Re: will 'the war' lead to quietism?

[Chris Burford <cburford@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Periods of quiet political activity may be valuable so long as they are
used to deepen and further links with other people and win their attention
for the justice of the cause.

The problem remains however for the global anti-capital movement of the
loss of theatre - of the visual dramas that were building up through the
cycle of a mixture of large socially progressive demonstrations, with a
smaller group of anarchists who would break the law and dramatise
confrontation, policing and security issues.

This has now been trumped by rather more dangerous security issues. But
street theatre and other visual displays that will catch the global visual
media, could be used more effectively.

The other thing that has changed is that the leaders of global capitalism
even before Sept 11 were frantically trying to present themselves as in
favour of virtue. Now they remain skilful in avoiding presenting themselves
as the main enemy.

On 6th October James Wolfensohn, president of the World Bank, contributed
an article to the International Herald Tribune entitled "Rich Nations Can
Remove World Poverty as a Source of Conflict."

Interesting and important agenda.

Of course his article does not specify all the different ways he is
constrained by political forces sadly beyond his control, from really
addressing this issue. The global anti-capital alliance needs to be able to
get into the fine detail of this sort of presentation, unpick it, and
subject it to courteous but penetrating critique.

It then needs to be able to link this terrain of struggle with powerful
visual images illustrating the bankrupt legitimacy of the present rulers of
the Empire.

Chris Burford

London