Re: [Marxism] Revolution and Religious Fundamentalism

["Ruthless Critic of All that Exists" <ok.president+marxml@xxxxxxxxx>]

On Sun, Jan 4, 2009 at 4:42 AM,  <Jscotlive@xxxxxxx> wrote:
> Ruthless Critic:
>
> But Hamas is not just "religious". Hamas is also virulently
> anti-semitic  (in the sense of "anti-jewish"), including assuming that
> the "Protocols of  the Elders of Zion" (a well-known anti-semitic
> forgery from Tsarist times) is  authentic:
>
> Reply:

>
> I have to say, this descent to the level of Hamas  demonisation

> To put it another way, would you really demonise a woman who as a  result of
> being raped develops a hatred of men in general? Wouldn't you  understand that
> irrational hatred as a direct result of the traumatising  experience of being

The point here is not "demonisation" of Hamas. The point here is
whether or not it is appropriate to criticize Hamas, and if so, when.

Remember that the discussion between you and Soubaud started about
this question, and mainly focused on religion. Soubaud's point was
that Hamas will not be able to succeed in ithe  goal of national
liberation, because its movement is not class-associated, but rather
religion-associated, and that, therefore, the sooner this is pointed
out by Marxists, the better -- deferring or delaying  criticism is not
going to help.

I am pointing out that, in addition to the reason Soubaud suggests
(Hamas' reactionary religiosity) which makes national liberation under
Hamas aegis quite impossible, there is yet another aspect to Hamas,
namely Hamas' reactionary and virulent antisemitism, which makes
national liberation under Hamas aegis  *even* more impossible. Even
more potential reason, therefore, to criticize Hamas right now, and
always, that is, before, during and after the Israeli assault -- even
as we criticize and condemn the Israeli assault. If under the sympathy
it will receive as a result of the Israeli assault, Hamas increases
its influence, it will endanger even more than it does presently the
re-emergence of secular-nationalist elements within the Palestinian
resistance. And to the extent that we Marxists know that only
secular-nationalist elements, who are natural allies of the class
struggle, can successfully prosecute a national-liberation struggle,
holding off on criticizing Hamas will only delay, and possibly doom
the prospects of, the eventual success of the national-liberation
struggle.

Furthermore, your analogy between Hamas and the raped woman seeking
vengeance does not hold. All Palestinians' rights have been violated,
but not all have embraced Hamas. Even now, though (hopefully only
temporarily) weakened, there are secular-nationalist, even
socialist-leaning, Palestinian groups who are continuing to struggle
for national liberation outside the aegis of Hamas and, often enough,
even in opposition to Hamas.

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