01-15-15
On Civil Disobedience: An Interview with Howard Zinn
-Cihan Aksan and Jon Balles, P.219,225
Howard Zinn was part of the working-class family in Brooklyn. He was part of the army and flew bombing missions in World War II. After that, he became a professer at Spelman College in Atlanta. The school were for black women and that is where he got involved with civil rights movement. He collaborated with Staughton Lynd and a student named Alice Walker. He was fired for insubordination related to his protest work in 1963. He wrote a book "A People's History of the United States" and it presented American history through the eyes of those he feels are outside of the political and economic establishment. He did an interview about civil disobedience and it was published on the State of Nature website.
"State of Nature is quartely online journal of the Left. Its focus is on world of politics, global economics, history, philosophy, social theory and arts." (Zinn, P. 219) It stands opposed to the imperialist ambitions of the world's great powers and capitalist economic order. The commitment to the development of protest movement to the development of protest movements and the construction of a radical alternative is very high. "They aim to publish essays, interviews, commentaries, reviews, poetry and photography that inspire progressive thoughts, unite dissenting voices, and dispel the myths of the world order." (Zinn. P.219) The website stated "Howard Zinn is a professor emeritus at Boston University. He is a historian, activist and social critic and has written many books including 'A People's History of the United States'. This interview was conducted via email with SoN editors Cihan Aksan and John Bailes in January 2007." (States of Nature, P.220)
State of Nature asked Zinn, "What methods do you find at our disposal today? And what limits does your imagination impose upon them?" Zinn simply said "Direct action means acting directly on the object of your protest. We see it in strikes both historically and today, which are a form of direct action against corporations that, for instance, exploit their employees, or manufacture war weapons. Another way of direct action is non-violent action, including forms of sabotage. Groups begin invading companies that made weaponry, and committed minor acts of sabotage to protest the actions of these companies. People take actions themselves is what Zinn is trying to say. Workers go on strikes to let everyone know what is happening. They sometimes go in their work and do stuff that will show the process and hopefully send a message.
The interviewers said, "You find in history many instances of submission to authority even in the face of terrible instance, and very few of rebellion. Why do people submit so readily to injustice?" (P.226, SoN) "Two reasons" says Howard Zinn. "One is that they do not recognize it as injustice. A young person submits to the exhortation to join the military without recognition to join the military without recognizing that he or she may go to war which cannot be morally justified."(Zinn, 226) This means that people will do something just cause they think they have too. He also said, "People will submit to an injustice because they feel they have no alternative, that if they refuse they will be punished. They must because people say that they have been taught to respect and trust- the President, their minister, even their family- may tell them they must because they owe something to the government." (Howard Zinn, 226) People don't understand why they are doing something. They feel like it is the right thing to do. If they are told something and there is a small reason of why they should do it, they will. That is why Howard Zinn says the problem is not civil disobedience, but civil obedience.
Albert Camus, who is part of the State of Nature asks, "Can non-violent direct action ever be as effective as revolution once was in history? Zinn starts by saying, "We must first question the effectiveness of violent resolution ." The United States superseded the British ruling class with a local ruling class, the French Revolution led to Napoleonic dictatorship, Russian Revolution let to Stalinism. He said "In South Africa, we saw a basically non-violent resolution by blacks ends Apartheid. "Although it didn't solve all the problems, it solved a fundamental problem without massive violence. "He concludes his answer by saying "No Revolution, violent or non-violent, solves problems completely, but non-violent revolutions avoid the horrors of war and move a step in the direction of justice." (Zinn, 227)
During the interviews, Howard Zinn was asked a series of questions. I believe the State of Nature members have found their answers. Howard Zinn answered every question to the best of his ability. in the end we know that he believes in civil obedience, not civil disobedience. That people will take actions in their own hands and go on strikes and riots. They will go to their workplaces and sabotage the place. Finally that Revolution does not solve the problem completely. Non-violent revolutions, although has a more positive ending and moves toward justification.
The interviewers said, "You find in history many instances of submission to authority even in the face of terrible instance, and very few of rebellion. Why do people submit so readily to injustice?" (P.226, SoN) "Two reasons" says Howard Zinn. "One is that they do not recognize it as injustice. A young person submits to the exhortation to join the military without recognition to join the military without recognizing that he or she may go to war which cannot be morally justified."(Zinn, 226) This means that people will do something just cause they think they have too. He also said, "People will submit to an injustice because they feel they have no alternative, that if they refuse they will be punished. They must because people say that they have been taught to respect and trust- the President, their minister, even their family- may tell them they must because they owe something to the government." (Howard Zinn, 226) People don't understand why they are doing something. They feel like it is the right thing to do. If they are told something and there is a small reason of why they should do it, they will. That is why Howard Zinn says the problem is not civil disobedience, but civil obedience.
Albert Camus, who is part of the State of Nature asks, "Can non-violent direct action ever be as effective as revolution once was in history? Zinn starts by saying, "We must first question the effectiveness of violent resolution ." The United States superseded the British ruling class with a local ruling class, the French Revolution led to Napoleonic dictatorship, Russian Revolution let to Stalinism. He said "In South Africa, we saw a basically non-violent resolution by blacks ends Apartheid. "Although it didn't solve all the problems, it solved a fundamental problem without massive violence. "He concludes his answer by saying "No Revolution, violent or non-violent, solves problems completely, but non-violent revolutions avoid the horrors of war and move a step in the direction of justice." (Zinn, 227)
During the interviews, Howard Zinn was asked a series of questions. I believe the State of Nature members have found their answers. Howard Zinn answered every question to the best of his ability. in the end we know that he believes in civil obedience, not civil disobedience. That people will take actions in their own hands and go on strikes and riots. They will go to their workplaces and sabotage the place. Finally that Revolution does not solve the problem completely. Non-violent revolutions, although has a more positive ending and moves toward justification.
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