Archive of The Verso Book of Dissent
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Verso editors read from The Verso Book of Dissent, in English and Chinese
Verso editors Andrew Hsiao and Audrea Lim recently gave readings during the event “Into East River(s): Chinese / American Artists and Asian American Poets” at City University of New York. Both read from The Verso Book of Dissent.
Because The Verso Book of Dissent features writings and speeches from around the globe spanning centuries, some appearing in English for the first time, it wasn’t difficult for Hsiao and Lim to find choice selections to read for the event.
Hsiao went back to 1887 to channel “one of the greatest of great New York smart-asses,” Wong Chin Foo, affirming Wong’s designation by recounting the time Wong challenged anti-Chinese populist and Tea Party forebear Denis Kearney to a duel to the death, with chopsticks. Hsiao read from “Why Am I A Heathen,” Wong’s response to Christian attacks against Chinese immigrants:
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Paul Mason and Richard Seymour on March/Occupy/Other for the Alternative
One of our favourite sights on the demo was this sensible man sporting the headgear of the revolution ...
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Tariq Ali meets Sarfraz Manzoor: "There is no doubt we are at a turning point"
Tariq Ali interviewed by Sarfraz Manzoor for the Guardian about his life in dissent, student protests and the Arab uprisings.
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T-Shirt To Raise Funds For Pro-Democracy Groups In Egypt
From Philosophy Football:
Arab children,
Spring rain,
Corn ears of the future,
You are the generation that will overcome defeat. —Nizar QabbaniFor eighteen days so many of us were glued to the TV screens as a revolt unfolded that shook the Arab world—and beyond. When Mubarak finally resigned, Philosophy Football read an article by Tariq Ali on the Verso website and was inspired to produce a fundraising solidarity T-shirt.
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Tariq Ali: "What bliss to be alive, to be an Egyptian and an Arab"
In his article "Egypt's joy as Mubarak quits" for the Guardian, Tariq Ali quotes the Arab poet Nizar Qabbani, remarking that he would have been happy to see his prophecy fulfilled:
Arab children,
Corn ears of the future,
You will break our chains.
Kill the opium in our heads,
Kill the illusions.
Arab children,
Don't read about our suffocated generation,
We are a hopeless case,
As worthless as a water-melon rind.
Don't read about us,
Don't ape us,
Don't accept us,
Don't accept our ideas,
We are a nation of crooks and jugglers.
Arab children,
Spring rain,
Corn ears of the future,
You are the generation that will overcome defeat.