Garlic Ice-Cream has nothing to do with Real Marxism!

[magnus.goransson@xxxxxxxxxxxx (Magnus Göransson )]

Enough now!

Cool down, remain seated and, above all, be quiet and just *listen* for a
minute.

I have followed this list for a long time. This list works well when people
contribute. It sinks when people preach, demand discipline or obeyance to
any of the many branches of ol' the Marx-tree (some pretty rotten by now,
we *all* agree on that, dont' we -- but we can't agree on which ones...).

Myself, I subscribe to learn from others. As a listener I demand two things
of the people I listen to: that they have something to say and that they
show the audience some respect.

One of the never outspoken fundaments of this list is that there is a
*point* in listening to people of other schools of thoughts and with
different background (partywise, socially, geographically etc). One of the
limitations of a mailing lists as that you never get close enough to people
(socially, personally etc) to be able to persuade others to 'fall' from
their faith. A person who will not understand this show no respect. They
actually think they can SHOUT the truth into my hard desk. And (and that is
another drawback of a mailing list) I can not make them stop and I can not
shut them off without cutting off all communication with the list.

Since way back, but much more intensively the last weeks, I have been told
that there is no room for me on this list. Not for me and not for a lot of
other folks who have in common that we do not share the appreciation for
Trotsky's politics 1924-43 ( "-A ...stalinist <gisp!>") or that we regard
Mao as a prominent revolutionary leader ("-Why don't you *admit* that
Carlos would have led the chinese revolution *so* much better!") or that
people like Joma Sison or Abel Guzman must be taken seriously if not for
anything else so because they lead actual and large social movements who
are struggling to take state power ("Oh no, a maoist; I will put you in my
kill-file!").

When a person like Carlos projects all his aggressions and frustrations at
'the stalinists' on the list, I can only regret it. But when more
responsible persons like Louis P. starts shouting about 'maoism' being
'garbage' and opposed to Real Marxism (these categories defined as...,
well, only Lou knows and he won't tell..); inventing a straw-man -- an
editorial from Peking Daily 1967 -- and claiming that "Dan Axtell, Quispe
and the other Maoists holds [the editorial] up as exemplary and want us to
follow". He then summarise "Cult worship of this kind has nothing to do
with Marxism."

First, do not put quotes down the throat of persons who did not actually
speak/write them. That is elementary.

Secondly, for the sake of peace of our minds: *Nothing* that any one of us
dislikes has anything to do with Marxism, OK? I will immediately put all US
americans, trotskyites, trotskistes and garlic ice-cream in the kill-file.
Then we can all put up our own marxist lists with only things that we *do*
like. I will include Matt D and Dan Axtell, all people who talks about the
former Soviet Union after 1956 (53?) as social-imperialistic and, of
course, chocolate ice-cream. I will perhaps not learn so much, but we will
all be so much happier!

Seriously: One outcome of the Peru and other threads was Louis outcry
against maoism. Another outcome was Godenas call to compile a bibliography
on Peru/PCP.
In my view, Godenas has here demonstrated an understanding about how to use
the list constructively in a situation where efforts to discuss have failed
(regardless of why). He here gives of his knowledge and shows respect for
those of us who wants to learn something. That is what I, as a subscriber,
want!

Louis P, go take one of those hot baths. And if you don't behave nice
towards your next door maoist tomorrow, I'll fill your tub with garlic
ice-cream (stalino-maoists do not refrain form physical threats, as you
already know).


OK, now go back to the fighting, boys. And send flames to
mas-mgo@xxxxxxxxx, not to the list.



Luke-warm regards,



Magnus




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