[Marxism] October 27th demos

[Pat Costello]

David McDonald comments:
> 
> 1. Following the largest antiwar protests in history
on February 15th, 2003, the US antiwar movement split
into two main  (but unequal)  segments: United for
Peace and Justice and the  A.N.S.W.E.R. Coalition, 

ME: You are quite wrong on this and a number of
points. ANSWER and UFPJ worked as a coalition until
December of 2005 when UFPJ announced it would no
longer work with ANSWER. Until that point, the two
organizations had co-sponsored a number of successful
demonstrations, the last being September 24, 2005. 




In an earlier post David said:

>>I participated in the meeting in 2004, for  the
second anniversary demonstration, when ANSWER captured
itself and a couple of other ultraleft organizations
with its "correct" politics, leaving the movement
divided and in disarray for three years.<<<

Me: In March of 2004, ANSWER and UFPJ co-sponsored a
very successful demonstration in NYC with an estimated
300,000 people. Where's the "disarray"? 

I have been to a number of UFPJ demonstrations and
there are ALWAYS ANSWER signs present. The most recent
was the UFPJ demonstration against the Israeli
occupation early this year. (THAT was a FLOP!)

I have also been to a number of ANSWER demonstrations
and there are NEVER any UFPJ signs. 




David:
>>It thus lead to  demonstrations with idiotic slogans
like "U.S. Out of Everywhere." I'm not kidding.<<

Me: I don't think I have ever been to a large
political demonstration in my life where everyone had
a politically correct sign. You can't be both
"inclusive" and "exclusive" at the same time. 




David: 
>>>we are obligated  to work to present and preserve
the unity of  antiwar forces if we can do so without
betraying the cause of opposition to the war. <<

Me: Agreed. That is why I work in ANSWER which has
always called for a united front. 




David: 
>Especially since the consciously anti-imperialist
forces are unable to muster anything like the crowds
the mainstream organizations  bring out. <<

Me: You underestimate ANSWER. The recent September 15
demonstration in DC was as large as many of the
earlier demonstrations. There have been a number of
respectably sized ANSWER demonstrations including one
estimated at 300,000 in DC in 2003. 

David: 
> 6. I was therefore pleased to learn this summer that
> ANSWER had decided 
> to endorse the slogan ("End the War Now") and the
> logistics (regional 
> demonstrations in ~9 cities) and to work in a common
> coalition with UfPJ 
> for this fall's main demonstration. 


Me: The coalition you refer to is only on the west
coast where UFPJ does not toe the line laid down by
UFPJ in New York.  Believe me, the UFPJ folks in New
York hiss like cats when they see an ANSWER sign
(especially one that has something about Palestine). I
don't think there will be a NY coalition any time
soon. I would gladly work with UFPJ but UFPJ will not
work with me. Also, the March 15 slogan was "stop the
war machine", so I don't think that "end the war now"
signifies a huge shift. 




David: The fact that the
> two people who DID 
> respond were, in once case, attempting to pretend
> that a stupendous (and 
> very positive) change in political orientation
> exists only in my 
> imagination, 

Me: Either it was your imagination or all of those
demonstrations that I mentioned were just a mass
collective delusion.

And actually, I was presenting you with factual and
well-documented information. You replied with
condescension and vulgarity. Then you say you are
disappointed that no one wants to engage you in
discussion. 




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