May Day 1971: Daniel Ellsberg on Joining Noam Chomsky, Howard Zinn at Historic Antiwar Direct Action

This week marks the 50th anniversary of the 1971 May Day protests, when tens of thousands of protesters demonstrated against the Vietnam War in Washington, D.C., and brought much of the capital to a standstill through acts of civil disobedience. The mass demonstrations terrified the Nixon administration, and police would arrest over 12,000 people — the largest mass arrest in U.S. history. Pentagon Papers whistleblower Daniel Ellsberg, who attended the May Day protests, says it was part of a wave of popular discontent about the war that mobilized millions. “There was a movement of young people who felt that what was happening in the world … was wrong, had to change, and they were ready to risk their careers and their lives to try to change it. And we need that right now,” Ellsberg says. He recently spoke with Amy Goodman at an event marking the 50th anniversary of the release of the Pentagon Papers. We play excerpts from that conversation, which also included National Security Agency whistleblower Edward Snowden.

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[theonlynoob]

There are also lots of tips and hints that Assange could tell us. To my mind, Assange is a whistleblower who didnt just produce documents, but a platform for all whistleblowers. His contributions cannot be ignored!!

Free Assange, protect whistleblowers, free journalism!

[clutchcargo]

Elsberg - a great and important man in our democracy. Thx for this interview.

[bpalpha]

That's what real American heroes look like!

[angiealexis]

Thank you to all who fight for the rest of us!

[bobtrask]

Ellsberg is sharp as a tack for a 90 year old. Good interview.

[CarolineBearoline]

Thanks for doing real journalism and bucking off the constraints the powerful in this world wish to impose on your truth-telling ❤

[bonniebabird]

Thanks so much for posting . I've felt the spirit of those times all my life and am excited and grateful to hear younger, progressive, passionate voices move the action to confront what we live with now.

[d.virgallito]

Thank you Daniel Ellsberg for doing the right thing when others were not! Thank you!

[pohakumana]

It was a Monday, I led a sit-in on the day of the Kent State Massacre a year before on May 4th, in my High School. It was just a few of use getting stoned in the quad of Mills HS, in San Mateo Co. Ca. Kids began asking what are you doing when the class bell rang. It grew to about 300 kids. Cops came. School was canceled for the day. We went to the beach, Half Moon Bay.

[lcrooks]

50 years ago when we had courage, strength, compassion, awareness and intelligence. Now we like the tweets of AOC.

[jerryjones]

Absolutely amazing that 13000 were arrested for an antiwar march almost immediately while the attack on the capital on 1/6 was barely resisted.

[paulgibby]

BLM is doing now what the anti-war folks like Ellsberg did 50 years ago. Also please address Aaron Mate's concerns about DN not supporting dissent (against the Dem's govt and party). Thanks

[cynthialangley]

Dan ellsberg is my hero. I didn't know Nixon was planning to use nukes in the vietnam war. Thanks for this informative report.

[stephaniecarrow]

Ellsberg: Nixon almost dropped nuclear weapons on Vietnam.
Goodman: So, how about that day you spent with Chomsky and Zinn?

Ok, so I guess we're still not going to talk about that...

[chancerobinson]

In 1969, I wore a black armband at my High School in El Paso Texas. I was threatened and literally spit on.

[jamesparker]

When is Democracy Now going to tell the truth about Peer review Science regarding Covid-19 treatments already available and the detrimental effects of Covid-19 restrictions.

[fellowcitizen]

And that was the last breath of democracy in the USA

[andrewmah]

Today, Australian WHISTLEBLOWER OF IRAQ WAR, JULIAN ASSANGE is Languishing at Belmarsh Prison, UK ! 😭😭😭

[cristianerehem]

It's interesting how many of the world leaders among politicians and activists are the oldest people, some like Elsberg and Chomsky in their 90s, Corbyn and Bernie making the youngest get interested in politics or starting political movements, and that's only possible because they didn't give up on their commitments or get bought by reputation and suspicious rewardings. Their lesson is that conscience isn't a commodity, it must demand sacrifices and is not about glory but real change in people's realities.

So good to see that different generations can stand in solidarity, passing the baton of the fight for a better world for all.

While watching I was trying to remember who in recent years had similar social gatherings that provided a vision so appealing that took dreaming to the streets again, more than rage or sorrow, and for me were the late and beloved David Graeber - who only by accepting an invitation for a protest made it a movement and is such a loss for the left because he had what we lack the most, individually and collectivelly: ideas, knowledge, humbleness, courage, fun, creativity and a magnet for getting people's trust in the fight by action and thought - and Greta Thunberg who shares with David the courage to tell what people don't wanna hear, without being violent, and selflessly. But Greta has disappointed me by being disinformed about politics and world history, and letting her enviro activism waste the edge. She is young, has a lot to learn, a good heart, a brilliant mind, was born to lead and I really hope she will be that daring and furious activist she was before so she can use that power to make the change instead of begging to others (I can't believe that she really appealed to the politicians in Biden's summit recently based on "how do you wanna be remembered in history books we will write?"! You and all of us have to write history by making it not by waiting for others to do it, as just observers. Does she really think ecociders and war criminals are worried about legacy, let alone "history books" or dignity? That's why I think she needs more political conscience (and to read the Greeks and Shakespeare, and Zinn 😂) to see that if we got here is because humans aren't that noble or trustworthy, we as a species are parasites disguised as civilized! You, Greta, shouldn't give up on your power. Take your global movement to the national elections and don't be afraid of doing politics).

I didn't watch the interview about whistleblowers yet.
Amy, it would be groundbreaking if you have a panel talk with Chomsky, Greta, Extinction Rebellion, someone from the BLM, Bernie, Corbyn, Lula, Vandana Shiva, Yanis Varoufakis, Antonio Guterres, Arundhati Roy, Angela Davis, Cornel West, Chris Hedges (despite being a journalist) and indigenous leaders to talk about their vision for the future. A debate with them to think about what we can do, and many of them are doing, now to save the future, not a past review as a memoir - as much as that's important to give credit to them and to keep the conscience of the species alive.

The greatness of those encounters you remembered was the commitment to their then present and changing their future now everybody's past. Humanity can't afford to waste any more time.


Sampa/SP, Brazil, 03/may/2021 - 14h11 (-3 GMT).

[gregglevin]

I was a member of the YIP (Youth International Party) at the tender age of 12 years old. And I saw my friends at that time climb up and sit on Abraham Lincoln's seat. I was in shock but that was the day 3 million protesters shut down DC and Nixion called out the National Gurad. The Governement set up concentration camps on the DC Univeristy ( football fields) and many were beaten, arrested and kept for a few days. Most were released and charges were dropped too. The crowd were of all ages and races, and many were Vietnam Vets too. The organization for the demonstration on May Dad was done by the Yippies, SDS and Black Panther Party. Nixion had to leave the White House after the completion of his impeachment hearings and was then ironically pardoning by Vice President Gerald Ford. Gerald Ford then became the next President too. Abbie Hoffman and Hunter S. Thompson are still alive. They lie about the numbers ..