On Sat, 30 Dec 2006 21:06:12 -0600 Chuck <chuck at mutualaid.org> writes:
> Jim Farmelant wrote:
>
> > The International Socialists' article on Emma Goldman
> > might have some relavance to the discussion of
> > issues in this thread. See:
> > http://www.isreview.org/issues/34/emmagoldman.shtml
>
> Jesus Christ! Digging out an article from the ISO? Boy, like they
> have
> any credibility.
>
> I remember reading this piece of garbage from Selfa. He ends the
> piece
> by saying that Emma Goldman was an individualist. Totally
> ridiculous.
>
> And what the fuck does this have to do with Cuba?
I would say everything, or almost everything, since the way Emma approached the issues of her day, especially concerning Russia and Spain, is not so different from the way that you approach issues like Cuba. And your brand of elitist, utopian politics is not so different from her brand. Just as Emma Goldman scorned the struggles of her day for things like the eight-hour day or women's sufferage, so you expressed scorn for the achievments of the Cuban Revolution like free and universal public education, free health care, guaranteed employment etc. But just as importantly, I think the article was good on pointing out the inapplicability of many of Emma Goldman's principles to real life political struggles. The citing of Emma's bending and even breaking of her own political principles in regards to Spain was most telling, as she found herself defending the decisions of the Spanish anarchists to participate (as cabinet ministers no less!) in the Spanish Republican government along with their decisions to back the development of a professional army for the Spanish Republic.
>
> Chuck0
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