At 12:16 PM 6/25/00 -0500, you wrote:
>[I have some questions about the author's use of the term
>"militia-mentality." What does this mean and what's the British context of
>the term? thanks. When I hear militia, I think of Timothy McVeigh and
>Alexander Cockburn.]
>
>http://www.lrb.co.uk/v22/n12/grif2212.htm
I am not impressed by this rather typical 'middle-class' article...
To me, it is the hand-wringing of a petit-bourgeois 'radical' pacifist (am I good with labels, or what?) -- not to mention someone without a sense of History and class struggle. I impatiently await the day the workingclass parts ways with these 'candlelight vigil' types, who will no doubt hold prayer circles in front of the barricades -- impeding the labor and movement of workers at a crucial moment...
The problem with 'violence' at these events is nothing more than the problem of masses of disorganized people being quite naturally caught up in the general class struggle -- and in an 'exciting', liberating manner that makes the TV News. It is an opportunity for a lot of angry, un/barely-disciplined people to express inchoate rage (I'll only cover this aspect). The pigs, however, really _love_ this stuff -- pompous hypocritical protests to the contrary -- as it justifies their very Being; and of course they actually _encourage_ it (as we all _should_ know...); and the more idiotic and illogical the 'violence' appears to the TV lens, the better (and then the propagandists take over...)
BUT: people who are all worked-up over this rather petty violence don't (yet?) see the 'Big Picture'. Trashing a McDonalds, or facing down pigs, is _nothing_ compared to the slaughter these goons have been engaged in world-wide (let's take WWI as a convenient 'starting point'). Literally MILLIONS of people have suffered at the hands of these very state forces. Why should we get worked-up over broken heads and wrists -- when masses of people have died, for instance, at the hands of the NATO imperialists and their stooges?
Frankly, I think there is more than a little dis-association for career purposes -- not to mention base cowardice being justified in hindsight -- going on here. Again, typical petit-bourgeois reaction to events which threaten the status quo _too_ much...
To be clear: the only reason there _would_ be violence in a class confrontation with the agents of the state, would be because these scum have every intention of thwarting the wishes of the workingclass majority to achieve some goal, however modest. To respond by stopping a club-wielding, plastic bullet (or worse) assault, is perfectly alright -- all the more so, when there is a clear objective to defend.
My only gripe with these 'violent' people is that much of this confrontation is simply a waste of effort. Stopping COLD in its tracks a murderous killing machine of a state, is no crime. Wasting workers' health and lives with no clear (or well-thought-out) objective _IS_.
I, for one, have _no_ problem with ending the barbaric rule of Capital over us by whatever means necessary. So screw the 'pacifists' -- as their only function is to confuse workers with religious, etc. idiocy. They think they are LEADING the 'Movement', when in fact they are only 'TAILING' it. A parting of the ways will clear this up right away.
So; we still await the participation of the full workingclass in this struggle. I guess that's the next step in this new 21st Century phase of classwar...
Here's to the Revolution, Jim W. Jaszewski.
The Revolution will not be televised: News at 11...
Jim W. Jaszewski Labour Left Opposition (I.D. Only) Canada