The Most Recent Purge From Marxism-List by Louis Proyect

[Tony Abdo]

Once again there has been a purge by Louis Proyect.     Proyect's
calling card has been his often stated declarations of being a
non-sectarian innovator on the Web.      Someone that has broken away
from his earlier training within the Socialist Workers Party.      But
observing how he moderates the marxism-list, it is easy to find
parallels to how Jack Barnes runs the SWP.

The latest person to get Louis's standard threat.....straighten up,  or
I will unsub you....... had done nothing more than object to a
ridiculous horror-mongering article, about somehow the KLA being
involved in the trafficking of children's body parts.     This was a
very crude propaganda piece by a certain Mrs. Jela Jovanovic, who just 2
weeks before had put a similar piece of trash on line about immigrants
causing crime.    She appears to be some sort of Yugoslav government
mouthpiece.

The victim was accused of trying to incite a flame war.     Michael
Pugliese is someone who has held diametrically different positions with
me on the whole issue of what he was accused of trying to start a flame
war about (the NATO war in Yugoslavia).     Now we share the same
position of having been booted off the marxism-list, though Michael
wisely left after the first speech-chilling threat.    In my case, I was
unsubbed for supposedly being pro-Buchanan.     The falseness of this
accusation,  must have given extra pleasure to Mr. Arbitrary.

It's humiliating to be told that certain topics are taboo for everybody
but you.     And it's also characteristic of a Stalinist sort of
mentality.     What does it say about those that continue on a list with
this type of ambience put in place?      Everybody will just continue on
line, as the Great Leader threatens or banishes?

Michael, my sympathies are with you.     You were the most informative
poster on the marxism-list.      You are difficult and aggravating at
times, but that's a pitiful excuse for any action taken to shut you up.
Plus, despite being in total disagreement with me when I got the boot,
you went out of your way to show solidarity.      I remember this well.
Thanks.

Hopefully The Left will construct better forums for discussion than what
exists at marxism-list.     Proyect's efforts to enforce his ideas of
political correctness on the group,  will become increasingly
unpalatable. 

Tony Abdo