On Thu, 27 Jan 2000, Nathan Newman wrote:
> > [mailto:owner-lbo-talk at lists.panix.com]On Behalf Of Doug Henwood
> >
> > I don't think it's irrelevant to wonder about the ideological and
> > employment history of someone who's had a divisive and conservatizing
> > influence on American feminism. Did Steinem know who was behind the
> > CCF and the NSA?
To which Nathan replies:
>
> And did she care? If it allowed her to do what she wanted to do politically
> (whether you agree with her or not), does it matter that much where the
> money came from? My problem with the AFL-CIO actions funded by the CIA is
> not that they were funded by that agency, but that what they did was so
> abominable. On the other hand, some of what the NSA (National Student
> Association) did with CIA money and folks like Allard Lowenstein at the helm
> was quite admirable.
>
I don't know about Lowenstein, but abstractly speaking you are making an argument that would appear plausible, though my instincts would tell me otherwise, until I read:
> Of course, the CIA was trying to create a credible left-liberal alternative
> to far left student organizations, and that is worth analyzing in
> understanding what was going on. But the fact that some folks like
> Lowenstein or maybe Steinem saw such groups as a way to pursue their
> politics hardly seems like the worse thing in the world- even if the
> ultimate source of funds was embarassing. It's worth remembering that a lot
> of conservatives were pretty outraged as well at the fact that moderately
> left groups were receiving government money.
>
I doubt the CIA was ever trying to create credible left organizations anywhere. I think John Stockwell, Phil Agee, and the Church Commmittee cleared up that issue quite a while ago.
Steve