Together we can dream and do! #Imagine

People ask, why does Bush Radio play that song written by John Lennon* and Yoko Ono called Imagine every day?

The answer is pretty simple.

Each day we want you to imagine a better world.

A world of peace, in our homes, in our communities and in our country.

Each day we want you to imagine a world of equality, where no- one is discriminated against because of their religion, gender, age, sexual orientation or beliefs.

A world where we build up each other and not destroy.

A world of hope.

But also a world where each of us help and build towards making this a reality.

To paraphrase the song:

“You may say we’re a dreamers

But we’re not the only ones

We hope someday you’ll join us

And the world will be as one”

*The 8th December is the anniversary the day John Lennon was killed.

2000 killed in 6 months #crime #gbv #xenophobia #peacebuilding – what can we do?

Join us on Thursday, 12 September at 12pm on Sakhisizwe – Building the Nation – Bou die Nasie on Bush Radio 89.5FM / http://www.bushradio.co.za for a discussion with experts and community workers.

Be heard – SMS 32158 and Whatsapp 0618621065 now, or call the studio on 0214486266 on Thursday after 12pm.

Forty-seven people killed in one weekend. Two thousand people killed in the first half of this year.

These were just some of the statistics going around when the army was called in to help end gang violence on the Cape Flats.

Now they’re getting ready to leave, and it’s hard to measure how it helped.
Police Minister Bheki Cele says more than a thousand arrests, the Western Cape govt – using the mortuaries – says fewer people were killed, and the army calls the situation stable.

But how do we tackle decades of violence and its aftermath in three months?

It is time for long-term solutions for communities named as the most dangerous… Bishop Lavis, Mitchells Plain, Delft, Elsies River, Nyanga, Khayelitsha, Mfuleni, Philippi, Kraaifontein and Manenberg.

allAfrica.com and Bush Radio want to know what the next steps are, how to build the peace that we need in our communities, especially as the impact of gang violence, and the raw emotions around violence against women and xenophobic attacks are sweeping South Africa.

Support the Bush Radio pledge drive

Wars are packaged and sold – A tribute to Howard Zinn

Howard Zinn (August 24, 1922 – January 27, 2010) - photo sourced: Wikipedia

Join us tonight (28 January 2010) at 9pm on Bush Radio 89.5 fm to pay tribute to Howard Zinn who passed away yesterday. Zinn was a historian, activist and professor emeritus in the Political Science Department at Boston University. He was the author of more than 20 books, including A People’s History of the United States.

Zinn died of a heart attack at the age of 87. He is survived by his daughter Myla Kabat-Zinn.

Zinn was active in the civil rights, civil liberties and anti-war movements in the United States, and wrote extensively on all three subjects.

Several of his talks have been featured on Bush Radio (featured prominently in the BUSH AGAINST WAR campaign) and tonight we bring you “Three Holy Wars” – which was recorded on the 11 November 2009 in Boston on Veteran’s Day.

From the introduction to tonight’s talk:

“The conventional view of U.S. wars follows a formulaic line: We are innocent victims of unprovoked attacks. The sleeping giant wakes and reluctantly goes to fight. All military action is imbued with benevolent intentions: human rights, democracy, and liberty. There are parades and flag-waving. Solemn ceremonies and gun salutes at funerals honor the fallen. But who asks for what and for whom were they killed? Who benefits? Weapons manufacturers and mercenary contractors make out like bandits. That’s a taboo subject. Resources? Empire expansion? Don’t go there. Stick to patriotism. You can mouth the typical prattle of they died for freedom. The Afghan war is Operation Enduring Freedom. And war crimes? That’s what they do, not us. Tribunals? Same deal: for them. Wars are packaged and sold just like any other commodity. Propaganda is skillfully used to win over the population. “

Howard Zinn appears on Bush Radio courtesy of Alternative Radio.