Re: [Marxism] The Obama Bubble - Black Agenda Report

[Eli Stephens <elishastephens@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

Joaquín:
"If you adopt a strictly denunciatory stance, you cut yourself off from
discussions with thousands or tens of thousands of people who have become
politically active around Obama. And "supporting the movement but not Obama"
doesn't really work for me since the movement is precisely about electing
Obama."

Joaquín admits he doesn't "have a brilliant proposal to solve this quandry" but 
I honestly don't see what he's getting out. How exactly are we going to have a 
discussion with the "thousands or tens of thousands of people who have become
politically active around Obama"? Since he understands full well that the 
"movement" is "precisely about electing Obama," the only place you can actually 
meet those thousands of people is to go down to Obama headquarters, help stuff 
envelopes, and chat with the people next to you. Is that what he would propose?

Otherwise, the way I see it, if I meet someone who is supporting Obama, whether 
they have just become politically active or have been politically active for 
decades, the best discussion I can have with those people is PRECISELY to point 
out the problems with a pro-imperialist, pro-capitalist candidate. I don't have 
to call them a fool, or tell them that THEY are "objectively pro-imperialist" 
because they're supporting Obama, but I DO have to explain to them what the 
Democrats (and Republicans) are all about, help them understand not only 
history 
but Obama's existing positions as well, so they'll understand WHY they need to 
move beyond Obama. As I wrote I while ago, I find many of his supporters don't 
even understand elementary facts about his campaign, like that he advocates 
increasing the military by 92,000 people, or that he advocates sending more 
troops to Afghanistan.

If I'm not going to talk to Obama supporters about THOSE things, just what AM I 
going to talk to them about? Hope?


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