Up and down the road to a big anti-war movement

Charles Brown CharlesB at cncl.ci.detroit.mi.us
Tue Jan 15 12:17:18 PST 2002


Up and down the road to a big anti-war movement

Nathan says:

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But my credentials as a "swing voter" on the issue are impeccable-- if you can't convince me, you aren't going to convince those firmly supporting the war. The idea that only the blind true believers have useful advice for movements is exactly what's wrong with the antiwar movement.

"Fifth columnist" is not criticism-- it's accusations of bad faith. And I don't care about the criticism of myself personally; I'm just noting that it is representative of exactly the failures of strategy that have led to the dismal results of antiwar organizing.

^^^^^^^^

CB: An accusation of bad faith is a criticism. You are premature and impatient in your declaration of dismal results of antiwar organizing.

As I said once before, if the Old Left was a failure, and the New Left was a failure, why are you on the Left ? What successes are you basing your strategy for the anti-war movement on ? Why should we consider your criiticisms of the current effort valid ? If you are against the war, and you have a better way of organizing, why don't you just organize according to your strategy , and write about your successes on the list rather than spending all your time criticizing those who are organizing ?

Your reference to "blind true believers" demonstrates the hypocrisy of your complaint about being called a "fifth columinist" . Your "criciticsms" are often just as insulting as those you complain about being directed at you. You are no more democratic or open minded than those you are criticizing in the peace movement. Don't dish it out , if you can't take it.



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