[lbo-talk] Iraq war "clearer" to Americans than WW 2

Dennis Perrin dperrin at comcast.net
Tue Apr 8 21:02:19 PDT 2003



> Sorry guys-- I started my political life going to door-to-door, talking to
> new people about consumer and enviro issues. Most serious union
organizing
> is based on door-knocking as well at potential members doors.
>
> The denigration of door knocking and the attached organizing is the exact
> problem I see with a left that prefers to talk to itself at rallies or in
> its existing media circle rather than reach out to new people.
>
> -- Nathan Newman

I'd never denigrate door knocking. It's tough work. I did it briefly in the early 80s for SANE/Freeze, going door to door in Long Island neighborhoods with a DSAer (and Harrington disciple) at my side. It was brutal. For every signature or promise of money we got, there were at least 10 angry fuckers who called us Soviet stooges, chased us off their property, or slammed the door in our faces. One rightwinger I remember was calmer. He told us that we were playing the Soviet game, and that if we really loved America, we'd work for Jack Kemp. He then gave us some articles by Kemp, mostly economics, but some national security stuff, and I recall admiring how he canvassed us without leaving his home.

DP



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