[Marxism] Last-minute stab by rightist Dobson against Obama

[David McDonald]

Fred writes:

I think the election of Obama is not simply a lesser evil, but an actual
step FORWARD for the people of this country. One of the points I keep
making is that Obama does not just advocate change. Because of his
nationality, HIS ELECTION IS CHANGE AND FOR THE BETTER. And it is taking
place as part of a broader shift that is more favorable to us.

My support for McKinney and Clemente is based on estimating them as a
vanguard expression of this process.

If some comrades think that crossing class lines in a polling booth is some
mortal sin, well, I don't. But just in case, Joaquin can always go to
confession on Sunday and be absolved.

He's lucky. I would have to wait for Yom Kippur.



David responds:

I'd like to thank Fred and Joaquin in particular for bringing flexible 
(some would say and have said, reformist) thinking to the discussion of 
Obama's candidacy.

I have decided to vote for Obama. Although tending that way for some 
time, my decision was solidified by something that happened in the 
Martin Luther King Celebration Committee here in Seattle.

This Committee is the longest-standing community organization honoring 
King's memory in the country, with annual demonstrations on King's 
birthday going back to 1983. The Committee meets from October through 
January, and usually draws from 20-30 activists per meeting. It is 
overwhelmingly but by no means exclusively Black, and seeks to be 
diverse by inclination and policy. The rally speakers' list and workshop 
membership are always racially diverse, for instance.

Anyway, the Committee re-convened early in October to begin discussions 
for the 2009 event. At the first meeting I initiated a short informal 
discussion before the meeting about Obama's chances. I said I thought he 
was going to win, for sure, but many around the table including some 
very senior Black activists demurred, saying basically they feared the 
Bradley effect while one guy said simply, "I don't trust white America." 
Well, who could blame him? I don't trust white America myself. But, as 
Joaquin has pointed out, Obama does not need a majority of white 
Americans to vote for him in order to win.

In any case, as the discussion continued for a short while, people began 
to talk about what would happen if Obama did win. The discussion was all 
in the mode of, "If we win,..." then a conjecture. What was important to 
me was that the "we" referred NOT the Democratic Party, but to Black 
people overall.

This strand has been discussed theoretically on the list by Fred, 
Joaquin and others, talking about Trotsky's phrase of voting for the 
Black person, not the Democrat. I'm just reporting on the factual level 
that that sentiment is very alive with the Black activists in the MLK 
Celebration Committee in Seattle.

I asked my closest collaborator among these folks, a youngish Black 
woman whom I've worked extensively with on peace movement and Black 
issues, and who was (before Obama's candidacy) very drawn to the 
McKinney campaign (as was I), how she was feeling about the election, 
and her answer was "scared". I don't know what about, whether about 
potential violence, about getting her hopes let down, or what. I let it go.

Interestingly, other than the decision to move our traditional meeting 
from Tuesday to Wednesday so as not to conflict with election night 
activities, there was actually no discussion about Obama at the next 
meeting, even informally. I got the feeling that everyone in the room 
was holding their breath, wanting to feel good about the election but 
fearful of yet another shattering disappointment, and maybe a little 
jittery about jinxing the whole thing by celebrating in anticipation.

In any case, I'm voting for Obama because I want to be with these folks 
all the way on election night. It's too bad that Cynthia's campaign 
happened to run up against Obama's candidacy, because she is a very cool 
person, a serious radical politician and someone well worth working your 
ass off for under other circumstances, but I have stopped doing 
political work out of dutifulness. Tough for Cynthia, she deserves 
better, but that's no reason I have to bang my head against the wall 
this year.