tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3441020117205433950.post8093011310675936328..comments2023-11-04T23:31:40.392-10:00Comments on got windmills?: SNIFF IT OUT SHERLOCKAndy Parxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15398587036690312685noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3441020117205433950.post-25848466774220756822008-11-20T11:15:00.000-10:002008-11-20T11:15:00.000-10:00I think it's important to challenge this idea that...I think it's important to challenge this idea that Koohan Paik is "cashing in" on the Superferry protests.<BR/><BR/>Anyone familiar with the dismal economics of publishing can see that she and the publisher will be lucky to recoup expenses through book sales.<BR/><BR/>I don't for a second believe that Koohan was motivated by money any more than any professional journalist covering the superferry story for the advertiser or star-bulletin. In fact, in her case, I think money was even less of a motivation than it would be for De Pledge or others who are hired hands. Working for money is not a horrible sin, and if the book sales cover whatever expenses she took on and maybe a modest amount of income for the hours worked, which is the best case scenario for a book like this, then I don't see the problem.<BR/><BR/>I agree with Brad that the book itself does a great service by compiling some of the voices of the everyday citizens who took on the challenge of fighting for what they believe in. This part of the story has been willfully neglected by the corporate media, as it usually is. The need for "people's histories" is always urgent, as so many grassroots struggles have been sidelined and erased by the dominant, mainstream textbook histories.<BR/><BR/>There is a difference between "in-fighting" and crucial internal critiques on the Left. I am not suggesting that anyone mute their criticisms of the book, but I do advocate centering those criticisms in the understanding that documenting social movements from the perspective of the participants themselves is tough, honorable work which should be supported in principle. <BR/><BR/>Factual corrections are important, but issues such as estimates of crowd size seem unecessarily picky. Crowd-size estimates have been such an issue of contention for so long between the corporate media, the police and the social movements that most activists now generally accept that the numbers will vary wildly depending on the interests of those reporting them. It's hardly a worthy argument, and it ends up consuming time and energy best spent on other endeavors, so most organizers and grassroots activists don't even bother with it these days. <BR/><BR/>To Koohan's credit, she reached out to many people to get their input, attended and documented many public meetings and did the work of tracking people down and asking for their participation. Naturally, not all people were included and some may feel slighted. That's understandable, but I think we should keep it in some perspective. Koohan is not the only one allowed to present this story, which I imagine she would be the first to assert, and any one of us has the freedom to tell our perspective, as many of us do.<BR/><BR/>It makes more sense to me to view "The Superferry Chronicles" as one effort among many past and potential efforts to frame and explore the history of an important ongoing event in Hawai'i social movement history.Katyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09145011324294730195noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3441020117205433950.post-19115190342405069712008-11-19T19:14:00.000-10:002008-11-19T19:14:00.000-10:00Outstanding evaluation of Derrick's BLOG, Andy. I...Outstanding evaluation of Derrick's BLOG, Andy. <BR/><BR/>I have to say, in all honesty, there are a few slight inaccuracies in the book. I wish I had had a chance to do a one pass edit of it, but I did not, and it was not offered.<BR/><BR/>Generally what is good about the book are the testimonies and interviews transcribed by Koohan, the introduction by Jerry, the contributed pieces by multiple authors, and the complete timeline of events from 2001 up to recent months. There is no other source that has put that complete timeline in one place. As for Mr. DePledge, he had plenty of time and ability to write a better book, but it didn't happened.<BR/><BR/>Aloha, BradMauibradhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16759237357642699345noreply@blogger.com