Re: [Marxism] Irish opportunities

[Gary MacLennan <gary.maclennan1@xxxxxxxxx>]

On Wed, Feb 18, 2009 at 3:01 AM, D OC <donaloc@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:

>
> Gary,
>
>
>
> I hope that you are keeping well on the other side of the planet.
>
>
> Yes D,


I am well thank you.  I have yet to start teaching and so have a fair bit of
time for politics.  There are two struggles that are underway which I am
involved in - The Palestinian one and the sacking of the radical priest Fr
Peter Kennedy by the right wing head of the Catholic Chruch in Australia
-Cardinal Pell. The Palestinian cause is near to my heart and I am proud to
be speaking at a public meeting on the 4th March calling for confronting
Israel with boycotts, disinvestment and sanctions.

 I have been thinking hard yet again about Lou's stuff on organization and
his critique of Zinovievism. It seems to me that the kind of line he
advocates logically means that we on the Left must get outside our comfort
zone

Tonite at the solidarity for Palestine  meeting,  to my left there were four
people and they represented four different organizations.  The number of
splits is almost too much to keep up with. But cobbling the groups together
does not work.  What is needed is involvement in issues which real people
care about.

But it is noticeable that no one from the organized Left is getting involved
in the dispute in the Catholic Church. Yet this is an issue which a lot of
people care about passionately. It seems to me that if we on the Left would
only take part in the defence of the progressive priest and his
congregation, we would meet people who are under pressure and whose
consciousness could perhaps be moved to the Left.

But I'm inclined to think that we are too comfortable with the present set
up where you have nearly as many organizations as people in the room.

In any case thank you for your update on the Irish situation.  Things fall
apart indeed.

warm regards

Gary
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