[lbo-talk] who

[Gary?]

are the real revolutionaries ? revisiting old thoughts and memories, reading all this discussion, feeling a bit anti-intellectual, asking the question what do Marxists do and no reply. I ask the question in ernest, I've seen years of debate, the nuances of soviet characters dissected and digested, the demonstrations, triumphant discoveries of the evils of the capitalist empire held aloft for the world to see but the only changes have been to the detriment of the common man. What have dissidents and radicals done for society ? In my own country that 'firebrand' Tariq Ali has had a few years 'to do something' but "he has devoted himself to writing books, newspaper articles and polemical commentary on social and political matters. Still a radical, he has remained at the forefront of anti-war campaigns. Conflicts in Iraq, Afghanistan and Serbia have all led Tariq to speak out." 
Well thanks mate, but what have you done ?
If I can compare that to a conservative labour politician -Clem Attlee who gave the British worker free healthcare, free education, subsidised housing, etc.
Surely the only change that will come outside of government will be catastrophic change, man the barricades, prepare to die for your beliefs. 
If change has to be engineered from the inside then the left should infiltrate the democrats as the far right has infiltrated the republicans. Rather than stand back and ridicule the party it should be recognised that here is the means for success, we just need to get in the drivers seat. Forget third parties and candidates, re-create the democratic party to our image.
We have seen demonstrations do nothing except give authority the excuse to tighten controls., don't storm the police station, vote our man in as chief.
Or is it not change you seek but the distraction of outraged discontent , an intellectual excercise ?
I'm just here for an education, I don't know, I'm just asking.

Gary?
ride si sapis
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