I invite others to communicate with me whether or not they agree that Louis was and is unprincipled. I regret that I do not have time to engage many of these discussions, but I don't. I hope that will change. I have thoughts on many of the questions and debates that have been exchanged in this forum. Attempting to hold a critical, private communication in the meanwhile is a perfectly legitimate activity -- particularly for those among us who claim adherence to the Marxist tradition.
Since Louis has forced me to post, I shall add a general point to the specifics I stated directly. For me, the greatest weakness of the revolutionary movement in the United States is none of the above -- that is, none of the reasons that have been confidently offered by the sects, by the opportunists, by the best and most serious students, scholars, and activists. It is the almost unanimous inability to countenance ambiguity.
Despite that unifying factor, a lack of scruple rules out regarding someone as comrade, except in the most general sense, regardless of agreement on points of doctrine. Trustworthiness, not adequacy of political line, is the single most precious socialist virtue, as anyone on the front line of struggle will tell you.
Ken Lawrence