Re: CP stuff

[Marvin Gandall <marvgandall@xxxxxxxxxx>]

Joel Wendland wrote:
> >
> >If I remember correctly, the CP also supported state persecution of the
> >Trotskyists during World War II, which set a precedent that hoisted them
> >later (on their own petard).
> >
> >Jim Devine
>
> This is a funny, but persistent misrepresentation. The CPUSA opposed the
> violent overthrow (or any sort of overthrow, right?) of the US government
> and did so throughout the McCarthy period -- something our vaunted
> Trotskyists (before WWII in the particular case to which you refer) did
not.
> On principle, the CPUSA could not defend an organization that called for
> violent revolution or overthrowing governments. The McCarthyite period was
> not a petard of the Communists' making. It was class warfare.
---------------------------------------

Actually, the Trotskyist defendents did not concede they were for the
violent overthrow of the government -- only in favour of armed self-defence
by the workers' organizations against government and viligante repression.
This was precisely the argument the Bolsheviks used in seizing power. It's a
fine distinction perhaps, but an important one, and I thought the Communist
parties also defended themselves that way against charges of formenting an
armed insurrection. Perhaps I'm wrong. But do you not support the right of
the people to defend themselves with arms against right-wing violence -- as
in Chile or South Africa, for example? Or, as someone else asked, do you not
at least support the right of other leftists to openly advocate such a right
of self-defence?

Marv Gandall