Chris Hedges Promotes Book at UofR

I attended Hedges lecture at the UofR on Thursday night, and I think most of the crowd was impressed as was I. He did get a standing ovation when done. Then he took questions. Here is some of what went on in Tweet form (reverse chronology):

A south Sudanese woman who studies at #UofR is thanking #Hedges for his coverage. He tells a story of being there, for a bull slaughter, a big honour. The Sudanese he visited with were gossiping negatively about short people. Then they realized #Hedges was short, and they felt so bad. The next day they went and found a Sudanese pigmy and insisted he get a photo with him so #Hedges would feel tall.

Paul, a student, asks about Tom Mulcair and the NDP. Crowd laughs. Also mentioned Lang and O’Leary video which crowd applauded. #Hedges

Goldman Sachs has bailed out every penny on the dollars and done 0% interest loans; it’s not capitalism. #Hedges doesn’t know what it is.

Government under-funds what they want to destroy. #Hedges says humanities in university are withering. Question and think. #uofr

China looking to buy a Canadian oil company. #Hedges notes iPhones are constructed using slave (“prison”) labour (making 22 cents an hour in some jobs).
$2.5B spent on US campaigns of Obama and Romney collectively when it’s done in November.

#Hedges lives in Princeton with his Canadian wife. He doesn’t have a TV. (I spoke with him after to mention The Real News because he’d not listed it when asked for good independent media, and he said he’s doing something with them again soon. He also doesn’t use Twitter (and seems to have a low opinion of social media as a whole, causing distraction and benefiting the surveillance state which takes a dim view of those who don’t toe the corporate line).

#Hedges at #UofR is saying #NDAA must be already used for illegal detention. Otherwise they are planning on using it, probably to arrest and hide away some dual citizens. It’s logical conclusion of recent appeal outcome. @d_seaman

NY judge blocks law permitting indefinite detention. #NDAA #Obama #Occupy #OWS #Hedges http://t.co/uYm1o6fm pic.twitter.com/dPht7WAC

— Metatron Anonymous (@MetatronAnonymo) September 13, 2012

“End of growth” is here and unstoppable. #Hedges US is an advanced surveillance state. Preparing for collapse, tightening control.

American Fascists speaking in the language of violence are legitimizing violence. He’s seen it happen. #Hedges

#Hedges explaining slavery in produce fields and trucks and trailers. Workers’ families threatened if they report conditions.

Headed to be one vast Reservation. #Hedges brings up Bill McKibben of @350 arrested fighting XL pipeline.

Commodified human beings is the last step on the way to destruction of society. #Hedges unfettered corporate capitalism #PineRidge

“Footnotes in Gaza” is worth checking out. #Hedges #SacrificeZones unregulated capitalism

“Power has been utterly wrested” from the public. Either Obama or Romney are the Goldman Sachs vote. #Hedges

#Hedges admires he can get on CBC and his books are reviewed in the mainstream here. Not in US.

“We do everything wrong and then five years later you copy us.” #Hedges on USA and Canada #FCC

Global corporate capitalism is transforming the world into a neo-feudal state. #Hedges