>On Behalf Of Carrol Cox
>And yes, the RCP is a butterfly --
> only in the mind of a metaphysician could it be otherwise. The point
> about butterflies is not that they necessarily intend no evil but that
> they are incapable of imposing evil. There is only
> one real damage the RCP (and all the other simialr groups do) -- they
> provide an excuse for marxists to build up their own self-image by
> indulging the cult of the pharisees:
Carroll, while the RCP cannot commit evil on the broad canvas of the world, they can within specific left spaces where they operate, which may include other leftists who condemn them. To give one example I know of recently, there were pro-immigrant rallies after the passage of Prop 187 where there was agreement among those calling the rally not to tussle with the cops on this march for a simple reason -- a chunk of those marching would be illegal and would be immediately deported if there were arrests. Despite that agreement, the RCP started fighting with the cops, endangering the lives of the undocumented folks marching.
This is bad for the limited evil committed, but it is also bad because it helped alienate many new latino activists demonstrating for the first time from what the RCP labelled their "socialism." The problem when the groups yelling socialism the loudest are also the ones acting harshly towards other activists is that it hurts the reputation of all socialists among progressive activists.
The fact is that in my life I readily identify myself as a socialist when talking to conservatives or moderates, but when I am among left-leaning activists, especially folks of color, I am more cautious because they identify "socialism" with the nasty activists who try to commandeer other peoples' rallies and actions, more interested in leafletting crowds and criticizing the action than helping build it.
That is not necessarily an accurate characterization of most folks, even most in groups like the RCP who often work hard on demonstrations, but there is a large enough contingent and a pervasive enough praxis among such groups that there is an undeniable identification of nasty sectarian activism with the word "socialism" among many left-leaning activists.
-- Nathan newman