Conversation with Matthis Chiroux

I recently had a conversation with Matthis Chiroux, the soldier who is refusing to be deployed to Iraq. Outside of the list of questions I sent his way, we had a very interesting conversation. Here is what transpired.

Brandon:
hi there

Matthis:
Hi, how are you?
Brandon:
good and you thanks
Matthis:
I'm fine. Super busy and even more broke, but not in jail, and still kicking against the flow.
So those questions you sent me, what exactly were they for?
Brandon:
hehe
Matthis:
You didn't really specify.
Brandon:
great stuff
for my blog
just an interview type thing
Matthis:
Oh, I see.
You did send me that, didn't you.
Brandon:
send what?
my blog?
yes
I did
Matthis:
Sorry, my heads been in about amillion places at once.
Brandon:
in an earlier note
ahh understand
;-)
Matthis:
Yeah, that's right.
Brandon:
I bet there's a lot of things going on up there
um
it is www.juliusspeaks.blogspot.com
Matthis:
Well, just got back to brooklyn and am trying to figure out how I'm not going to be another homeless vet.
Brandon:
oh my
what are your options?
Matthis:
Quit the activism and get a real job.
Or some kind of public support needs to start flowing in.
Brandon:
haha
isnt that always the way?
you know
there is a real need for money on the left
things are not as organized
or perhaps are too organized
than what they used to be
although of course I wasnt around for that time
but i mean
they could actually operate
and it wasn't
"volunteer"
Matthis:
Well, there is just too much independent thought.
Brandon:
it was a way of life
no
never
Matthis:
People heading in 30 ways at once.
Not a bad thing, but makes organizing difficult.
Brandon:
are you an agent provacateur?
well
I dont know
I think there is a bit of that
but no
I think what there is
is just too much coalescensce
and too much
complacency
you know the black panthers
alwasys had
at least a million dollars in their coffers
Matthis:
That's pretty nice.
IVAW does not.
Brandon:
yes
of course
Matthis:
And not nearly as many guns, either.
Brandon:
yes
Matthis:
In fact, I have a broken one tattooed on my arm.
Brandon:
for sure
but alas
the panthers
also had the second most successful newspaper in the country
from 69 to 72
and there were a lot more people
with money
who were willing to put their money
and their lives
whre there mouths were
as you can hear now
a lot of neoliberal right wingers
complaining now
about Leonard Bernstein
and Jane Fonda raising money for the black panthers
lol
Matthis:
Well, unfortunately, things have devolved in this country. Alienation has set it. The shocks of oppresion have masked the shocks of economic reform which has all in all left everyone quite broke and helpless.
Brandon:
well alienation was always there
but solidarity
certainly has fallen apart
and yes
everyone is broke and helpless
Matthis:
But you know, I don't buy into the whole astrology thing, but apparently the stars haven't been aligned like they are right now since the American Revolution.
Brandon:
but so will be the rightwingers too
this country
as a whole
is falling apart
and thats not necessarily a bad thing
interesting
I have never heard anything about that