[Marxism] A letter to a Marxmail subscriber

[Jscotlive at aol.com]

CB:
 
The main purpose of mass action in the "streets", like Civil  Rights
Sit-in demonstrations at Dixie lunch counters, or a Sit-down strike  in
Flint, is to change the government's actions and laws. The actions  in
the streets in the 30's, like the Ford Hunger March, resulted in the  DP
under Roosevelt legalizing unions, establishing unemployment  insurance,
WPA, Social Security, welfare aid etc. In other words, the  workers'
action in the streets attained its aims, including especially  electing
people or influencing elected people who will change the law. Let  me
repeat that: change the law. 

Reply:
 
Wrong. The main purpose of mass action in the streets for Marxists is to  
deepen the consciousness of the working class and to give them a sense of their  
own strength when acting as one.
 
The notion that revocable reforms in any way constitutes the endgame is to  
ensure the continuance of the status quo. Surely nobody on here wants  that.
 
Also, re your earlier statement about LBJ not being a racist, I suggest  that 
a few million Vietnamese might disagree with you.
 
I recall a conversation with Ramsey Clark years. I asked him what led to  his 
Damascene conversion to progressive politics. One of the main reasons were  
the cabinet meetings held in the Oval Office during the Vietnam War, which LBJ  
would open with the question: 'How many gooks have we killed this  week?'
 
 
J