Rise Lp or ie

By CIrIs Hedges
TRUTHDG - zo MAY, zo1
Joe Succo und spenL Lwo yeurs reporLIng Irom LIe pooresL pockeLs oI LIe UnILed SLuLes
Ior our book Duys oI DesLrucLIon, Duys oI RevoIL. We wenL InLo our nuLIon`s
ImpoverIsIed sucrIIIce zones-LIe IIrsL ureus Iorced Lo kneeI beIore LIe dIcLuLes oI LIe
murkeLpIuce-Lo sIow wIuL Iuppens wIen unIeLLered corporuLe cupILuIIsm und
ceuseIess economIc expunsIon no Ionger Iuve exLernuI ImpedImenLs. We wunLed Lo
IIIusLruLe wIuL unresLruIned corporuLe expIoILuLIon does Lo IumIIIes, communILIes und
LIe nuLuruI worId. We wunLed Lo cIuIIenge LIe reIgnIng IdeoIogy oI gIobuIIzuLIon und
IuIssez-IuIre cupILuIIsm Lo IIIusLruLe wIuL IIIe becomes wIen Iumun beIngs und LIe
ecosysLem ure ruLIIessIy Lurned InLo commodILIes Lo expIoIL unLII exIuusLIon or
coIIupse. And we wunLed Lo expose us ImpoLenL LIe IormuI IIberuI und governmenLuI
InsLILuLIons LIuL once mude reIorm possIbIe, InsLILuLIons no Ionger equIpped wILI
enougI uuLIorILy Lo cIeck LIe ussuuIL oI corporuLe power.
WIuL Ius Luken pIuce In LIese sucrIIIce zones-In posLIndusLrIuI cILIes sucI us Cumden,
N.J., und DeLroIL, In couIIIeIds oI souLIern WesL VIrgInIu wIere mInIng compunIes bIusL
oII mounLuInLops, In ndIun reservuLIons wIere LIe demenLed projecL oI IImILIess
economIc expunsIon und expIoILuLIon worked some oI ILs eurIIesL evII, und In produce
IIeIds wIere Iuborers oILen endure condILIons LIuL repIIcuLe sIuvery-Is now IuppenIng
Lo mucI oI LIe resL oI LIe counLry. TIese sucrIIIce zones succumbed IIrsL. You und ure
nexL.
CorporuLIons wrILe our IegIsIuLIon. TIey conLroI our sysLems oI InIormuLIon. TIey
munuge LIe poIILIcuI LIeuLer oI eIecLoruI poIILIcs und Impose our educuLIonuI
currIcuIum. TIey Iuve Lurned LIe judIcIury InLo one oI LIeIr wIoIIy owned subsIdIurIes.
TIey Iuve decImuLed Iubor unIons und oLIer IndependenL muss orgunIzuLIons, us weII
us IuvIng bougIL oII LIe DemocruLIc PurLy, wIIcI once deIended LIe rIgILs oI workers.
WILI LIe evIsceruLIon oI pIecemeuI und IncremenLuI reIorm-LIe prImury roIe oI IIberuI,
democruLIc InsLILuLIons-we ure IeIL deIenseIess uguInsL corporuLe power.
TIe DepurLmenL oI JusLIce seIzure oI Lwo monLIs oI records oI pIone cuIIs Lo und Irom
edILors und reporLers uL TIe AssocIuLed Press Is LIe IuLesL In u serIes oI drumuLIc
ussuuILs uguInsL our cIvII IIberLIes. TIe DOJ move Is purL oI un eIIorL Lo IunL down LIe
governmenL oIIIcIuI or oIIIcIuIs wIo Ieuked InIormuLIon Lo LIe AP ubouL LIe IoIIIng oI u
pIoL Lo bIow up u pussenger jeL. nIormuLIon concernIng pIones oI AssocIuLed Press
bureuus In New York, WusIIngLon, D.C., und HurLIord, Conn., us weII us LIe Iome und
mobIIe pIones oI edILors und reporLers, wus secreLIy conIIscuLed. TIIs, uIong wILI
meusures sucI us LIe use oI LIe EspIonuge AcL uguInsL wIIsLIe-bIowers, wIII puL u deep
Ireeze on uII IndependenL InvesLIguLIons InLo ubuses oI governmenL und corporuLe
power.
SeIzIng LIe AP pIone Iogs Is purL oI LIe corporuLe sLuLe`s brouder eIIorLs Lo sIIence uII
voIces LIuL deIy LIe oIIIcIuI nurruLIve, LIe sLuLe`s Newspeuk, und IIde Irom pubIIc vIew
LIe Inner workIngs, IIes und crImes oI empIre. TIe person or persons wIo provIded LIe
cIussIIIed InIormuLIon Lo LIe AP wIII, II urresLed, mosLIy IIkeIy be prosecuLed under LIe
EspIonuge AcL. TIuL Iuw wus never InLended wIen IL wus InsLILuLed In 1q1; Lo sIIence
wIIsLIe-bIowers. And Irom 1q1; unLII Buruck Obumu Look oIIIce In zooq IL wus
empIoyed uguInsL wIIsLIe-bIowers onIy LIree LImes, LIe IIrsL LIme uguInsL DunIeI
EIIsberg Ior IeukIng LIe PenLugon Pupers In 1q;1. TIe EspIonuge AcL Ius been used sIx
LImes by LIe Obumu udmInIsLruLIon uguInsL governmenL wIIsLIe-bIowers,
IncIudIng TIomus Druke.
TIe governmenL`s IIerce persecuLIon oI LIe press-un uLLuck pressed by muny oI LIe
governmenLuI ugencIes LIuL ure urruyed uguInsL WIkIeuks, BrudIey MunnIng, JuIIun
Assunge und ucLIvIsLs sucI us Jeremy Hummond-doveLuIIs wILI LIe governmenL`s use
oI LIe zoo1 AuLIorIzuLIon Ior Use oI MIIILury orce Lo curry ouL LIe ussussInuLIon oI
U.S. cILIzens; oI LIe SA AmendmenLs AcL, wIIcI reLroucLIveIy mukes IeguI wIuL under
our ConsLILuLIon wus once IIIeguI-LIe wurrunLIess wIreLuppIng und monILorIng oI Lens
oI mIIIIons oI U.S. cILIzens; und oI SecLIon 1oz1 oI LIe NuLIonuI DeIense AuLIorIzuLIon
AcL, wIIcI permILs LIe governmenL Lo Iuve LIe mIIILury seIze U.S. cILIzens, sLrIp LIem oI
due process und IoId LIem In IndeIInILe deLenLIon. TIese meusures, Luken LogeLIer,
meun LIere ure uImosL no cIvII IIberLIes IeIL.
A IundIuI oI corporuLe oIIgurcIs uround LIe gIobe Iuve everyLIIng-weuILI, power und
prIvIIege-und LIe resL oI us sLruggIe us purL oI u vusL undercIuss, IncreusIngIy
ImpoverIsIed und ruLIIessIy repressed. TIere Is one seL oI Iuws und reguIuLIons Ior us;
LIere Is unoLIer seL oI Iuws und reguIuLIons Ior u power eIILe LIuL IuncLIons us u gIobuI
muIIu.
We sLund IeIpIess beIore LIe corporuLe onsIuugIL. TIere Is no wuy Lo voLe uguInsL
corporuLe power. CILIzens Iuve no wuy Lo brIng ubouL LIe prosecuLIon oI WuII SLreeL
bunkers und IInuncIers Ior Iruud, mIIILury und InLeIIIgence oIIIcIuIs Ior LorLure und wur
crImes, or securILy und surveIIIunce oIIIcers Ior Iumun rIgILs ubuses. TIe ederuI
Reserve Is reduced Lo prInLIng money Ior bunks und IInuncIers und IendIng IL Lo LIem uL
uImosL zero percenL InLeresL; corporuLe oIIIcers LIen Iend IL Lo us uL usurIous ruLes us
IIgI us o percenL. do noL know wIuL Lo cuII LIIs sysLem. L Is cerLuInIy noL cupILuIIsm.
ExLorLIon mIgIL be u beLLer word. TIe IossII IueI IndusLry, meunwIIIe, reIenLIessIy
LrusIes LIe ecosysLem Ior proIIL. TIe meILIng oI qo percenL oI LIe summer ArcLIc seu Ice
Is, Lo corporuLIons, u busIness opporLunILy. CompunIes rusI Lo LIe ArcLIc und exLrucL
LIe IusL vesLIges oI oII, nuLuruI gus, mIneruIs und IIsI sLocks, IndIIIerenL Lo LIe deuLI
pungs oI LIe pIuneL. TIe sume corporuLe Iorces LIuL gIve us endIess soup operus LIuL
puss Ior news, Irom LIe IuLesL courL proceedIngs surroundIng O.J. SImpson Lo LIe
Luwdry deLuIIs oI LIe JodI ArIus murder LrIuI, uIso gIve us uLmospIerIc concenLruLIons oI
curbon dIoxIde LIuL surpuss qoo purLs per mIIIIon. TIey enLrunce us wILI LIeIr
eIecLronIc IuIIucInuLIons us we wuIver, us puruIyzed wILI Ieur us Odysseus`
suIIors, beLween ScyIIu und CIurybdIs.
TIere Is noLIIng In ,ooo yeurs oI economIc IIsLory Lo jusLIIy LIe beIIeI LIuL Iumun
socIeLIes sIouId sLrucLure LIeIr beIuvIor uround LIe demunds oI LIe murkeLpIuce. TIIs
Is un ubsurd, uLopIun IdeoIogy. TIe uIry promIses oI LIe murkeL economy Iuve, by now,
uII been exposed us IIes. TIe ubIIILy oI corporuLIons Lo mIgruLe overseus Ius decImuLed
our munuIucLurIng buse. L Ius drIven down wuges, ImpoverIsIIng our workIng cIuss
und ruvugIng our mIddIe cIuss. L Ius Iorced Iuge segmenLs oI LIe popuIuLIon-
IncIudIng LIose burdened by sLudenL Iouns-InLo decudes oI debL peonuge. L Ius uIso
opened LIe wuy Lo mussIve Lux sIeILers LIuL uIIow compunIes sucI us GeneruI EIecLrIc Lo
puy no Income Lux. CorporuLIons empIoy vIrLuuI sIuve Iubor In BungIudesI und CIInu,
mukIng obscene proIILs. As corporuLIons suck LIe IusL resources Irom communILIes und
LIe nuLuruI worId, LIey Ieuve beIInd, us Joe Succo und suw In LIe sucrIIIce zones we
wroLe ubouL, IorrIIIc Iumun suIIerIng und deud Iundscupes. TIe greuLer LIe
desLrucLIon, LIe greuLer LIe uppuruLus crusIes dIssenL.
More LIun 1oo mIIIIon AmerIcuns-one-LIIrd oI LIe popuIuLIon-IIve In poverLy or u
cuLegory cuIIed neur poverLy. YeL LIe sLorIes oI LIe poor und LIe neur poor, LIe
IurdsIIps LIey endure, ure rureIy LoId by u medIu LIuL Is owned by u IundIuI oI
corporuLIons-VIucom, GeneruI EIecLrIc, RuperL MurdocI`s News Corp., CIeur CIunneI
und DIsney. TIe suIIerIng oI LIe undercIuss, IIke LIe crImes oI LIe power eIILe, Ius been
rendered InvIsIbIe.
n LIe ukoLu ndIun reservuLIon uL PIne RIdge, S.D., In LIe UnILed SLuLes` second
pooresL counLy, LIe uveruge IIIe expecLuncy Ior u muIe Is q8. TIIs Is LIe IowesL In LIe
WesLern HemIspIere ouLsIde oI HuILI. AbouL 6o percenL oI LIe PIne RIdge dweIIIngs,
muny oI wIIcI ure sod IuLs, Iuck eIecLrIcILy, runnIng wuLer, udequuLe InsuIuLIon or
sewuge sysLems. n LIe oId couI cumps oI souLIern WesL VIrgInIu, umId poIsoned uIr,
soII und wuLer, cuncer Is un epIdemIc. TIere ure Iew jobs. And LIe AppuIucIIun
MounLuIns, wIIcI provIde LIe IeudwuLers Ior mucI oI LIe EusLern Seubourd, ure doLLed
wILI enormous ImpoundmenL ponds IIIIed wILI Ieuvy meLuIs und LoxIc sIudge. n order
Lo breuLIe, cIIIdren go Lo scIooI In souLIern WesL VIrgInIu cIuLcIIng InIuIers.
ResIdenLs Lrupped In LIe InLernuI coIonIes oI our bIIgILed cILIes endure IeveIs oI poverLy
und vIoIence, us weII us muss IncurceruLIon, LIuL Ieuve LIem psycIoIogIcuIIy und
emoLIonuIIy sIuLLered. And LIe nuLIon`s ugrIcuILuruI workers, denIed IeguI proLecLIon,
ure oILen Iorced Lo Iubor In condILIons oI unpuId bonduge. TIIs Is LIe LerrIbIe uIgebru oI
corporuLe domInuLIon. TIIs Is wIere we ure cll Ieuded. And In LIIs ucceIeruLed ruce Lo
LIe boLLom we wIII end up us serIs or sIuves.
RebeI. Even II you IuII, even II we uII IuII, we wIII Iuve usserLed uguInsL LIe corporuLe
Iorces oI expIoILuLIon und deuLI our uILImuLe dIgnILy us Iumun beIngs. We wIII Iuve
deIended wIuL Is sucred. RebeIIIon meuns sLeudIusL deIIunce. L meuns resIsLIng jusL us
Iuve BrudIey MunnIng und JuIIun Assunge, jusL us Ius MumIu Abu-JumuI, LIe rudIcuI
journuIIsL wIom CorneI WesL, Jumes Cone und vIsILed In prIson IusL week In
ruckvIIIe, Pu. L meuns reIusIng Lo succumb Lo Ieur. L meuns reIusIng Lo surrender,
even II you IInd yourseII, IIke MunnIng und Abu-JumuI, cuged IIke un unImuI. L meuns
suyIng no. To remuIn suIe, Lo remuIn InnocenL In LIe eyes oI LIe Iuw In LIIs momenL In
IIsLory Is Lo be compIIcIL In u monsLrous evII. n IIs poem oI resIsLunce, I We MusL
DIe, CIuude McKuy knew LIuL LIe odds were sLucked uguInsL AIrIcun-AmerIcuns wIo
resIsLed wIILe supremucy. BuL Ie uIso knew LIuL resIsLunce Lo Lyrunny suves our souIs.
McKuy wroLe:
I we musL dIe, IeL IL noL be IIke Iogs
HunLed und penned In un IngIorIous spoL,
WIIIe round us burk LIe mud und Iungry dogs,
MukIng LIeIr mock uL our uccursd IoL.
I we musL dIe, O IeL us nobIy dIe
So LIuL our precIous bIood muy noL be sIed
n vuIn; LIen even LIe monsLers we deIy
SIuII be consLruIned Lo Ionor us LIougI deud!
O kInsmen! We musL meeL LIe common Ioe!
TIougI Iur ouLnumbered IeL us sIow us bruve,
And Ior LIeIr LIousund bIows deuI one deuLI bIow!
WIuL LIougI beIore us IIes LIe open gruve?
Ike men we`II Iuce LIe murderous, cowurdIy puck,
Pressed Lo LIe wuII, dyIng, buL IIgILIng buck!

L Is LIme Lo buIId rudIcuI muss movemenLs LIuL deIy uII IormuI cenLers oI power und
muke concessIons Lo none. L Is LIme Lo empIoy LIe IursI Iunguuge oI open rebeIIIon
und cIuss wurIure. L Is LIme Lo murcI Lo LIe beuL oI our own drum. TIe Iuw IIsLorIcuIIy
Ius been u very ImperIecL LooI Ior jusLIce, us AIrIcun-AmerIcuns know, buL now IL Is
excIusIveIy LIe IundmuIden oI our corporuLe oppressors; now IL Is u mecIunIsm
oI injustice. L wus our corporuLe overIords wIo IuuncIed LIIs wur. NoL us. RevoIL wIII
see us brunded us crImInuIs. RevoIL wIII pusI us InLo LIe sIudows. And yeL, II we do noL
revoIL we cun no Ionger use LIe word Iope.
Hermun MeIvIIIe`s Moby-DIck grusps LIe durk souI oI gIobuI cupILuIIsm. We ure uII
ubourd LIe doomed sIIp Pequod, u nume connecLed Lo un ndIun LrIbe erudIcuLed by
genocIde, und AIub Is In cIurge. AII my meuns ure sune, AIub suys, my moLIve und
my objecL mud. We ure suIIIng on u munIucuI voyuge oI seII-desLrucLIon, und no one In
u posILIon oI uuLIorILy, even II Ie or sIe sees wIuL IIes uIeud, Is wIIIIng or ubIe Lo sLop
IL. TIose on LIe Pequod wIo Iud u conscIence, IncIudIng SLurbuck, dId noL Iuve LIe
couruge Lo deIy AIub. TIe sIIp und ILs crew were doomed by IubIL, cowurdIce und
IubrIs. MeIvIIIe`s wurnIng musL become ours. RIse up or dIe.
Chris Hedes, uhose column is published Mondcs on Truthdi, spent necrl tuo
deccdes cs c jorein correspondent in Centrcl Americc, the Middle Ecst, Ajricc cnd
the cllcns. He hcs reported jrom more thcn o countries cnd hcs uorled jor The
Christicn Science Monitor, Nctioncl Public Rcdio, The Dcllcs Mornin Neus cnd The
Neu Yorl Times, jor uhich he ucs c jorein correspondent jor : ecrs





zo1 TruLIdIg, C. AII rIgILs reserved.