<!DOCTYPE HTML PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.0 Transitional//EN"> <HTML><HEAD> <META http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1141" name=GENERATOR> <STYLE></STYLE> </HEAD> <BODY bgColor=#ffffff> <DIV><FONT face=Georgia color=#008000 size=2>I'm not really feeling anything significant at the moment, Doug.     i'm concerned, both intellectually and emotionally, about the fact the "peace" movement is a flash in the pan.  and is ineffective as far as i'm concerned.    no amount of demonstrations and demonstrators can get knot heads like shrub and his pals to face reality.   they live in a different world.    as F Scott Fitzgerald put it, paraphrase, the rich are different from you and me.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Georgia color=#008000 size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Georgia color=#008000 size=2>there is a clear cut agenda on the part of the power elite to cement their hegemony across the globe.  they've done this with relative success via the "free trade" route, the WTO, FTAA, World Bank and other commercial front organizations.   there's no reason for them not to use the willing and complacent US military to accomplish the same goals where ever there's money to be had for the stealing.  there's nothing stopping an arrogant and well fed, bought out US congress utterly unconcerned and disinterested in the USA and its people.  there's no reason for them not to continue manipulating the world economy, and national economies, to meet their needs alone.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Georgia color=#008000 size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Georgia color=#008000 size=2>the US public has been lethargic and complacent for at least 25 years.   its sudden awakening may be symptomatic of concerns more immediate and greater than an illegal invasion of iraq.   but there's almost no one mobilizing around these deeper concerns.  and more importantly, no significant numbers willing to follow or lead in such mobilization.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Georgia color=#008000 size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Georgia color=#008000 size=2>the so-called antiwar movement may be indicative of public concerns regarding our disappearing health care system, our disappearing public educational system, our disappearing jobs, our disappearing quality of life, our disappearing environmental quality, and the disappeared American Dream  (and some disappeared people due to "anti-terrorism").   these are the concerns that matter most to the greater american public.   but who's articulating them?   who's organizing and staging demonstrations about them?</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Georgia color=#008000 size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Georgia color=#008000 size=2>for example, Rancho Los Amigos hospital in Los Angeles County is about to be closed.   Marta Russell has spoken eloquently regarding the need and function of this hospital.  it's literally in a class by itself, and has been for years.   and yet, when hundreds of thousands can turn out for anti-war demonstrations, pitifully few turn out for causes like keeping Rancho alive.   this is indicative of our nation's inside out priorities, when war thousands of miles away, as horrible as it is, takes precedence over american's daily needs.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Georgia color=#008000 size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Georgia color=#008000 size=2>as i've mentioned, the white middle class lead antiwar movement isn't going to have any greater success than the white middle class lead Equal Rights Amendment which predictably failed.   the concerns regarding health care, education, quality of life, jobs, etc. of the poor, the working class, minority groups far outweigh these group's concern with war.   until their more immediate concerns are addressed, they will not be involved in supporting any movement which does not represent them.  until broad based support for social change in the US develops, any movement is a flash in the pan.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Georgia color=#008000 size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Georgia color=#008000 size=2>it's difficult to get emotionally involved with -- or have any meaningful emotion reaction to -- something so transparently shallow and ill fated.   "peaceniks" will have to wait in line behind the daily needs of the US public.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Georgia color=#008000 size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Georgia color=#008000 size=2>think the Times of London would be interested in this?   </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Georgia color=#008000 size=2></FONT> </DIV> <DIV><FONT face=Georgia color=#008000 size=2>R</FONT></DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: #008000 2px solid; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px"> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial">----- Original Message ----- </DIV> <DIV style="BACKGROUND: #e4e4e4; FONT: 10pt arial; font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A title=dhenwood@panix.com href="mailto:dhenwood@panix.com">Doug Henwood</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>To:</B> <A title=lbo-talk@lbo-talk.org href="mailto:lbo-talk@lbo-talk.org">lbo-talk</A> </DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Sent:</B> Tuesday, April 15, 2003 11:17 AM</DIV> <DIV style="FONT: 10pt arial"><B>Subject:</B> [lbo-talk] how's it feel?</DIV> <DIV><BR></DIV>The Times of London has asked me to do a piece on what it feels like <BR>to be a peacenik (the editor's word, Carrol) in America today. I more <BR>or less know how I feel, but I'm wondering how others feel - <BR>isolated? hopeful? despondent? shocked? confused? regretful?<BR><BR>Doug<BR>___________________________________<BR><A href="http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/mailman/listinfo/lbo-talk">http://mailman.lbo-talk.org/mailman/listinfo/lbo-talk</A><BR></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>