On 2010-09-18, at 8:29 AM, Eric Beck wrote:
> It seemed to me that your questions specifically
> assumed that leftists should clear their demands with representative
> Hispanic organizations and that if there is not agreement on a
> political program, then the "mass demonstrations of recent years
> [should] have been boycotted by the US left and leafletted from the
> sidelines". I took your post to be asking serious questions, not
> rhetorical ones.
It's tendentious to pretend that you read my clearly rhetorical question to Carrol about boycotting demonstrations which don't subscribe to his view on open borders as my endorsing such abstention as a general rule. This discussion was prompted by his statement that "mass movements destroy themselves if they make their demands 'reasonable' " - which you enthusiastically endorsed, and then energetically took after me for challenging it.
> Oh, now I see the point of the references to antiwar protests. You
> were there, man, and your experiences are universal, while I'm a
> neophyte. I'm tempted to whip out my resume at this point, but I'd
> rather not play that game.
Yes, I do think that those like yourself and Carrol who comment so assuredly (and mostly dismissively) about how movements or unions or political parties should proceed should have some experience in them, or, as a minimum, some informed understanding of the relationship between demands, the level of popular consciousness, and the balance of forces. It follows that I don't think there is a cookie cutter template for all forms of protest.