against 'entrenched identities'

Max Sawicky sawicky at epinet.org
Sat Jun 27 09:00:57 PDT 1998


Mike,

Thanks for your note.


> . . .
> years prior to the conference and will continue meeting. You say you want
> evidence, which implies (excuse me if I read in too much) that you want to
> see Blacks acting concertedly as African Americans to implement some
> coherent coordinated "nationalist" plan, program, or sustained activity.

What I want is not at issue. The viability of any political ideology and underlying theory depends ultimately on practice, so if we're going to evaluate any of the 57 varieties of black nationalism, we look for practice. If any place for such practice is likely, it is Washington DC/PG County, and what I see when I look is absolutely zippo. All we have had are the concerted antics of our soon-to-depart mayor, a few wacky reverends, and the NOI. Nationalism of this type has functioned purely as an electoral device for a few local, unproductive political personalities. In contrast I see plenty of labor-related stuff.

On the whole I don't deny that the BRC is an encouraging development, but as we know it has yet to unfold. In any case, I don't need to be convinced of its positive potential.


> . . .
> come to establish THE BLACK REVOLUTIONARY VANGUARD or some other kind of

That's not my particular preoccupation but reflected my effort to accept the terms of others' views for the sake of argument. "Vanguard" need not apply to revolution, but simply to the leading source of militancy or even reform.


> . . .
> experience and the opportunities the BRC afforded them. You want
> "evidence." You will have to look in the myriad of places where
> these Black
> radical activists carry out their political work, as opposed to

I'm looking.


> . . .
> I question why the BRC is automatically branded "nationalist."

Note that the term is not pejorative coming from me, but really, if something is called the "black radical congress" is at least divided on the subject of inviting whites, it seems safe to call it a nationalist gathering, broadly speaking, while recognizing that it entails many shades of variation.


> "nationalist." When the Coalition of Labor Union Women, or the National
> Organization of Women meet, would they be "sexist" conclaves because they

Feminist, not sexist. Just as nationalist need not be racist.

Cheers,

Max



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