<html> <head> <style> P { margin:0px; padding:0px } body { FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY:Tahoma } </style> </head> <body><div style="text-align: left;">Doug posted a reply from Postel: I knew Postel was aware of those signatures because I copied and pasted them from his interview.  My point, for what it is worth (and it is worth a great deal in my view) is that left-wing intellectuals are by no means automatically reticent on the issue.  It is a simple matter of asking.  The fact that liberals are more concerned with Iran than other instances merely adverts to their priorities.  I know Adam Michnick must have been very keen, although he is an apologist for other kinds of tyranny these days, and genuine Islamophobe (you'd think someone exposed to Polish antisemitism would know better). The radical or revolutionary left may not all have links with prominent Iranian dissidents.  On the other hand, there is a huge revolt in Egypt at the moment and I would be astounded if many leftist intellectuals were deeply involved with the liberation struggle in Egypt.  Similarly, there is a massive struggle in a country directly contiguous with Iran right now, to liberate the country from its current oppressors.  Some of us have tried to forge links with those who are involved, but most people have either been unwilling for doctrinal reasons or unable to. Actually, how many leftists have done more than sign a petition for Nepal, or the Moros for that matter?  To persist in the same theme, could we find a ubiquitous leftist activism on the matter of the recent suppression in Somalia? I repeat and underline: Postel's attitude is unnecessarily smug and moralistic, failing to take account of the face that people have limited resources and tend to target them where they can have most effect.  As a Leninist, I offer some possibilities for revolutionary realpolitik: the American left would be advised to form links with those on the Iranian left who aren't barking mad (like the MEK or the followers of Houzan Mahmoud), who oppose imperialism and who are genuinely fighting for freedom.  It would be both politic and in concord with socialist principles to find and support such people.  However, the deployment of forces (petitioners, leafleters, protesters) depends on how effective they can be.  That's something that people other than Iranian activists have had to live with for some time, and if it stands as a condemnation, it isn't only or mainly a condemnation of the Western Left. </div> <hr id="stopSpelling"> <hr />Live Search: Better results, fast <a href='http://get.live.com/search/overview' target='_new'>Try it now!</a></body> </html>