From: "cwright" <cwright-AT-21stcentury.net>
Subject: Re: AUT: Re: Antiterrorism = development of terror againstourstruggles
Date: Wed, 19 Dec 2001 20:01:57 -0600


First, the reactionary role of Catholicism has only been mitigated by
revolutionary struggle.  A section of the Catholic Church decided to follow
the workers and peasants (some out of sincere support, some out of
opportunistic desire to maitain a base.)  But the Catholic Church has still
been quite a reactionary force regarding women and homsexuality.  Notice the
lack of abortion rights, the lack of women's services, etc.

Second, it is NOT hard to imagine a 'Left' expression of Islam in the face
of mass struggle, a kind of 'liberation Islam'.  If it has not happened much
(although it did happen in places like Algeria), it has suffered from two
aspects: in some respects, Latin America has seen a deeper radicalization,
but that radicalism has also less often succeeded in taking state power,
unlike some more radical nationalisms in the Middle East and North Africa.
I think the different conditions mean much more than 'fascist' Islam, much
less 'Islamicism', which many people, including Muslims, consider
reactionary.

Just a brief thought.

Chris
----- Original Message -----
From: "Peter van Heusden" <pvh-AT-wfeet.za.net>
To: <aut-op-sy-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu>
Sent: Monday, December 17, 2001 11:32 PM
Subject: Re: AUT: Re: Antiterrorism = development of terror
againstourstruggles


> On 16 Dec 2001 at 9:42, Harald Beyer-Arnesen wrote:
>
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Amiri K. Barksdale <abarksdale-AT-mail.thenation.com>
> > Date: 14. desember 2001 7:10
> > Subject: Re: AUT: Re: Antiterrorism = development of terror
> > againstourstruggles
> >
> >
> > >Harald:
> > >
> > >I still dont understand why you think there is something so
> > >especially important about Islamism, when concrete history shows it
> > >to be a result of the failures of the working class struggles from
> > >late 60s early 70s, like cults, gangsterism, and lumpenism in
> > >general-- ..........
> >
> > I think this "why" might be one of the things I might need better time
> > to express clearly, as for me it so obvious. The degree of importance
> > I am however uncertain enough, also since I am not as updated on the
> > subject as I would have liked to be. I find your analysis odd. My
> > question is for instance, why did the ovethrow of the Shah result in a
> > theocratic regime?
>
> [etc, snipped]
>
> Very interesting questions. I hadn't thought about things in exactly this
> way before.
>
> For me one of the most interesting aspects of Islam is its material
> practice. Muslims in Cape Town are very much practically involved in
> charitable work - 40 000 meals got dished out on Eid, for instance.
> One of my comrades in Tafelsig is only able to survive, in part,
> because of support from the community of his mosque. As I argued
> recently, Islam exists as a material reality which appears to be very
> much allied with the underdog in Cape Town. Now, in this it is hardly
> unique - churches, for instance, play something of the same role
> elsewhere. But there is something peculiar about the material practice
> of Islam in Cape Town, and maybe elsewhere, that makes it stand out
> and be much more politically visible.
>
> This poses a challenge for people used to Marxist analysis, because to
> understand the material practice of Islam purely through economic
> catagories is to miss something important. In fact, I think what we're
> dealing with here is an excellent example of where autonomists' style
> of analysis, focussing on how social relations arise / are imposed
> continually (as opposed to once, in some distant primitive
> accumulation moment) through material practice. Unfortunately, I feel
> rather at a loss in terms of material to study this phenomenon, so I'm
> relatively powerless in posing some developed alternative in contrast
> to the old abstractions.
>
> On the question, why not South America - I'd be interested if anyone
> has knowledge of how the church operates in various areas of South
> America. I know, for instance, that the Catholic church has been very
> visible in Chiapas, in a way that seems somehow influenced by
> liberation theology. Why turn to the 'leftism' of liberation theology
> rather than some ultra-orthodox condemnation of secular authority as
> corrupt, and in need of replacement by theocracy?
>
> Peter--
> Peter van Heusden                     pvh-AT-wfeet.za.net
> Tel: +27 (0)83 256 0457
>
>
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