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Posted November 1, 2002
Don't
Stop Marching
I
was cheered to read the clear call
for unity you [Justin Raimondo] wrote for Mother Jones. I've
been following your writings since I followed the link from Counterpunch
some time ago. You know, a lot of folks on the left have so stereotyped
the "right" that they don't know an anti-imperialist position
such as yours even exists. I remember seeing Amy Goodman of Democracy
Now on C-SPAN during the NATO assault on Yugoslavia being completely
flummoxed to find so many callers from the right (Republican line) opposing
the bombing. Me, I've always described Mr. Buchanan as my "evil twin."
I agree with Pat on many issues.
Anyway, I'm glad you marched in San Francisco. Please don't stop marching. Our numbers mean something. I've endured these want-to-be-Lenins for decades. You can take it. As I watched the broadcast from Washington before leaving for the Seattle march, I noticed that no one bothered to simply read from Bush's Strategic policy document. Instead they shouted on and on about whatever. I care for Ramsey Clark and find him courageous and humane, but I think the guy was actually frothing at the mouth while he spoke.
Home Run
Justin Raimondo hit a home run with "I Ain't Marchin' Anymore." He shows why the mainstream has nothing to fear from you. As a veteran of the Vietnam antiwar movement, I learned very quickly that most of the organizers had their own single-issue ax to grind. Nothing has changed. I was anti-Vietnam war because I was a two-tour veteran and many of my brothers were dying for nothing because the politicians wanted to wage a politically-correct war. You can't have it both ways. You play to win, work to win and fight to win. The wisest course of action when confronted by a threat? Kill 'em all, let God sort it out.
Side Issues
Regarding "I Ain't Marchin' Anymore" by Justin Raimondo:
The real reason why Left peace marches get bogged down in side issues is because the marchers thinks that this is the only way to get these concerns out in the public because mainstream news outlets don't give a damn. Also, marches are done by coalition groups, so everybody has their banner out. Let us not forget that it took years for a peace movement to get started protesting the Vietnam war, and that was due to the draft and the number of filled bodybags returning home. Civil rights protests partially spawned Vietnam protests, which opened the door for women's lib, the reappearance of Marxism-Leninism and Anarchism (shoved under the carpet by Tailgunner Joe), gay rights, and their coalition groups which marched with Mr. Raimondo. I expect you will see a hardening of focus when the bodybags begin flying in, because Bush will not be swayed by anybody.
Off-Topic
Regarding "I Ain't Marchin' Anymore" by Justin Raimondo:
You are absolutely spot on. The organizers of these rallies are completely off-topic, puerile, self-promoting, and self-defeating. They might as well be working for the other side (which I suspect some do).
The 'ordinary' American needs to be spoken to in his own language. He also needs to be presented with simple – but striking – ideas as to what America's future might look like under the Warfare Queens. ...
Be Patient
I read today's article, "I Ain't Marchin' Anymore" [by Justin Raimondo], and I think I feel and understand both your frustration, and your well-made points. Being a Greek non-dogmatic "leftie", who spent nine of his best years in the US, I feel like asking you – and all our Antiwar.com friends – to be patient. I also feel that, in a way, I should apologize on behalf of some fellow leftists, even if I have had no chance to meet them, or you. Why should I offer apologies at all?
I apologize for an attitude which can be found in some people of the Greek Left too. The "I know everything – I am so much holier than y'all" attitude. I know I do not need to say anything more, you understand my point.
But I want you to know that, personally, I feel Antiwar.com is one of the best antiwar sites (I visit you every day, and I have contributed my little money too – this being the minimum I could do to help your good work), it has the best all-around press coverage. I have translated many of the newspapers' articles I found on your site and have given them to the (leftist) Athens daily AVGI. Half of my (of course always unpaid – I do not intend to make a buck out of antiwar work) translations have been published (with all the proper acknowledgments, of course)....
Please give my special thanks to my compatriot, Mrs. Jatras, for her remarkable work on Yugoslavia. I agree 100% with her analyses, and I am moved by her adroitness and moral courage. I have even seen Col. Jatras (retired) on the TV, giving a hard time to General Clark (retired) regarding the "good intentions" behind those bombings. Good job!
Should it be considered strange that a "leftie" like me agrees with many of such brilliant analyses, coming from y'all? I do not think so. People should be free to communicate ideas.... Just for the record – and for defying Echelon – I should say that I am a member of the small SYN (Synaspismos = "Coalition") moderate leftist party – 3% of the electorate, 6/300 Parliament seats, and I also happen to contribute to the Foreign Policy team of SYN. Some of your analyses have reached far and wide, indeed!
There are so many remarkable American antiwar conservatives, like Pat, yourself, Scott Ritter, and others, whose points of view are so interesting and helpful for a truly "antiwar" movement, that I think it would be a major loss for the case of common good to have those voices sidelined. I do not agree with "excluding" anyone from participating in the defense of the cause of freedom and peaceful future of humanity. I am confident that you Americans, being practical people, will find ways to do your antiwar work efficiently, together – sooner or later. Please let me know if I could help in any way. I feel I owe this to the Americans ... since I have spent nine of my most productive and pleasant years in the good-old US of A, Texas included (yes, Rep. Ron Paul makes a brave antiwar stance!) and I have very fond memories of your country. ...
"When push comes to shove" (a nonviolent shove – God forbid, we do not need to go after more violence), I feel that all the right people, regardless of political-ideological "labels" (that others try to put on them) will end up on the right side. And that may be the end of the efforts to turn America into an Empire, and the rest of the West into vassals, and the rest of the world into colonies. I do not want to see that happening, and I would not care if it happened either with a socialist or a capitalist mantle! Liberty is an all-important value.
So, lets defend liberty in unison, and defend the antiwar cause in unison too. We all need to work with all our strength towards this direction, even if we need to "tolerate" some unpleasantries. So, please, try to "march again", and if you decide to do it, take heart from the fact that at least one Greek leftie (actually much more than one, trust me) will be expecting to hear your impressions and your points of view, while wishing from his heart for unity and effectiveness in the American (and Greek, and every) antiwar movement. I see no "reactionaries" in our camp. ...
~ Theo Iliadis, organic chemist, Ph.D. , Univ. of Texas at Austin
Just a small thank you for working hard and providing an immensely valuable news service to the world. Your Macedonian pages are well appreciated as you are providing news about a small country in a troubled region.
Effective Method
Your organization is a Godsend.
I joined the effort to keep America at peace and prosperous back in 1962.
There was only one effective method to solve the problem then and now. The soulless politicians that have sold out America have to be removed from office. We were effective up to the Vietnam war. War emergencies are the White House tool to shut down all resistance.
Your best bet, with all the interest you have generated is to go right after each and every Congressman that gave President Bush the unconstitutional authority to declare war. The Constitution is explicit: only a vote of both houses of Congress can declare war.
Action: Start a drive anywhere you have support to start a recall of their senators or congressmen that voted to give Bush the power to declare war on Iraq. This is a right given to the voters in every state constitution.
This is what I propose to do here in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana. I am going to concentrate on the young people, they have their life and future at risk. The senior citizens could not care less about a war – and they are responsible for letting things get so far out of hand, and allowing the politicians in Washington to do anything they want.
I was the county chairman in Martin County Florida for the Eight is Enough amendment to the Florida Constitution to limit the terms of all Florida elected politicians in the State Legislature and in Congress. It went on the ballot, and received an 82% yes vote.
That's how effective you can be if you start the movement. Marching in the streets, and complaining will fall on deaf ears of politicians that have no threat of getting kicked out of office. Even if the drive fails, you will scare the hell out of these soulless politicians who are basically cowards, who took an oath of office to defend the constitution and have defiled it. ...
~ R.Y.