[Marxism] [SV-Circle] Robert Simms: 'A soldier' for 38 years as a cadre

[Robert Johnson]

The same issue of The Militant prints a commendation for Robert Simms by
Sophie Harkat, wife of the Canadian political prisoner Mohammed Harkat
(imprisoned once again earlier this week), and a steadfast fighter for
democratic rights in her own right.

In contrast, the mindset of Jack Barnes, the leader of the SWP and CL, was
illustrated by two of his comments that The Militant chose not to report.
Working in the trade unions under today's conditions is so difficult yet so
vital, he said, that a future generation will erect a statue to honor us for
this work. At another point in his talk Barnes hailed Robert Simms's
purported repudiation of "violence and hatred." Barnes condemned such
sentiments outright, without indicating that the ruling class bears the
responsibility for war and other forms of violence, that hatred of racism
and oppression is progressive, and that the oppressed and exploited must
free themselves, as Malcolm X said, "by any means necessary." 

The report in the paper fails to convey the leaden atmosphere of the
gathering. The speeches lasted a couple of hours. None of them mentioned any
current struggles.