***** Date: Mon, 14 Oct 2002 23:28:10 -0400 (EDT) From: DavidMcR at aol.com Subject: [R-G] Re: [ASDnet] Oct. 26th. protests / a personal opinion Sender: rad-green-admin at lists.econ.utah.edu To: asdnet at igc.topica.com, 107disc at yahoogroups.com, activist at pinko.net, portside at egroups.com, redyouth at ypsl.net, socialistsunmoderated at debs.pinko.net, SP-campaign at yahoogroups.com, spnatcomlist at topica.com, wrll at topica.com, carmentrotta at yahoo.com, ethanyoung at earthlink.net Cc: campd22702 at pacbell.net List-Subscribe: <http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/listinfo/rad-green>, <mailto:rad-green-request at lists.econ.utah.edu?subject=subscribe> List-Archive: <http://lists.econ.utah.edu/pipermail/rad-green/> List-Help: <mailto:rad-green-request at lists.econ.utah.edu?subject=help> List-Id: Radical anti-capitalist environmental discussion. <rad-green.lists.econ.utah.edu>
Duane,
This is a question which has come up also in the Socialist Party and in War Resisters League and, I assume, elsewhere.
The October 26th demo is not originally NION, but organized by ANSWER, which seems to be primarily "moved" by Workers World. In New York City (I can't speak for the whole US, just right here) the Revolutionary Communist Party was the main force - as far as I could tell - in the October 6th event.
In the course of organizing for the October 6th and 26th event, both groups - NION and ANSWER - endorsed each other's demonstrations.
Given the reality of where the country is, the anger at Bush, etc., I think it is nit picking to argue about who is doing the key sponsoring. I am personally in strong disagreement with the politics of both RCP and Workers World, both being Marxist/Leninst groups. I wish "our" groups - democratic, and open, were well enough organized to pull off these operations. But let's face the pace of events, the realitiy of where things are going, and where we should be. (Or, to quote the old joke, "I am the people's leader, I must hasten to follow them").
In NYC everyone turned up for October 6th, thousands (not thirty thousand, no, but five to ten thousand). It may have been sparked by RCP but it was, in the end, far broader.
Serious radicals should forget about the fact that they have disagreements with Workers World or the RCP, and support October 26th. It isn't a matter of "endorsing" but of going down there if one's calendar makes that possible. And have our posters and/or leaflets there.
I really think we are at turning point on the issue of Iraq, that there is very strong public anger at the Bush policies. In this context we should be responsible, serious, and avoid letting old quarrels (however valid) obscure the immediate reality. In short, if folks can get to Washington on October 26th, I think they should.
Fraternally, David McReynolds (there is sometimes a confusion about whether I am speaking for myself or a group - unless otherwise noted, I am always speaking ONLY for myself)
<< Subj: [ASDnet] Oct. 26th. protests Date: 10/14/02 11:12:46 PM Eastern Daylight Time From: campd22702 at pacbell.net (Duane Campbell) Reply-to: asdnet at igc.topica.com To: asdnet at igc.topica.com CC: campd22702 at pacbell.net (DSA Exec.)
Has DSA endorsed the Oct. 26th. protests organized by Not in Our Name? >>
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