[Marxism] Denis Donaldson

["jmcanulty" <jmcanulty@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Recently D'oC released a barrage of abuse about my views of Sinn Fein and the 
current state of the Irish struggle. I suppose I should be grateful that he is 
acquainting posters with the debating techniques of his organisation.

The standard technique is to display the arrogance of the militarist and assert 
that only the fighters have the right to speak, a position that has become even 
more ridiculous following the republican surrender. This is followed by slander 
- my criticism proves me to be a British agent.

I don't know Donal. I know all the people he eulogises - all the guerilla 
fighters. I know them because for long periods of time my organisation stood 
almost alone in defending the legitimacy of the struggle against imperialist 
rule while also warning militants about the limitations of individual armed 
action.

At that time we were seen as allies of Irish republicanism. Today their allies 
are within Irish capitalism, in Downing Street, and inside the Bush White house.

I don't know Donal. I know several generations of Donals - shameless shills for 
Sinn Fein who trotted out whatever garbage was the line for that day and spiced 
it up with slander and invective. In the background were the bully boys who 
dealt with those who wouldn't take the hint - possibly an explanation for the 
virus attacks since my last posting.

The technique is evident in his 'critique' of my article - slicing it up to 
insert mindless assertions of support for his organisation and equally mindless 
invective directed at Socialist Democracy.

I'm not interested in trading punches with Donal. I am interested in allowing 
those outside Sinn Fein to make up their own minds about the current state of 
the Irish struggle. For that purpose Donal's own words will suffice. In an 
earlier post on the internet he spoke of Sinn Fein's policy of alliance with 
'other bourgeois nationalist parties' - something Sinn Fein is entitled to 
pursue. However:

It ain't Marxism.

It ain't Socialism.

It ain't anti-imperialism.




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