July 31: Kristian Williams, “Our Enemies in Blue: Police and Power in America”

Our Enemies in Blue: Police and Power in America by Kristian Williams

“Even critics have a difficult time imagining a world without police. But just what is the role of police in a democracy: to serve the public or to protect the powerful? Tracing the evolution of the modern police force back to the slave patrols, this controversial study observes the police as the armed defender of a violent status quo.

Written for both the lay reader and for scholars, Our Enemies in Blue demonstrates that police misconduct isn’t just a matter of “bad apples,” but a function of the very nature of policing in the US. Williams examines the populations most often subjected to police abuse and the forms that abuse takes, delving into the role of police brutality in repressing political dissent and in preserving existing structures of inequality.” -South End Press

See/hear interviews with the author at http://www.kristianwilliams.com/?page_id=25

Location: Earth Matters Cafe, 177 Ludlow St. just below Houston. F Train to 2nd Ave., JMZ Trains to Essex/Delancey St.

June 26: Daniel Pinchbeck, “2012: The Return of Quetzalcoatl”

2012: The Return of Quetzalcoatl by Daniel Pinchbeck

“Pinchbeck has set out to create an “extravagant thought experiment” centering around the Mayan prophecy that 2012 will bring about the end of the world as we know it, “the conclusion of a vast evolutionary cycle, and the potential gateway to a higher level of manifestation.” More specifically, Pinchbeck’s claim is that we are in the final stages of a fundamental global shift from a society based on materiality to one based on spirituality. Pinchbeck tackles Stonehenge and the Burning Man festival, crop circles and globalization, modern hallucinogens and the ancient prophecy of the Plumed Serpent featured in his subtitle.”

See a video of the author discussing the ideas in the book here: http://postmoderntimes.com/

Location: Earth Matters Cafe, 177 Ludlow St. just below Houston. F Train to 2nd Ave., JMZ Trains to Essex/Delancey St.

May 29: Colin Ward: “Anarchy in Action”

“Anarchy in Action” by Colin Ward.

“The argument of this book is that an anarchist society, a society which organizes itself without authority, is always in existence, like a seed beneath the snow, buried under the weight of the state and…capitalism…” -Colin Ward

“With chapters on the family, federations, schools, housing, crime, employment, welfare, deviancy, planning, and more, this is probably the best practical look at anarchist ideas in action.” -AK Press

(Note: This 137 page book is an excellent, accessible introduction– this month’s discussion will be a good opportunity to invite anarcho-curious friends!)

Location: Earth Matters Cafe, 177 Ludlow St. just below Houston. F Train to 2nd Ave., JMZ Trains to Essex/Delancey St.