Thread by @billyjoecain

At dinner, I learned more about corruption + racism built into society by our masters. A book we discussed (Zinn) was used as part of this "Left" resource's bibliography. I had to share. [A thread]

@BlackSocialists - thoughts on this resource?

historyisaweapon.com/indextrue.html

It very simply lays out the case that we are all being controlled. It covers hidden history of the United States including their (and, due to the systems created by our masters, our) racism. 

#racism #systemicracism #history

If you haven't been in school for a while (or are in a terrible school), some of the words might trip you up. Dictionary.com and Wikipedia.org are two good resources to help you.

This is just the Table of Contents. Enjoy and dig in deep.

Preface: #Rebellion is only an occasional reaction to #suffering in human #history; we have infinitely more instances of #submission to #authority than we have examples of #revolt.

What we should be most concerned about is not some natural tendency toward #violent #uprising, but rather the inclination of people faced with an overwhelming environment of #injustice to #submit to it.

Historically, the most terrible things - #war, #genocide, and #slavery - have resulted not from #disobedience, but from #obedience. — #Howard #Zinn

Note: His book that started me on this journey: historyisaweapon.com/zinnapeopleshi…

This is an online #Left reader focusing largely on #American #resistance #history. The readings are organized in sections ("Chapters"). If you are struggling with a particular question, you can go that chapter.

For example, if you want to know "Why are there so many #people in #prison?" you can go to "Chapter 3: The Long Chain". We'll include a good starter essay here for each. 

Chapter 3, for reference: historyisaweapon.com/defcon1/audioc…

If you aren't dealing with a particular question, feel free to work your way through all the starter essays and head back to the issues that stirred you the most. Here we go:

What is this America?

Three books by authors trying to redefine what #America is, the# horror and the potential. We're a little biased, but #Howard #Zinn's A People's #History of the #United #States is a fine beginning.

historyisaweapon.com/zinnapeopleshi…

Learning To #Surrender

The role of #education: How does a #system teach us about itself? #MalcolmX describes his education and its effects on him in this excerpt from "The #Autobiography of Malcolm X"

historyisaweapon.com/defcon1/malcol…

The Long Chain

These essays tackle the relationships between the #economy, #police, #prison, and #slavery. A good starting point is #Christian #Parenti's talk based on his book "#Lockdown #America"

historyisaweapon.com/defcon1/audioc…

Voices From The #Empire

People all over the world have identified what the #American #system means for them and what they have to do. The next section identifies how this is a world system and how the world has responded. #Walter #Rodney addresses the relationship between ...

... a #Black #American #Prisoner and the international #struggle in his short essay #George #Jackson: #Black #Revolutionary.

historyisaweapon.com/defcon1/rodney…

Looking Inward

There comes a moment when those inside the #core examine the relationship to the #colonized. Here, we examine those questions, starting with #Bartoleme de Las #Casas in his #Brief #Account of the #Devastation of the #Indies.

historyisaweapon.com/defcon1/delasc…

#Raising Our #Voices

#Frederick #Douglass, an escaped slave and abolitionist, was asked to give a #Fourth of #July speech while #slavery still existed. His fiery talk is what this section is about:

[bjc:James Earl Jones reads it: ]

[bjc:ToC, cont]

People within #America recognizing that the #American promises ring hollow.

historyisaweapon.com/defcon1/dougla…

#Against The #War #Machine

#Americans speaking and acting out against war is the next subject. #Don #Mitchell got a chance to speak to the #bureaucrats of the #military and talked about Americans as #people of the #world living under the same #empire.

historyisaweapon.com/defcon1/mitche…

#Repression

#James #Madison outlined what was needed to keep #Americans from enjoying the fruits of #democracy too much. Written over two hundred years ago, his essay, #Federalist 10, identifies ways to #control people that were impossible then.

historyisaweapon.com/defcon1/Federa…

From #Resistance to #Revolution

You'll probably be itching about what is to be done. There are numerous #examples and one #excellent one is #Socialist #Feminism: A #Strategy for the #Women's #Movement. Long, but readable and in-depth.

historyisaweapon.com/defcon1/chisoc…

[bjc: Extra resources included]

Appendix A: #Maps
Everybody loves maps!

Appendix B:
The #Future Is All We Have. Because knowing is only half the #battle.

Maps & Charts:

#Guerilla #War in the #United #States, 1965-1970 

historyisaweapon.org/defcon2/domgue…

Maps & Charts:

A Sampling of U.S. #Foreign #Policy 

historyisaweapon.org/defcon2/world.…

Maps & Charts:

#Military #Dictatorships in the #Americas (#1830 to #2010)

historyisaweapon.org/defcon2/milita…

Maps & Charts:

Map of Local #Military #Connections to the U.S. #War in #Central #America (And The #Pledge of #Resistance) (1986)

historyisaweapon.org/defcon2/centra…

That is the end of the ToC. I highly recommend you take a look inside anything that seems interesting.

I need to dig into #Zinn's book. From what I've read, it is what I wish I'd had to give my kids before they were #brainwashed by the #government in their camps (#schools).

If you're looking for MORE, this is a recommended book list:

historyisaweapon.org/hiawbooklist.h…

People I'd like to share this thread with, and suggest you follow:
@jimmy_dore
@miserablelib
@mtracey
@RonPlacone
@JordanChariton
@caitoz
@SilERabbit
@Ocasio2018
@BethLynch2020
@_SemaHernandez_
@the_bernie_bro
@davidsirota
@DylanRatigan
@ryangrim
@HumanistReport
@BlackSocialists

People I'd like to share this thread with, and whom I suggest you follow:

@NomikiKonst
@aaronjmate
@ggreenwald
@shaunking
@CREWcrew
@LeeCamp
@AmericanIndian8

To ALL above mentioned people, thank you for every post on Twitter. Your willingness to share wisdom is inspirational.

If you know any other people/accounts I should follow that expand upon these ideas, please add them as a comment on this tweet.

Thanks for reading. I've never done a thread like this before.

Addendum: I've always known this was the reality. This site (filled to the brim with resources) is a way to show it to everyone.

Parents, please give this to your children.

We can only improve the future if we know our past.

The Master Narrative is controlled by our Masters.

@jimmy_dore Did an excellent piece on who controls the Master Narrative. I believe this should be required viewing for every history class.

Have a barf bag and tissues at the ready.

You may also need a pillow to scream into.

Here, the Master Narrative is referred to as the Grand Narrative.

It's the first section.

marxists.org/glossary/terms…

I believe understanding this #Master #Narrative EXISTS is key to intellectual freedom. Another take:

archive.pressthink.org/2003/09/08/bas…

Final piece I'll share in this thread on #MasterNarrative.

m.dailykos.com/stories/2007/9…

Why do we fall for this Master Narrative?

Societal myths. I'll cover one that I think has broken the world and kept us from reaching our potential as a species: The Lone Inventor.

We all want to believe WE can make it. The American Dream is a manifestation, IMHO.

This Ayn Rand ideal affected me as a kid. I figured out teamwork is the only way later in life than I should have.

Here's a short piece on the Lone Inventor:

mentalfloss.com/article/49434/…

This thinking keeps us back. It's part of why we believe our Masters should get to keep their wealth and don't want a "death tax" to exist. "What if I get rich? I don't want to lose my winnings!"

Jeff Bezos actually refers to his wealth as "winnings":

bloomberg.com/news/articles/…

We have to unlearn these. And learn to work together.

This is why I scream into the void of Twitter.

Okay, time to go to sleep. Good night, internet.