[lbo-talk] Re: boycotting the unorganized

Brian Charles Dauth magcomm at ix.netcom.com
Sun Jan 23 18:07:40 PST 2005


Dear List:

Turbulo wrote:


> Identity politics: Many people see their "own oppression"
as the principal locus of all political and social struggle, and hence the yardstick by which everything else is measured. The class struggle has no special significance for them.

The class struggle is one of many struggles that people are involved in. There is also the gender struggle, the sexual struggle, the race struggle. The class struggle does not trump all others, nor are all others subsidiary to the class struggle (though according to Lacny Reductive Thinking [LRT] they are).


> Respecting picket lines is a rule of collective behavior,

Isn't supporting the right to sexual self-expression also a rule of collective behavior? Oh, that's right. If we did that heterosexual privilege would be threatened. Can't have that can we. Sorry.


> which appears to infringe upon individual autonomy--the
supreme value of the petty bourgeoisie and those--most people in this country and many on the left--who share its ideology.

More LRT. The issue is not individual autonomy vs. collective action. This issue is how to find the middle path between the two that takes advantage of the best aspects of both, while leaving the negative behind. Once again I suggest Nargarjuna.

Brian Dauth Queer Buddhist Resister



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