David Corn: troubling origins of the anti-war

Chuck0 chuck at mutualaid.org
Tue Nov 5 07:20:32 PST 2002


Yoshie Furuhashi wrote:
> At 3:19 PM -0500 11/4/02, Chuck0 wrote:
>
>>> I don't like the ultras either, but hand-wringing about "Stalinism,"
>>> in this context, is diversionary bullshit.
>>
>>
>> So, do you think "hand-wringing" about racism and sexism in activism
>> are diversionary bullshit?
>
>
> If you think that racism and sexism in activism are only about as
> important a topic as Stalinism in the USA today, that's a problem. I
> don't see local activists of color and feminist activists wasting even a
> second on thinking about the latter.

The issue here isn't Stalinism, but it is the prsence of a group in the anti-war movement with questionable politics and practices. In my recent experience, hard core lefties will do everything possible to dismiss discussion of this group as "sectarianism" or excessive concern about Stalinism. When some of us engage in public criticisms of ANSWER and its parent organizations, the IAC and WWP, we are not engaging in some obscure alt.politics.socialism.trotsky flamewar about political differences.

If we don't want to shy away from putting racism and sexism on the movement table, then what is wrong with talking about the other elephants in the room? If recent articles from Corn, Cooper and others on the peace movement are any indication, it should be clear that the political baggage that the WWP brings to the table is going to be incredibly difficult to hide away. If we allow ANSWER to "lead" the movement, then we can expect writers from the right and left to criticize the movement for the WWP's politics and political positions. Also, as has been dicussed here, ANSWER has a questionable track record as activist organizers. We're talking about a strategy that is limited to permitted protests. We're talking about the friendly relationship with the police.

I don't think that Stalinim in the US is a problem worth talking about, but talking about "Stalinist" groups which aim to lead any social change movement should be a discussion that activists engage in.

Chuck0

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