Laura's departure

[Adam Levenstein <cleon42@xxxxxxxxx>]

That was absolutely, positively shameful.

The problem here isn't Laura, or how fucked up the SWP is. The problem
here is that among people who claim to favor having people from
different currents on the list, they just can't stomach having people
from currents they personally don't like.

Guess what, guys? The SWP is part of the socialist movement. And
despite your own personal bitterness towards the group, if you're even
halfway honest with yourselves about forming a multitendency socialist
movement, you're going to have to deal with them. And when I say "deal
with them," I mean "deal with members and supporters in a better way
than simply ganging up on them and attacking their party's
policies/positions/politics."

If people ganged up on Lou Palsen in this way, Louis would be doing
mass-kicks from the list--and rightfully so. Instead, Louis let his own
bitterness get the better of him and led the charge. She started
participating in discussion (you remember--*political* discussion?),
and immediately people jumped on her, attacking her for an SWP policy
she hasn't even *heard* of.

Most of you were expelled, forced to leave, or otherwise became
disgruntled with the SWP 20-30 years ago. Get OVER it already. It's NOT
Laura's fault. Suck it up, be true to your principles, and deal with
her as a comrade you disagree with rather than the personal
representation of every beef you've ever had with the SWP.

I fully expect many snide comments, reminding me how
terrible/cultish/wrong/insipid the SWP is. Yeah, yeah, I know. But if I
let every gripe I had with the RCP get in the way of doing political
work, I'd never leave my apartment. I can't believe people are actually
blaming Laura for getting mobbed.

The reality of the situation, no matter how screwed up the SWP is, is
that this list has lost someone who quite possibly had something
valuable to contribute. And what has the list gained? Not a damn thing.
Do you think Laura's more inclined to leave the SWP or something since
that barrage of attacks? Well, guess what, you folks didn't convince me
to leave. Nor did the people on alt.politics.socialism.trotsky (which I
had some incredibly flashbacks to these past few days). Nothing could
*possibly* be gained by running her out of here. All this incident did
was to let people vent their bitterness--at the expense of this list.

Not only did comrades lose a potential contributor, you lost a lot of
my respect as well. Save the snide comments and additional attacks on
Laura and the SWP--I'm too nauseated to respond.


=====
-----------------------------------------------------------
Adam Levenstein                          cleon42@xxxxxxxxx
ICQ: 17125158

Relaxen und watchen das blinkenlights.

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