Re: [Marxism] Marxism Digest, Vol 63, Issue 68

[Courtney Smith <cleighs@xxxxxxxxx>]

Walter

I'm horribly behind on MarxMail because it feels kind of like a deluge, so I
apologize profusesly if these things have all been mentioned or are ovious.
I can't help but find it sort of *precious* that you talk about Raul Castro
directing a government and say Fidel is a Marxist, when a Marxist is by
definition NOT an Emperor or a hereditary leader and yet he *appointed* his
scarcely younger brother to be the next life-long leader of Cuba.  Another
thing, why he ought to be "putting food on the table" for everyone, like
some patriarch is an unfortunate/upsetting way to put it, but perhaps
accounts for the way we're supposed to see Obama as our daddy.

Just watching a couple minutes of Keith Olberman, for god's sake, and of
course the glorious FAIR's CounterSpin, the idea that anyone should be
mincing her words about making sure there is honest discussion about Obama
is, in my opinion, totally incompatible with democracy.  And it hurts my
heart to be on the same side on the need to criticize as FoxNews
reactionaries, but we can't act as if Obama is sacred or pretend that he has
more far-reaching powers and choices than he does.  By the same token, the
FoxNewsers thought it sacrosanct when Bush was criticized - something I
don't think you would want to emulate.

The press is supposed to be skeptical always and if most of them won't be,
we certainly have to pick up the slack.  People might have though that, for
example, Jeremy Scahill was "too hard" on Obama, but what he was doing was
informing people of things they ought to be concerned about (and would be if
they weren't drunk on how historical and profound the moment is and I'm not
denying it is, but symbolism and substance oughtn't be confused, even though
we need to understand why many people do merge the two), trying to break
this spell of Obamaphoria.  I am sick of Obamania - we did the same thing 6
weeks ago sans a coronation ceremony, patting ourselves on the back and
fixing the US's "image," which seems to be the raison d'etre of having a
Democrat in the White House, because it so much feeds into this celebration
the US has been throwing for itself for the last almost 2 months about how
"democratic" it is.  It's just rehabilitating and reinforcing this idea that
Obama is the people's choice, which he clearly was, but not mentioning how
limited the choices were and how much he had to cash in at the door in order
to win the ruling class' approval to even be president.

When we speak to regular people on the street who are excited about Obama,
there's no reason to pound them with unrelenting denunciations.  Of course
we have to meet them where they are at, but feeding this delusion is not
what revolutionaries ought to do as a rule.  Especially when speaking among
ourselves.  We'd never say anything if everything on the List had to be
exactly what we would say to someone we meet on a paper sale or at our work
place and it's unfair to expect that.

And just because Obama is choosing to do SMART things that the entire world
is for - like closing Guantanamo - is proof he's seen 'the light' that
characterizes the overwhelming consensus now among the ruling elite - that
we (the US Empire) cannot AFFORD to continue to be obvious thugs.  Image is
everything and our image is lousy.  The least he must do is propose some
rational policies.  The rehabilitory effect, I think, will pay out 50 fold.


And I don't wish Obama "bad luck."  He's not my neighbor's son or my
favorite student - I don't know this man and that's a silly formulation so
tied up in celebrity worship I can scarcely help but laugh at the idea.
It's similar to giving Bush a break and thinking, Well he seems like he'd be
a great guy to invite to a barbecue.  Imperial masters do not get the
benefit of such considerations.  They are acting as representatives of the
ruling class and thus deserve nothing less than complete seriousness.

Courtney Smith


replying to:

>>>> Sick to death of Oba-mania

Unlike the unrepentent sectarians, Raul Castro actually directs a
GOVERNMENT, one which has to put food on the table of eleven million
citizens, and which has to work hard to maintain friendly relations with
every country open to such, and to improve relations with the island's
principal adversary, the United States government. That government is now
headed by an individual who has said he would talk to the Cuban government
without having any pre-conditions. That is a distinct step forward and thus
the Cuban leadership is responding in such a way as to engender as positive
a response as can be obtained in the existing historical and political
circumstances.

By contrast, the sectarians only wish Obama BAD LUCK.

Walter Lippmann
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