[A-List] Mark Jones

[Macdonald Stainsby <mstainsby@xxxxxx>]

Mark Jones was simply the man who had the best impact on me that I never
met. I truly loved him, his words, what he stood for and how he related to
others.

In the midst of the huge fight I had with you (Louis) and Jim C almost two
years ago now, I received an email from him sent to me personally to help
out. It's on my office wall and I share it with comrades who fight with
their friends, wives and husbands, families and all close. I will cry much
today, for without Mark around the revolution is that much further off.
Please share this with Marxmail, I'm going to send it to the A-list.

Thank you for all you taught me, Mark. You will not die, ever. I have read
few humans who were better with their words, and none in their drive. Mark
Jones was from the same itty bitty mining town in Wales as my great
grandmother, Maerdy, part of the Rhondda Valley. We talked of that and he
became friends in the cyber way, with my mother. Knowing how my great
grandparents fought to build a union that included helping scabs scum
"disappear", I felt especially close to Mark after this.

Sometimes when the world made me feel lost, I would drop a note to Mark and
his words could always help out. I guess I have to give myself those words
now. This email below helped me more than you can imagine and I've read it a
thousand times if I read it once. Mark wasn't just a revolutionary, he
defined it for me, a young Welsh-traced man over here on the coast of
British Columbia, Canada.
Thank you, Mark.
--
 Mac, yes, you must keep going. They know how to grind us down over many
years with their terrible pressures which afflict often-uncomprehending
family and friends, who also pay the price for *our* commitments--which
they very often don't share to the same passionate degree. This relentless
pressure inevitably takes its toll, and this is a reality that we all,
including you, me, Jim, and Lou, have in common. Our personalities do
become a little warped under all this pressure, and our survival tactics
inevitably take a high toll not only on our friendships, family warmth etc,
but also, and worse, on our ability to have meaningful friendships, family
lives etc. We are consumed by the struggle. This is the terrible truth that
actually unites us all, whatever falling-outs we may have along the way.
And when we start to behave as they want us to behave, when we buckle and
weaken, and start to personalise our political relations with people who
are objectively our comrades, then this is the enemy's moment of victory
and our defeat. When however we rise above all personal difficulties, then
we start to become invincible. (That's when they come for you of course!).
I'm glad you're not a quitter. If there are enough of us than we shall win
whatever they do.

Mark


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Macdonald Stainsby
http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/listinfo/rad-green
http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/listinfo/leninist-international
--
In the contradiction lies the hope.
                                     --Bertholt Brecht