debating libertarians

Max Sawicky sawicky at epinet.org
Sat Oct 9 14:27:48 PDT 1999



>
> I think that there is a racist element in this emphasis on Waco (just as
> . . .

I'm not sure what the argument is about here, but the MOVE episode seems to me an extremely close facsimile to the Waco disaster. If anything the MOVE incident is more of an indictment of authorities, since the MOVE house was not an arsenal, and it was in the middle of a neighborhood, both factors which should have restrained the cops.

The role of race in the treatment of these two is pretty obvious. Waco is discussed often, MOVE hardly at all.

Part of the racial source is the outrage of the far right re: Waco, which grief is not equally apportioned to MOVE victims.

There are some non-racial factors: Waco is an opportunity for the Repugs to take another shot at Clinton and Reno. Nobody has a parallel interest in the long-gone Wilson Goode administration.

I had some encounters w/MOVE in Philly in the 1970's. These folks were deeply disturbed. Clearly their rights should be defended, but there should be no illusions that their politics reflect any sort of coherent radicalism of any sort.

mbs



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