Re: Single Issue (was Re: [Marxism] [Fwd: For United Anti-War Action]]

["Carlos A. Rivera" <cerejota@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

----- Original Message -----
From: "Carrol Cox" <cbcox@xxxxxxxxx>

> It was, I think, the general 'uproar' throughout the nation that placed
> the most powerful constraints on u.s. warmaking capacity. Without that
> 'uproar' the demos in D.C. (a) would not have happened and (b) would not
> have had a very strong impact in any case. That was the reality which I
> tried to gesture towards in my May 9 & 10 posts on "Anti-Imperialism?"

I agree with the use of "uproar" as a descriptive term, and agree it is not
here today as it was in the late 60s early 70s. You don't have a BPP or a
YLP or an SDS etc etc etc. You don't have dozens of little red cafes around
campuses and military bases. You don't have churches with muckracking
socialist pastors calling for class war as a way for salvation. Etc etc etc.

Yet, I don't think we need that uproar as a precondition to a succesful day
of action in September 24 2005. We need ourselves and setting our asses in
motion. Take this list for example.

If say, 500 of us subscribers decided to organize 5 people (can be our SOs,
progeny,  but other species don't count) and each of them brings 5 people
along (say friends, their SOs, and their own SOs, etc). Thats 12500 people.
And that is this list alone. This lists *subscribers* alone.

I myself will probably be over at wherever ANSWER is, simply because the
little ultraleft demon is beating the shit out my little pragmatic angel at
this very moment. Plus, I am a dyed-in-the-wool anti-Zionist, and get queasy
at the stomach when I see people denoucing war and supporting a war machine
in Palestine, I recognize others do have stronger stomachs (or a good health
plan) but I don't.

But hey, not all the people are like me, a red diaper grandchild etc. (My
less humble side says not all people are true, vanguard marxists like I am
;-)

So, lets say some are more inclined to go to whatever the UFPJ. (I would of
course say they are menshevik fruitflies or somesuch, but hey to each their
own.) Thing is we show up, and take it from there. We must shut that city
down. We must create a massive outpouring of people.

During the Vieques Struggle, we even had signs that said, half-jokingly,
"Hetereosexuals for Vieques", right next to the signs that said "Long Live
Free and Socialist Puerto Rico". And that one carried by drag queens in full
regalia. Let a hundred flowers bloom, for a united front of all progressive
forces or whatever is it you trots say to mean total hetereodoxy in action.

As of right now, I would declare ideological fights in moratorium around
September 24. What I think the minimum goal ANSWER had by calling for unity
on September 24, which was the creation of a non-competing place and date
for a much needed national demo has been met. Let them meet and iron out the
logistics. BUT LETS NOT WAIT. MOBILIZE. DRILL IT. PLAN. BUY THE PLANE OR BUS
TICKET. NOW. MAKE THE COMMITMENT. NOW. Barring major medical operations, or
a chance to go to the moon, suspend everything. Forget about everything. In
September 24 2005, you MUST be in Washington DC, either in the UFPJ or
preferably, at least for me, ANSWER. Period. No excuses. No Bla Bla Bla.

To paraphrase Proyect: Its the numbers, stupid.

The line is clear, and ANY joint action between ANSWER and UFPJ, if it
happens, will happen because of the LEADERSHIP, not us mere mortals in the
base. (We don't like it, fine. Doesn't make it any different. Your ego can't
handle that your opinion is not important? Well, mine can, and mine is
bigger than yours, of that I am positive. What I can't handle is another
debacle and fiasco like M19 was (except, of all places, in NC)

Now, methinks the energy it would require to modify this would be so great,
that it would take away from the concrete need to organize the mobilization.
Aside from their strongholds (Urban areas) it is true local groups are the
ones that will organize mobilizations. Well, lets organize non-sectarian
transport there. Have joint ANSWER-UFPJ transportation in the bases. Have
people talk and look at each other wierdly. Lets put soccer moms and
dreadlocked infoshop volunteers int he same bus. Just do it.

Everything else, in my opinion, is a bunch of hot air, excuses, and idle
navel contemplation best left for september 28.

And who knows, maybe, just maybe, this would be an opportunity to really
create an uproar that sets the party in motion.

Hey, wathever you do, don't call me a glass half-full kind of guy. At least
not in this question.

For the uproar of a bazillion people in S24-05!!!

sks


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