An interview with Craig Rosebraugh
who will promote his new book The Logic of Political Violence (Arissa Media Group) at Laughing Horse Books, 3652 SE Division, Friday 7 pm
Political radicals like Tre Arrow, while certainly provocative, are also a bit too intense for the general public to really connect with. Enter Craig Rosebraugh, a local spokesperson wünderkind working to bring social upheaval to the masses. Rosebraugh has been an articulate, calm (and thus accessible) voice for extremist groups like the Earth Liberation Front since 1990. His new book The Logic of Political Violence provides compelling historical evidence that progressive change has never happened in America without political violence. In short, it is the most revolutionary kind of revolutionary diatribe: it's reasonable.
What are you and your publisher doing to ensure this book reaches a wider audience and avoids the "preaching to the choir" syndrome?
We're marketing it towards colleges and universities, as well as to independent and chain bookstores. So far we're having quite a bit of success.
Does your definition of "political violence" involve war, killing, and terror in the streets?
Well, first of all, I'm not advocating the use of political violence on its own, ever. I'm advocating it in a movement that has exhausted all other means of activity. And then yes, [political violence] would include such things as terrorism, assassination, and property destruction.
Have the radical political movements in this country reached that point of exhaustion?
This country was formed years ago, and has been run by the same sex, race, and social economic status ever since. We don't have a proper representation for all the people in this country, and so I do advocate that a revolution is needed, but we have to have an above ground movement that is going to support all different types of tactics. That's why I'm involved with projects such as [this book]: to educate. Right now, you can't go to a public library and look up a book on why revolution is necessary in the United States. To me, that is a necessity before we're actually successful in any revolutionary movement. There has to be a foundation, a basis of thought on which to proceed. JUSTIN SANDERS