Reader Writes

Thank you for your excellent review of "The Devil's Chessboard" in the January edition of NewPeople written by Michael Drohan. My only additions and hope was that you would have strongly encouraged TMC members to get and read this book, give the reasons why, and that somehow we could make it more available through the TMC.

The factual, documented information in the book is not only irrefutable, but until Americans, and especially the left become aware of this history, we will never understand the road forward. The 'deep state' or secret government' created back in the late 40s-early 50s, culminating in their coup d'état with the assassinations of the 60s (JFK, RFK, MLK, Malcolm X, especially), still exists today. It determines all foreign and domestic policy. It decides who will be president, is responsible for the military occupations, and quagmires around the world, and is ultimately responsible for the gross wage disparity and polarization of wealth continuing unabated in this country. With the assassinations in the 60s, it served forewarning to any politician or leader, black or white, what the consequences would be if they 'step out of line.' Whether directly or indirectly, it was responsible for 9-11 and its resulting climate of fear and massive attacks on our civil and human rights. Its main means of control domestically, is the disinformation, mis-directions and brain-washing spread by the mass corporate media. Its means of control internationally is the barrel of their guns and missiles. Most of their tactics, whether assassinations, torture abroad, mass incarceration, or 'big-lie' propaganda machines such as Fox News are right out of Nazi Germany.

Ignoring this "subterranean network of financial, intelligence and military interests" will continue to lead us down dead-end roads, right and left. For the right and more conservative-leaning working class Americans, it will leave the common people open to the blathering of fascist-leaning politicians blaming others of different color or religion who are in the same boat as whites, for their problems. On the left we'll be forever stuck in the Democratic Party vice-grip of thinking we can somehow 'reform' this blood-sucking profit machine, and accepting their continual 'lesser of two evils' formula for political action.

As a movement, employee-owned prints shop operator for 25 years, I dealt with activists, business people and political operatives across the spectrum, from Tea Party to Anarchists. With hundreds of customers I engaged in political discussions about the issues of the day. Usually at the start of these discussions, there would be a wide gap of differences. But once I turned the focus and discussion to our common enemy: the 'deep state' and their big banking and financial puppeteers, and backed it up with facts, there would be common agreement and unanimity.

The Merton Center would do our movement a great service in finding the organizational means to continue exposing this lost, covered-up history, and what this will mean for future activity. Staying in the same modus operandi will leave us stagnant and forever preaching to the choir.

Thanks for opening the door.

Mike

Mike Stout is a long-time community and union activist, retired steelworker and former Grievance Chairman of USW local 1397, songwriter and musician, and a 22-year member of Pgh. Musicians' Union Local 60-471.

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