Contribute to Swans here: http://www.swans.com/about/donate.html
Although I am not 100 percent sure about the numbers, I believe
that I have written 47 articles for Swans since 2003. But I am
completely sure that the best things I have ever written have been
for Swans, including articles on:
Jesse James http://www.swans.com/library/art14/lproy47.html
Camus and Sartre: http://www.swans.com/library/art11/lproy27.html
B. Traven’s Jungle novels:
http://www.swans.com/library/art9/lproy08.html
Given my generally cranky disposition and my wariness of the
publishing business, either print or online, it is a sign of the
generosity and good will of its editors that they have put up with
me and vice versa, except for a spat that lasted a year or so.
Nobody’s perfect, as Joe E. Brown told Jack Lemmon at the end of
“Some Like it Hot”.
At first blush, Swans might be categorized with MRZine,
Counterpunch and Znet (the latter two have had fund drives
recently.) But, unlike them, it is not an “aggregator”, or
compendium of articles that tend to be crossposted in multiple
locations. Editor Gilles d'Aymery expects an article written for
Swans to appear there exclusively. I think this is a good idea
since it helps to create a relationship between author and editor
that will never exist at the other websites. I should add that I
have had very mixed experiences with MRZine, Counterpunch and ZNet
but do think that they certainly have their place.
In addition to social and political analysis, Swans is one of the
finest repositories of cultural analysis on the left wing of the
Internet. I like to think that my own articles have been a modest
contribution to that effort, but I have to tip my hat to people
like Charles Marowitz who has written two dozen books on the
theater and the arts. His latest article “Private World, Public
Words” (http://www.swans.com/library/art15/cmarow151.html) is an
examination of the relationship between art and politics that I
concur with heartily, as should be obvious from the conclusion to
my piece on “The Mythology of Imperialism”
(http://www.swans.com/library/art15/lproy57.html).
I would also be remiss if I didn’t call your attention to the
political writing of Michael Barker, whose work I first came
across a couple of years ago before he began writing for Swans.
Michael developed a reputation at that time for being a
dragon-slayer of the foundation-based “left”, Gene Sharp's Albert
Einstein Institution in particular. His most recent article is an
appreciation of Howard Zinn’s writings, particularly as it shows
“how modern-day elites maintain their domination in spite of a
massive array of organizations that ostensibly exist to represent
the public's interests.”
Finally, I would like to quote the conclusion of an article
written by Swans co-editor Jan Baughman three years ago
(http://www.swans.com/library/art12/jeb156.html) on the tenth
anniversary of the publication:
"Which brings me back to the reality of Swans. Swans is not an
activist site in the sense of adopting a single issue: rallying
the masses to Bring the Troops Home Now, or Stop Global Warming,
or Impeach Bush. We endeavor to put these issues in a broader
perspective. Milo Clark, one of the original and steadfast Swans,
helped define our perspective: the importance of understanding
patterns that connect; the knowledge that the only way not to play
a game is not to play; and the recognition that attempting to
solve problems using the tools, techniques, and thoughts which
create them is silly. Without embracing these principles and
acting upon them, we cannot hope for change.
"This, then, is how I view Swans: as a relentless voice that is
not heard in the corporate media; a weaver of tales, a connector
of patterns, presenting the big picture, analyzing the story
behind the stories, while celebrating poetry, and books, and
culture -- the very things that make us human and give us an
appreciation of life in both its light and dark times. We cannot
but carry on steadfast, keeping the words and ideas flowing every
two weeks; with deadlines, setbacks, inspiration, hope for the
future, and the deep appreciation of connections made by this
so-called Information Superhighway that allows people to choose
the road less traveled, where we would otherwise never meet. That,
as Robert Frost said, can make all the difference.
"So here's to the next ten years of Swans. Accompany us on the
journey."
So let’s help keep Swans afloat, just like the graceful bird it is
named after. Go to http://www.swans.com/about/donate.html to make
a contribution. Over the years I have been contacted by comrades
about chipping in to keep Marxmail going. Although I have never
turned a donation down, we are lucky to have the facilities of the
U. of Utah at our disposal for the time being. So all I would ask
at this point is for those of you who have felt the urge to send
$20, 50 or 100 to Marxmail, please send it to Swans instead. The
connection and other infrastructure costs to keep an online
publication afloat are considerable and every dollar will be
appreciated by the Swans flock, you can be sure.
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