Forwarded from Phil Ferguson #1

[Louis Proyect <lnp3@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

>I think there are more people on this mailing list than in the SWP. Plus we
>have more fun.
>
>Louis Proyect
>Marxism mailing list: http://www.marxmail.org/

The other day I was perusing the university library noticeboard and amidst
the ads for flatmates and skis was an A3 'poster', consisting of white
paper with a great mass of small black type.  It was kind of like a mini
version of the text of the Communist Manifesto.  This most attractive and
artistic piece of propaganda was 'advertising' a meeting for Margaret
Trowe, SWP V-P candidate and a young fellow called Jacob Perasso, one of
the few SWP members under 50, who is standing for some post in New York.

This morning when I was at my barber shop I flicked thorugh a copy of the
morning paper, the Christchurch Press, and on one of the news pages was a
picture of Ms Trowe, and a short story (Mondays are a bad news day for the
local press as not much happens here on Sundays) on her visit.  I would
imagine she spoke to about 10 people at the local Pathfinder bookshop,
which is buried at the end of a cul-de-sac arcade which is the least-used
arcade in the city.  Judging from the story, Ms Trowe seems to believe that
revolution is in the offing in the US.  So what all you North Americans are
doing messing around on this list, Lord knows!

For myself, I am awaiting with bated breath to see how the new turn by
'Whacko Jacko' Barnes, sending people from the cities into the countryside,
is applied in NZ.  The past three turns - I think they were on the thrid
turn about five years ago - have seen the NZ group decline from over a
hundred in the 'party' and a similar number in the youth group, to 24 in
the party and about five in the youth group.  One more 'successful' turn or
'deepening of the turn' and there will be nothing left.

Meanwhile, I look forward to them sending some of their 8 remaining
Christchurch members over to the West Coast or mid-Otago.  At least there
they'll only have nature to commune with and can do little damage.

Anyway, if the mother ship is down to its last 250 members, it sounds like
the madness may finally be drawing to a close.  I'm not a religioous
person, but I must say, God's Speed!

Philip Ferguson


Louis Proyect
Marxism mailing list: http://www.marxmail.org/