-------- Original Message -------- Subject: Re: [lbo-talk] Canada (was Fw: Greg Palast: Bye-Bye Ronnie Reagan--Killer, Coward, Conman Date: Sat, 12 Jun 2004 18:45:32 -0500 From: Carrol Cox <cbcox at ilstu.edu> To: lbo-talk at lbo-talk.org References: <6.1.1.1.2.20040609183959.036afe08 at pop-server.tampabay.rr.com><5ED2CCB4-BB2D-11D8-83CE-000A95807F3E at igc.org><6.1.1.1.2.20040612115632.03548218 at pop-server.tampabay.rr.com><40CB3ED3.4DEAA1D1 at ilstu.edu> <p060020a4bcf1118a4d90@[192.168.0.30]>
dano wrote:
>
>
> ISTR that two years ago the fervor was at such a pitch that many
> people who were not of the right wing were literally afraid to speak
> in public, much less speak out in a public forum.
Some were, but not all even in September. The opposition to the Afghanistan War began here in early October 2001, and we got a large turnout at our first meeting. I felt exhilarated at the early beginning of sizable anti-war activity, and I still see the terrain as more advantageous for the left than it has been at any time since the defeat of ERA -- regardless of how the election turns out.
Though taking advantage of that improved political terrain depends on making the demand, U.S. Troops Out Now, No Conditions, the common element in all left activity.
> If things go bad in
> the polls or in the war we could get a return of the locked-down
> posture that created that. Or worse.
> Just thinking about the next earthquake...
But that "locked-down posture" never existed. Rather the opposite.
Carrol
P.S. Those policy wonks that still want to worry endlessly about the niceties of U.S. policy in Iraq should read Lapham's "Chasing the Pot" in the current Harper's. If U.S. leftists stick uncompromsingly to "U.S. Out of Everywhere!" our great grandchildren will sing great songs in our honor.