Re: [Marxism] The Cuban people are not trying to intimidate us in the election

[Louis Proyect <lnp3@xxxxxxxxx>]

Fred Feldman wrote:
> I am also opposed to the idea that people who vote for Kerry or Bush are
> "voting for war."

No, they are voting with the hope that Kerry might end the war after
taking office. In other words, they are in a kind of state of denial.

> The crime is not voting for Bush or Kerry.  The crime is the election --
> the choice we are offered.  The crime is the character of imperialist
> democracy, the two party system and all that.

There's one other crime, however. It is the crime of the intelligentsia
who are obviously much more informed than the average citizen who is
assured by a Tim Russert or a Howard Fineman that the differences
between Kerry and Bush are "stark" and "overwhelming". One can
understand why a confused worker in East Jesus, Nebraska might interpret
this as an invitation to vote for Kerry. However, when somebody like
Howard Zinn or Noam Chomsky or Tariq Ali urge a vote for Kerry, knowing
what they know, this is a horse of a different color.

> Back to the Cubans.  I am troubled by Louis experiencing the viewpoint
> of the Cubans as "social pressure" to vote for Kerry, and comparing it
> to the kind of social pressure that is exerted by the ABB liberal cops
> for the ruling class, or (on a totally different plane, I am sure we
> realize) the SWP's sectarian social pressure on members and supporters
> to "homogenize."

I don't object to the Cuban press writing articles about how much better
it would be for them if Kerry is elected, leaving aside whether that it
is true or not. I object to Walter's unsubtle use of this material in
the same fashion as Tariq Ali's channelling the 3rd world. At least
Tariq has the honesty to be upfront about stumping for Kerry.

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