What is to be done?

[pk grunden]

I've been following the posts on what is the appropriate response to 9/11, trying to get informed, and hesitating to enter the fray, but now's as good a time as any to jump in, I guess. What is the appropriate response? I submit that what "we" think should be done is a moot point. This is the beginning of a new period of dark reaction, and "we" are going to have no say in what the Response is, period. If people want to jump up and down and wave signs to make themselves feel better, okay. I might even join in once in a while, but I won't kid myself about its impact. On the other hand, it's not the end of the world; if anything, it is the onset of a catastrophic reorganization of Empire, and exactly where it leads is anybody's guess right now...

The triggering Event of 9/11marked the end of an uneasy stasis in Capital's relationship to the resource-rich and communicationally exploitable Middle East (Baywatch as Iran's most popular tv show, Havel's image of the nomad on his camel with a cellphone and a can of Coke, etc.) Now Capital is clumsily reeling, trying to articulate its response to this (deplorable) blow. Another Virtual War seems to be the present path, but is it sustainable, compatible with the goals of Empire? This will be the determining factor. After a phase of saber rattling and chest beating, the US elites may retreat to consider some form of justice under international law, while manufacturing perceptions to appease a wounded public now bent on revenge, but easily distracted. 
Meanwhile, fundamentalist Islam will continue to face the contradictions in its own relationship to Empire, while at the same time articulating one of the great transnational proletarian resistance movements. (What are the world-wide "Moslem protests" currently taking place, in the last analysis, but  crudely articulated "postmodern" (see Hardt and Negri) responses of a portion of the global proletariat in reaction to the intrusions of Empire?)  It too will mutate or die.

What will the new equilibrium look like? Don't ask me! But if anything is "to be done," I think "we" would be best served at the moment by focusing on keeping our communications going with each other, supporting the civilian victims of this insane "war" with as much material relief as is possible through NGOs already in place, keeping alive the arts of dissent in all public channels, defending freedom of expression, and attempting to anticipate a new relationship with the oppressed peoples of the "Islamic" nations in order to forge new links with the global proletariat. These things alone are enough to keep "us" busy for some time.

I hope this little voice exercise will stimulate some response. (Tear it up, you guys!)

paul g, mwc
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <../attachments/20011011/183a0f18/attachment.htm>