Michael Smith wrote:
>
> On Sun, 28 Dec 2008 22:28:41 -0600
> "C. G. Estabrook" <galliher at uiuc.edu> wrote:
>
> > So it's up to us to see that our government makes the call...
>
> Good luck with that.
Obviously, there exists no force now in the u.s. that can compel the government to do or not do anything. Just as obviously there exists a potential force (now, not just when 'we' change peoples minds) to exert considerable force on the government, in reference to this or any other issue. Here I mean the 10s of thousands (minimum) of u.s. residents who, _right now_ and any time the last two or three decades) disapprove strongly of Zionist aggression AND, under the 'right' circumstances** (see famous opening of 18th Brumaire) would be willing to take to the streets,* activating that potential.
But (still in the realm of the obvious)the cooperating local activist groups and local activist leadership does NOT exist at present to carry out the necessary mobilization, even were the circumstances to make it possible to be present. Circumstances + (at least semi) experienced local cadre in some sort of contact with siilar leadership elsewhere is the formula for the force desired here.
Stil, probably, in the realm of the obvious: The existence of the necessary local cadre depends on the willingness of thousands of people scattered about the country to keep trying (unsuccessfully) to organize over yers and even decades. And where even two or three such activists exist their main task in such organizing has been to reach and recruit those who already agree with them on some important range of issues but are trapped in the electoral fantasy that change depends on changing opinons rather than mobilizing those already in agreement. Where local groups _do_ exist, and those groups remain active (however fuilely) over time they _do_ tend to grow some -- a new member here, a new member there. And each such growth multiplies the number of passive sympathizers who re _reachable by the group when circumstances (not creatable or predictable in advance) make such outreach possible.
Out reach by active leftists to passive leftists is the activity that keeps a potential left alive and capable of great expnsion under the right conditions. Absorption by electoral politics or by 'educational' efforts to change the minds of those not in agreement on the issues are the two great and constant barriers to this activity. Every leftist who focuses on how to change the minds of Republicans or centrist Democrats makes of him/herself a barrier to building a left that can act now, which then is a barrier to the efficacy and growth of a mass movement under now non-rpedicable conditions.
Carrol
*"Take to the streets" is shorthand here for a large array of activities which share only two features:d they are _not_ electoral and they _are_ visible to a wider public Perhaps a third feature: they are _not_ primarily aimed at "changing minds" on the question of Zionism or any other general issue but on inspiriting and rallying those _already_ opposed to Zionism.
**We do _not_ know, we cannot know in advancne, just precisely _what_ cirumstances are required. One cannot predict such conditions through generalization from empirical data concerning the present. Theoretical work, grounded in an abstract understanding of fundamental social dynamics _may_ give a rough idea of what to look for and how to respond.