<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD HTML 4.01 Transitional//EN"> <html> <head> <title></title> </head> <body> Wojtek Sokolowski wrote: <blockquote type="cite" cite="mid0IVK006KSNE452@jhuml3.jhu.edu"> <pre wrap=""> Stated differently, I have been arguing all the way that the only way for the left to become a noticeable (if not major) political force in this country is to start building major national political and cultural instituions representing its view point - starting with the available institutional resources: unions, Democrats, liberal civil society organizations, left leaning organized religion, etc. - even is they seem inadequate in a long run. This is what the Repugs did and won.</pre> </blockquote> Yes and no. There was plenty of grass-roots activism from the left, plenty of women's groups, plenty of consciousness raising, plenty of community and environment protection groups, etc. But the bottom line is that the Repugs are supporting the status quo (or worse) and have funding that exceeds that of the left by several degrees of magnitude and that the left opposes the status quo and lacks comparable funding. And the repugs have the armed forces and the police on their side. Consider what happened at the neo-nazi rally in Florida last week: the nazis marched in a black neighborhood shouting racial slurs and proclaiming white power and were protected by the police while the counter demonstrators were arrested. <blockquote type="cite" cite="mid0IVK006KSNE452@jhuml3.jhu.edu"> <pre wrap=""> The "traditional" forms of left "activistism" - clowning in the streets, cursing at the officials whom you want to take your side, shocking people or insulting their common sense, smashing windows, or rioting may add a feather or two to the caps of the more macho "activistists" - but it is totally counterproductive form of "organizing." IMHO, it is the main reason why the Left is so unpopular today - it grossly overplayed the "in your face" card and was caught with their pants down while the world around them changed profoundly. </pre> </blockquote> Then how do you account for the success and dissemination of "in-your-face" repug/conservative  verbiage and posturing? Anne Coulter, Geraldo, Bill Reily, etc.. IT's exactly what you're complaining about, but seems to have great appeal and to have set the standard for "debate" and public speech in this country. <blockquote type="cite" cite="mid0IVK006KSNE452@jhuml3.jhu.edu"> <pre wrap=""> Joanna</pre> </blockquote> </body> </html>