yakking with a pwogwessive Dem

[Yoshie Furuhashi]

><http://www.wsws.org/articles/2002/sep2002/lev-s28.shtml>
>
>World Socialist Web Site - September 28, 2002
>
>Democrat Carl Levin rebuffs Michigan peace activists
>
>By Shannon Jones
>
>A September 21 meeting between pacifist opponents of the US war 
>drive against Iraq and Democratic Senator Carl Levin of Michigan, 
>chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, provided an object 
>lesson in the futility of basing opposition to war on appeals to the 
>Democrats. It underscored the fact that the Democratic Party is 
>committed to a colonial-style war against Iraq.
>
>The meeting was organized by the Ann Arbor Coalition for Peace and 
>Justice, an umbrella group of academics, churchmen and pacifist 
>opponents of the impending war against Iraq.
>
>Under ground rules negotiated by the Coalition and Senator Levin, 
>the meeting was to have included only ten hand-picked spokesmen for 
>the peace group. However, some 75 protesters turned up at Macomb 
>Community College outside of Detroit, the venue of the meeting. Most 
>carried signs and placards opposing war against Iraq. The size of 
>the turnout clearly disturbed aides to Senator Levin. They felt 
>threatened by the prospect that the senator might have to answer 
>unscreened questions.
>
>Eventually some 30 people, including a reporter for the World 
>Socialist Web Site, were allowed into a small meeting room. 
>Protesters who entered had their signs taken away by Levin aides and 
>were told there would be no opportunity for questions from the floor.
>
>Before the arrival of Levin, the spokesman for the coalition, Dr. 
>William Thompson, a professor at the University of Michigan, 
>Dearborn, reminded supporters that only ten predetermined 
>representatives of the group would be allowed to address the 
>senator. He urged everyone addressing Levin to do so with the utmost 
>respect so as not to alienate him.
>
>When the senator finally arrived, 15 minutes late, he was livid. A 
>Levin aide berated Thompson for allowing the meeting to become a 
>public event. "You breached the agreement we made," he thundered. 
>"This is a private meeting. We are not prepared to host this many 
>people."
>
>Levin declared, "Who invited all these folks? Let's keep the 
>commitment we made. I want to meet with ten people."
>
>Thompson attempted to pacify Levin, calling him Carl, and assuring 
>him that only handpicked spokesmen from the group would be allowed 
>to speak. Eventually Levin agreed to proceed.
>
>The ensuing "dialogue" demonstrated the political hopelessness of 
>the pacifists. They proceeded as though the plans for war were the 
>result of some sort of misunderstanding that could be cleared up by 
>people of good will. The main argument of many was not so much the 
>prospect of war itself, but rather that the war plans were being 
>made hastily and that the focuson impending war prior to the 
>November congressional elections could upset the Democrats' chances 
>of winning more seats. No one mentioned the basic motive behind the 
>war drive-the determination of US imperialism to monopolize the oil 
>riches of the Persian Gulf.
>
>Al Fishman, a member of Peace Action, complained that the war drive 
>had driven Enron "off the radar screen." He advised Levin, "The 
>Democrats have to have the courage to bring it back."
>
>There was much groveling. "You're our hero, you're our champion," 
>declared a Presbyterian minister. Thompson thanked Levin profusely 
>for coming and apologized for the "disturbances."

This is the quality of "democracy" to whose worldwide dissemination 
Nathan appears to be committed.
-- 
Yoshie

* Calendar of Events in Columbus: 
<http://www.osu.edu/students/sif/calendar.html>
* Anti-War Activist Resources: <http://www.osu.edu/students/sif/activist.html>
* Student International Forum: <http://www.osu.edu/students/sif/>
* Committee for Justice in Palestine: <http://www.osu.edu/students/CJP/>