Artwork by Robert Shetterly. From the painting:
The rule of law does not do away with the unequal distribution of wealth and power, but reinforces that inequality with the authority of law. It allocates wealth and poverty in such complicated and indirect ways as to leave the victim bewildered.
Howard Zinn passed on Wednesday. Well-known as the author of some little book called A People’s History of the United States, he’s an air force bombardier turned shipyard worker turned college kid turned prolific historian and activist.
He was born in 1922 and lived for 87 years. 87 YEARS. Somewhere along the way, a 16-year-old twat picked up A People’s History, was creeped by how tragic and complicated history actually was, and had to put it down. And so began the unraveling of everything I once believed to be true… and it continues today. Truth stings (but feels so damn good), ya know?
Check out Democracy Now!’s tribute with Noam Chomsky, Alice Walker, Naomi Klein and Anthony Arnove. Rest in peace Howard Zinn.
