> Yet which is will do on Feb 2 when the antiwar folks seek to impose an
> "antiwar" orientation to the globalization protests at the World Economic
> Forum, thereby alienating many sympathizers to the globalization movement
> who do not agree with the politics promoted by antiwar protesters. The
> protests, likely to lead to conflict with the NYPD at a time when no one
> will win a popularity contest against them, will not increase support for
> the antiwar movement, but will no doubt decrease support for the global
> justice movement.
The folks seeking to impose an "antiwar" orientation to the globalization protests are the International Action Center, a wholly owned subsidiary of Workers World party, which has a controlling interest in the ANSWER anti-war coalition. These people like to pretend that all of these groups are separate, but it's curious how Brian Becker always seems to speak for them when they get their names into the media.
No big deal, because they have been marginalized in the upcoming protests.
The anti-globalization movement has been drawing connections between war, militarism and globalization (and capitalism), but for the most part, we didn't change horses in midstream like many of the sectarian Left groups did as soon as the war started. They like to compartmentalize their activism, seeking to focus on whatever hot topic nets them the most recruits.
I'm unconcerned about getting into a popularity contest with the NYPD. We are protesting the WEF, not the NYPD. The NYPD may be riding high right now because of their propaganda campaign, but I'm sure that many of the working residents of greater NYC understand that the cops still suck.
> Friends and family who are both antiwar and pro-global justice, when I told
> them the Seattle style protests were coming to town, could only marvel at
> the insanity of the idea of picking a rumble with the NYPD right now.
I think Doug had the best response to this line of thinking.
There is another line of thinking that is dangerous right now. It says that we have to moderate our protests in order to keep popular support. The problem with this is that we will lose our overwhelming support in the Global South if we pander to whatever PR agenda the moderate NGOs think we should have. Regardless, of what happens at the upcoming WEF protests, the anti-globalization movement will rattle on, gaining strength and numbers. This is an international movement of movements, which is something the ruling class forgot when they thought they could embarass us by having a party on Wall Street.
<< Chuck0 >>
Infoshop.org -> http://www.infoshop.org/ Alternative Press Review -> http://www.altpr.org/ Practical Anarchy Online -> http://www.practicalanarchy.org/ Anarchy: AJODA -> http://www.anarchymag.org/ MutualAid.org -> http://www.mutualaid.org/ Factsheet 5 -> http://www.factsheet5.org/ AIM: AgentHelloKitty
Web publishing and services for your nonprofit: Bread and Roses Web Publishing http://www.breadandrosesweb.org/
INTERNATIONALISM IN PRACTICE
An American soldier in a hospital explained how he was wounded: He said, "I was told that the way to tell a hostile Vietnamese from a friendly Vietnamese was to shout ‘To hell with Ho Chi Minh!’ If he shoots, he’s unfriendly. So I saw this dude and yelled ‘To hell with Ho Chi Minh!’ and he yelled back, ‘To hell with President Johnson!’ We were shaking hands when a truck hit us."
(from 1,001 Ways to Beat the Draft, by Tuli Kupferburg).