Re: [Marxism] Yesterday's primary elections: Ron Dellums and Igancio de la Fuente!

[Javier A <javierunderground@xxxxxxxxx>]

Without sounding reductionist, I think the political
culture of Todd's campaign and the ISO stems from a
middle class student environment while if observe
other groups, trade-union activist, the troqueros in
LA who engages in wildcate strikes, the Soldiers of
Solidarity in the midwest, organizers who part of
immigrant rights activists like MAPA or CARECEN, a
much different political culture exists. Its one that
flows from a working class setting.
If your a member of the ISO and juxtapose the norms of
your meetings verse any one of these other groups,
you'll see the radical difference.

Javier


--- aaron amaral <amaral1871@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:

> I think it is fair enough to ask questions about the
> class rootedness
> of the ISO (or the Greens) and, by extension, Todd's
> campaign. What
> concerned me was what I understood by 'failure to
> speak the language
> of the class'. If you meant that Todd's campaign
> discourse was somehow
> not pitched at the class - somehow unintelligible to
> an 'average
> worker'  - or  that the issue raised are somehow not
> class issues,
> then I would have to strongly disagree.
>
> I would point out a couple of things about relative
> rootedness. First,
> that Todd also has a relatively long history -
> stretching back into
> the 80s - of being active in the Central American
> solidarity
> movements. I believe, though I might be mistaken, he
> lived in El
> Salvador and Nicaragua for a time in the mid-80s and
> was very active
> throughout the period with the solidarity networks.
> Second, the ISO
> has a strong recent record, from well before this
> round of immigrant
> rights mobilisations, of doing work good work  -
> particularly in
> southern CA - around fighting the Minutemen and
> other more positive
> immigrant advocacy work; a history which no doubt
> has resulted in
> burgeoning relationship with long-standing activists
> within the
> immigrant and Latino communities. Third, I am not
> sure if you are
> making a criticism of the ISO trade union work in
> Oakland by
> suggesting that it has not yet translated into
> substantial community
> ties but it does bely the criticism of the ISO as
> simply being a
> campus based student group.
>
> I think it is a good thing you are supportive of the
> campaign. There
> is a type of ultra-left sniping that I may have
> mistakenly read into
> your comment and it was this that initially provoked
> my response.
> Nobody is going to disagree with the notion that the
> left as a whole
> has much work to do in raising the level of its
> organic connection to
> the class. This issue remains how to achieve this
> and I believe the
> Green Party campaigns in CA do have a role to play.
>
> -Aaron
>
> On 6/7/06, Javier A <javierunderground@xxxxxxxxx>
> wrote:
> >
> >
> > --- aaron amaral <amaral1871@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
> > > I was a little stunned to read Javier's
> analysis.
> > > Maybe he can better
> > > explain where the failure to 'speak the language
> of
> > > the class' is
> > > manifest? Without a fuller explanation I am both
> > > left to assume that
> > > Javier is advocating a craven 'workerism'  (and
> in
> > > what context?) and
> > > to wonder about sectarian motivations...
> >
> >
> >
> > Lets just say that im a little stunned to the fact
> tat
> > you are little stunned. My "craven workerism" or
> in
> > other words, arguing that Todd doesnt have a base
> or
> > real political influence in the working class,
> might
> > seem ridiculous to some. But let me just make some
> > basic points.
> >
> > One, ever since there has been a big immigrant
> > upsurge, Todd has jumped into this movement with
> two
> > feet. He has connected himself with many different
> > leaders of the movement that have a history of
> being
> > part Latino based NGOs. These leaders have come
> out of
> > the woodwork and are becoming reactivated. Many
> were
> > veterans of the central American movement of the
> 80s
> > or the Chicano movement of the 70s. These
> organizers
> > have roots in the immigrant movement, while Todd
> has
> > only exchanges with these organizers. He doesnt
> have
> > any history, real organizational ties, or
> political
> > culture that would tie him with the rank-file of
> the
> > immigrant movement.
> >
> > Second point, I know alot of the activists around
> the
> > struggle for descent contracts with Oakland's
> Public
> > school district and how  difficult it was in
> > mobilizing the community. Todd is connected to the
> > ISOers who have become teachers and part of the
> > leadership of the union, but not really connected
> or
> > organizationaly tied to the working class
> community of
> > Oakland. Todd is connected to left, obviously
> Camejo,
> > Palestenian groups and so on. There is a serious
> > dichotomy between the growth of left-wing
> > electorialist and the working class, and I think
> Todd
> > is emblematic of this.
> >
> > And by the way, this not just my "secterian"
> opinion.
> > Im friends with a "mid-level" ISOer who admits
> that
> > the ISO has no base in the working class and is
> really
> > just a student group but he wishes that soon
> enough
> > this will change. But it doesnt seem that Todd's
> > campaign will begin that process. Thats not to say
> Im
> > not glad hes running, I hope he gets his million
> votes
> > and he keeps on debating O'reilly. But its just
> > looking at the situation honestly.
> >
> > Camejo on the other hand is talented. I was at a
> > meeting where I heard him speak to a group of
> > organizers from a wide range of Latino
> non-profits,
> > civil rights groups, in Spanish. They all had his
> > respect. It was a group that was mixed of Latino
> > organizers and workers.
> >
> > Javier
>
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