Re: What will happen to our movement if there's another 9-11?

["Derek S." <derektheredrebel@xxxxxxxxx>]

I've been thinking about the points you raised. Though
I don't think I know anything you don't in regards to
conceptualization or formulation of the issues, here's
my 2c on a few of the things you mentioned.

> But there is a tension
> between 9-11 as a result of American foreign policy
> in choosing proxies, and 9-11 as a result of
> American foreign policy in oppressing people.

There's a tension, but it's deflated a lot if you
don't look at this question in an either/or way. The
long and destructive history of western imperialism
(American in oppressing people) in the middle east has
sowed the seeds for intense resentment. This is an
objective problem. The response to the latter by
oppressed people in the region will vary according to
cultural, religious, economic, etc, factors, as well
as the level of desperation they feel. The ideology
and response of the leadership of Al-Quada is unique
in it's own way, just like all others. I don't know
enough to say how Al-Quada would have turned out
differently, or if it would have even arisen at all,
if it's leadership had not at one point a US proxy.
But I think 9/11 was both a result of oppressive US
foriegn policy, and blowback from their chosen
proxies. From the persepctive of the region, the
former laid down the objective reality, while the
latter was a subjective response. They can coexist
just fine, and in fact must if you want to explain it
in its fullness and dispell any distortions.

As for which one is MORE important, it's a matter of
what you want to emphasize.

> Because if we argue
> that 9-11 is a case of revenge for actual oppression
> in these areas, then are we attributing to the
> victims of imperialism crimes of revenge
> that they never actually carried out?

This is tricky. First, I think you need to explain
that it is a justified act of revenge as seen by those
who committed it, and why this is. Second, other
victims of imperialism in the region who had nothing
to do with it would not have commited it themselves,
nor even supported it, but they can surely understand
the motivation behind it, and can sympathize with the
idea that the US deserved a taste of its own medicine.
>From my experience, if you patiently explain to people
how and why the US is seen the way it is in the eyes
of marginalized people, then they can at least get to
the point that they understand why 9/11 happened. Most
people can make the seperation between the the actual
act and the motivation behind it.

But understanding and sympathizing with the attacks
can in no way be equated with being an accomplice to
the crime. For instance, if during the Cincinatti
anti-cop riots a few years back someone decided to
take out a cop in retaliation, I'm sure many people
would have understood and sympathized with the
motivation behind the act while never thinking of
doing the same thing themselves. No one would have
said that all black people in Cincy are cop-killers.

Unfortunately, the media will implicitely clump the
people of the region in with the terrorists, and this
will reach a lot of people. This makes things hard,
and we need to combat it.

More generally, tactically speaking, we need to be
very touchy and sensitive when dealing with Al-Quada
and 9/11 when talking to American people. It doesn't
do us good to be to too blunt and explicit, especially
without providing enough information and context to
people. If we want to stop the war, we need to be very
sensitive about the legitimate concerns that
mainstream America has.

Maybe this helps, though I don't think you didn't
already know any of this. But maybe it will lead to
further discussion, and thus, further clarification.

Derek



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