Re: Re: pro Bono

[Chris Burford <cburford@xxxxxxxxxx>]

At 19/05/02 15:46 -0400, you wrote:
> On Sun, 19 May 2002 20:13:34 +0100, Chris Burford wrote:
> >Did not Robeson once sing about an America that
> >was inclusive?
>
> Robeson was an outspoken critic of capitalism. Bono is a proponent of
> capitalist handouts to countries that would be far better off if they
> broke with capitalism altogether.

I thought that like me, you are in favour of reparations for Africa.

Would they not be paid in the form of money? But a money handout is not
necessarily a "capitalist" handout, especially if it reverses the endemic
unequal exchange inherent in the present working of the global capitalist
system.

So any aid to oppressed and exploited people may be mistaken since they,
after all, should break with capitalism altogether?

I too dislike the charity angle, but if it is a way of recognising the
common humanity of the people of the world is that not a step in the right
direction.

As for patriotism, Dan Rather's leak to the BBC shows the extremely
difficult conditions that progressive people are facing in the USA. In the
first place it is necessary to get a hearing. And to show symbolically that
there should be ultimately no contradiction between your own patriotism and
your own internationalism, is it so treacherous to display the flag on the
inside of your waistcoat?

I am afraid that such symbolism may have to be part of the theatre when
most of the reporting is done by superficial mainstream reporters.

Besides even I think that the the Declaration of Independence was
progressive, and I am English.

My expectation is that progressive citizens of the USA will oppose US
hegemonism not that they will oppose US patriotism. It is a crucial part of
that task to win a hearing and make the distinction.

"Since the proletariat must first of all acquire political supremacy, must
rise to be the leading class of the nation, must constitute itself *the*
nation, it is, so far, itself national, though not in the bourgeois sense
of the word."



Chris Burford