVan & The Bright & Morning Star Band • Energy Master Interstitial music: Sparks - Tryouts for the Human Race The Skylab 4 Mutiny Salish Anti-Space Symposium Don't Let Them Leave, anti-space zine Hannah Arendt - The Conquest of Space and the Stature of Man For all back episodes of Proletkult, History is a Weapon, Vampire Castle, Talkin' 'Tina, and Antifada's Real Hours reading series, support us at: patreon.com/theantifada Other music: Gil Scott-Heron - Whitey on the Moon John Williams - Ewok Celebration Opening music: Giorgio Moroder - Racer

Matt and Sean continue their discussion of utopian versus scientific socialism in the second half. As we move from the religious communalism of the medieval period to the secular socialism of the 19th century, the limitations of utopian socialism become more clear... and yet the desire to, say, go back to the land... or occupy wall street continue. How do we break from the cycle and build a concrete utopia that can last? To listen to this episode and the rest of our bonus content, become a patron at www.patreon.com/theantifada

Jamie is joined by Daniel Denvir (@DanielDenvir), esteemed host of Jacobin's The Dig (aka socialist NPR) to talk about his book "All-American Nativism: How The Bipartisan War On Immigrants Explains Politics As We Know It." In an effort to explain how we got orange man, Denvir traces the history of anti-immigrant politics in the US, paying close attention to the bipartisan consensus that emerged in the 1970s and intensified with NAFTA, only fracturing when the GOP went fully mask off. What have been the material factors driving this? How does decriminalization of migration benefit the working class as a whole? And how should left-populist politicians like you-know-who talk about things like "open borders"? We realize it's like the third episode we've done on this topic, but it's important! Outro music: Karen O w/ Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross - Immigrant Song and BUY THE BOOK: https://www.versobooks.com/books/2858-all-american-nativism Follow @DanielDenvir and @thedigradio, and subscribe to The Dig at www.patreon.com/thedig

In part one of this extended episode on utopian socialism, Sean KB and Matt Christman examine the seeds of the anti-work/pro-leisure impulse from hobos to harlots to Hussites. Where does the drive for an autonomous, collective communal existence come from? How has religion been a catalyst for envisioning utopia in heaven and on earth? In what ways did Christianity and capitalism give rise to the fractious movements that challenged the entire social order? And how did these revolts prefigure the rise of a more, shall we say, scientific socialism? To access this great content and more, become a patron at www.patreon.com/theantifada Part two on labor phalanxes, back-to-the-land and Occupy Wall Street next week!

In anticipation of HIAW 6 (out this week for patrons!) we are releasing for the public the second half of this episode. Matt and Sean finish this extended look into the 1970s by answering the questions: Why did Carterism (spoiler alert!) fall apart over its internal contradictions? Where have the politics of personal virtue taken us? Why was Reagan the man of the hour and why was Clintonism his enduring achievement? How did neoliberalism become the economic consensus and what the hell is happening now that its entire political and economic edifice is collapsing? All will be revealed herein. The boys may have been tipsy off Tecate, but you'll need to pack that bong for a big old rip as 500 years of *systemic cycles of accumulation* are synthesized to make sense of this current pivotal decade that echoes so much of what happened in the '70s.