Date: Sun, 28 Sep 1997 01:51:45 -0400
Subject: M-G: COCKROACH! #85 (Reply to Vera)


COCKROACH! #85

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1.  Reply to Malecki;  re Sparts, Dems and 'Grandpa Bob'

2. Reply to Vera!

3. Reply to Walter D. on Bussing!

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Reply to Malecki;  re Sparts, Dems and 'Grandpa Bob'

Earl writes;
>
>Brother Malecki,
>
>1. Thanks for the pat on the head (and heart), but I take your comments as if
>you were the only one out here in the struggle, welcoming newfound children
>into the outer folds of your garments.(But, then, maybe it's me and
>unresolved parent issues.)
>
>2. My point on the Spartacists and their inviting Dems (no, I wasn't
>referring to Jamal's case, but a local one about anti-Klan demonstrators;
>same situation tho.):
>they invite them, but have no challenge for them to *do* anything beyond lend
>their "legitimacy". I've subscribed for many years to WV, and don't recall
>seeing critiques of their favorite Dems or union leaders.

I do not really get what you are trying to say with the above. And I am not 
a regular reader of WV at least the last ten years. By the way don't knock 
the grandpa stuff-all of us were little and new nothing about revolutionary 
politics including me and in fact especially me!  However below...You say 
>
>3. Many agree with the need to 'break' with the Dems, but can't conceive of
>building the cohesion, strategy and tactics needed to break from pressuring
>the AFL-CIO and do independent organizing from the understanding that the top
>levels of both are fervently opposed to developing our class power. Others
>are posing the issue from summing up bitter experience with the 'progressive'
>AFL leadership, a la Staley and Detroit. I think we need to develop centers
>which do have this independent class-struggle perspective, both union and
>non-union. That's one goal of our tiny efforts at developing the fight
>against the impact of welfare warfare.

Well I think you are confusing the need to break with the democratic party 
which is absolutely right and pasting that position on to the mass 
organizations blaming it on the leadership. This is sectarian and wrong. Yes 
"Break with the Democrats!
but Communists and especially Trotskyists do not call for workers to break 
with their own organizations the trade unions that they built. Instead 
Communist fight inside the trade unions with a revolutionary program to win 
the most advanced workers to the vanguard. party. While at the same time in 
every partial struggle stand on the side of the workers. There is nothing 
wrong with trade unions in the sense of being workers organizations that 
communist on principle are members of. The problem is getting rid of the 
leadership that has the wrong program and in American ties the working class 
to the coattails of the Democratic party..

>
>(Your friends, the Spartacists, show no appetite for engaging in 'really
>existing' class fights right on their doorstep. This is not a blanket
>condemnation; they do prioritize anti-Klan work. But, for just one example,
>here in Chicago where they do have some people and contacts, their practical
>politics is to abstain from the severe crisis in public education, attacks on
>teachers' and other union workers, etc.)

Well, I can not from here judge the resources that the ICL has in Chicago in 
relationship to the tasks they have their. The point being that in order to 
take part in struggles one might necessarily have the forces to do so. For 
example I do not think that and organization with a few people and some 
sympathizers in one particular areas means that one gets involved in mass 
struggles. Perhaps not even any trade union work at all! It really depends 
on the human material linked to the local party branch connected to the 
national and international tasks the ICL has put forth in its internal 
tasks, perspectives and goals in the coming period. Because what the 
essential pre-exquisite for any communists is building local, national and 
International in relationship to the resources and human material that 
exists. Anything else would be a utopian pipedream. Because without a party 
you are in deep shit without a paddle..

Warm Regards
Bob Malecki
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Reply to Vera!

Vera writes;

>Wow Bob!  Quite an impressive agenda for discussion.  You've identified 
>very important issues.  Also, I wonder if you could send me some material 
>on the position  of persons with disabilities in Sweden.  My own research 
>concerns disabled women's activism in Canada.  Best wishes, Vera Chouinard

Hi Vera,

I don't really understand what you mean by the above. I think you mean what 
are the positions of people with handicaps in this country on this stuff. 
Actually I was at the first conference anywhere in the world where under 
developed people and mental handicapped people on there own put forth their 
own ideas for how they think things should be. On Gotland a big island in 
the Baltic sea a year ago.

 It was a very touching conference where for example a women who could not 
move either hands or legs nor speak and had difficulty with hearing. She had 
a personal assistant who with sign language kept her informed of what was 
being said and with a straw in here mouth pointed out on a chart with sign 
language her ideas! 

I was there at the conference for a delegate who was mentally under 
developed and had to with both sign language and relating subjects being 
discussed into telling him in language so he could understand the issues. 
The first rule for the personal assistants is that they were there to work 
and NOT have opinions. And when not working recommended to go have a drink 
at the bar or something!

Anyhow I will put lines over and under the things that just these people 
were discussing and thought important. Those with 2 lines are my own 
opinions.. and remove the irrelevant parts..And adding notes under where I 
think necessary.

Bob
>
> Robert Malecki wrote:

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 And our goal is one day soon the handicapped can say "get out" I can 
>> do this myself now! Bet many people didn't know that there were workers who 
>> are hoping and working very hard for very low pay and many(the majority) are 
>> women and would have tears in their eyes of happiness if a handicapped fired 
>> them because he or she can say.."I can do it myself now!"
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>> The work place environment cause and effects of handicaps.
>> 
>> Other handicaps and the special needs involved.
>> 
>> Rehabilitation, medical expenses and all the rest.
>> 
>> The right to returning to you job or another job which might work better in 
>> regards to handicap.
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>> Protected state run industries for people with special needs in regards to 
>> handicap.
>> Full control of planning production and distribution by the collective 
>> handicapped workers in a particular industry or branch connected to state 
>> central planning.
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Note to above. In Sweden these industries already exist. However the full 
control is my idea although much discussion by the handicapped is about 
influencing their work places and everything else.


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>> 
>> Daycare centers for the most severe handicapped who to the best of their 
ability
>> receive according to need. Full control by the handicap and personnel to 
>> plan together there work and activities. A days work, a days pay! The right 
>> to strike.
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Note: Daycare centers in Sweden are a reality. But discussions here are also 
about control and pay. Thus handicapped workers get 15 crowns a day ! 2 
American Dollars. Naturally these people have their pensions but they want 
to be paid like any other normal working person does instead of a pension..

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>> The right to say no! Special courts for the handicapped to oppose any 
>> discisions taken over their heads.
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Note The above already exists in Sweden..


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>> 
>> The right to say no to medication! 
>> 
>> Guaranteed free healthcare for all costs in regards to any handicap. State 
>> Support for any special costs in regards to living areas the workplace and 
>> the handicapped.
>> 
>> The right to communication. No matter how handicapped you are..Here I mean 
>> sight,touch,feel,see, hear and the special needs involved.. The necessary 
>> personal and technical help involved in this being a right to these things.
>> 
>> The right to a personal assistant! (24 hours a day)
>> 
>> The right to live a "normal" life as possible despite a handicap..
>> 
>> A full and decent pension irregardless of age from 16 years old. Every 
>> handicapped the right to a "good" man or woman..
>> 
>> The rights of freedom of movement this is the other type of communication. 
>> Cost should be in regard to normal people. But for example a person who 
>> needs to ride in a taxi should not have to pay more then the bus or train..
>> 
>> Schools for training to real meaningful  life...integrated into society..
>> 
>> The right to a sexual life..Anyway they want it..
>> 
>> The right to get married..
>> 
>> The right to have children..
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Note. Another demand besides the above which was raised at the conference was 
a right to free time activities! (This was a very important discussion..) To 
be able to do all the other things normal people do on there free time..

____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
>> All so I think we should look at the differences in treatment of physically 
>> handicap and mental handicap, but also  when and individual has both 
>> physical and mental handicaps. 
>> 
>> Another interesting question is the class line and reform versus revolution. 
>> This especially in regards to workers control over the work place in all its 
>> aspects..
_____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________


___________________________________________________________________
>> 
>> Another how will we build physically and ideologically now and future 
society 
>> in regards to this question..
>> 
>> Relations family, personal, the individual who has a handicapp..now and in 
>> the future communist society. 
>> 
>> Full state responsibility. NO TO CHARITY RUN OPERATIONS!
>> 
>> All "special" institutions for handicapped people open to all and not those 
>> who can afford it..
____________________________________________________________________

Warm regards
Bob Malecki
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Reply to Walter D. on Bussing!

Walter D. writes;
 
>2. The busing reference is to Boston in 1975 and is a total distortion.
>We (at the time, the RSL)  defended the right of Black students to be bused
>to any school of their choice; we called for armed defense of the buses. This
>was  a very real need, since the buses were being stoned by racists and
>the students were in grave danger.
>
>What we opposed was the official busing plan, imposed by Judge Garrity,
>which did not give Black students the choice of what schools to go to
>but imposed that choice on them, including compelling them to ride the
>undefended buses. Our articles at the time documented that Garrity
>based his decision on the theory that Blacks could learn successfully
>only by rubbing shoulders with whites, a thoroughly racist concept.
>That's the program the Spartacists endorsed. It meant among other
>things that decent schools in Black neighborhoods were closed down
>because they lacked sufficient white enrollment.
>

Which Bob Replied
 
Hi Walter,
 
The above two pargraphs must certainly be one of the best pancake
positions I seen these days except for the Lcmcri..
 
First you say you were for busing to any schools and  armed defense.
 
Then the flim flam on opposing bussing! Leaving aside all those decent
black schools in the wonderful black suburbs of the ghettoes. Nice hat
trick.
 
Bob Malecki

Walter D replies;

>Bob,
> 
>There's nothing at all contradictory about defending the Black
>students in the buses under attack from racist mobs -- and also
>defending their right to make the choice of where to go to
>school, in the white neighborhoods or in their own. The
>Spartacist line, and apparently yours too, is that the right of
>choice belongs to the bourgeois judges, not the Blacks directly
>affected. That's what their slogan, "Implement the Busing Plan"
>meant. It's paternalism at best, racism at worst.

Hi Walter,

Well now I went back and took a look at the phamplet that the Spartacists 
gave out on busing. And actually am quite glad I did because there was some 
interesting material in it which is linked to another discussion which 
recently ended in a flurry of accusations of Malecki being a Stalinist among 
other things. I will get back to this a little longer on.

Anyhow on rereading the material it is quite clear that the whole struggle 
had hardly anything to do with whether the Sparts and malecki thought or 
think that the bussing issue should be left in the hands of bougeois judges. 
Although in this case the Spartacists (SL) correctly in my judgment called for:

"Stop Racist Terror in Boston!"

"Implement and Extend the Busing Plan!"
No Federal Troops,But Labor/Black Defense!"

This was the headline in the November 1974 issue of young Spartatist
the newspaper of the SL youth group.. I think it quite explicitly gives a 
clear picture programatically in what the SL was fighting for.
And most of the struggle in fact was hardly around the question of any 
judges decisions but the struggle against racist terror and the call by the 
SWP for Federal Troops to Boston.
> 
>Sure, the schools in the Black communities were generally lousy
>and underfunded. Those in the white working-class neighborhoods
>where the students were bused to were little better. So the Black
>should have had the option of the middle-class suburbs -- the
>Spartacist solution? That was not exactly going to happen under
>racist, class-ridden capitalism -- talk about feeding illusions!

Ahh so you agree that the first description you gave and why I replied in 
the first place was at best ridiculous. But even here you were wrong. 
Because what the big stink was about was that whites according to this plan 
would have been bused to schools in the  black neighborhoods! However this 
is what the SL said;

"Although totally inadequate even as a solution to school serration, busing 
is at least a minimal attempt to allow the black poor a share in the 
benefits of the white American Society."

and

"Apart from its importance as a democratic issue and its limited but 
tangible contributions to the quality of education available to the black 
poor, there is a further reason that proletarian revolutionaries must 
support busing. It is desperately necessary to use all means possible to 
break the black masses out of the social isolation of the ghetto."

Now this hardly sounds like the picture your are painting up for Malecki and 
the SL.
> 
>Let me quote from our article of the time (The Torch, Sept. 1975)
>about one of the "decent" schools that I referred to:
> 
>One example of how the busing order works against education and
>against the wishes of black students is given by the Martin
>Luther King middle school in Dorchester. Known for its reputation
>of violence, the King school got through Phase 1 [of the busing
>plan] last year without serious trouble, partly because of
>special programs (like bilingual education) and planning by
>parents and teachers. For this year, Judge Garrity declared it a
>magnet school, one that students from anywhere in the city could
>enroll in if they wished because of its special programs. Since
>it is located in a black neighborhood, however, many more blacks
>applied than whites -- and since the judge insists that it be
>racially balanced, the "excess" of black applicants had to be
>turned away. So only 300 out of a possible 1000 students were
>admitted to the King school. As a further result, many of the
>teachers will now be transferred out as "unnecessary." Thus the
>staff and the effort that improved the King school both became
>victims of the busing plan that sacrifices everything to "racial
>balance."
> 
>Is that what you defend?

No it only proves that whites were in no way going to allow the busing plan 
to be implemented! And taking and putting oneone school and the poor staff 
and their problems as the central defense for opposing busing completely 
misses the point. Communists were not fighting for whites to come into the 
black schools in the ghettoes but exactly the opposite..Including calling 
for implementing the plan!

Now to the federal troops! As this is linked to the Lcmcri's line in Latin 
America where they are calling for building trade unions and communist cells 
in the cop/military forces which is part of the long exchange between 
Cockroach and the Lcmcri now running at my homepage.

In a polemic against the reformist SWP who was calling on Federal Troops to 
Boston. The SL wrote;

"Revolutionary Marxists regard the capitalist army (cops too! my note) and 
workers defense guards/workers militia as counterposed class formations. 
When it is a question of defending the struggles of the oppressed, the call 
for federal troops and the call for call for a workers defense force are 
counterposed slogans which are separated by a principled position on the 
nature of the capitalist state."

and

"While communists are opposed in principle to a policy of reliance upon the 
"special repressive force" of capitalism, our attitude toward an entire 
range of specific actions or situations involving the cops or troops often 
has a tactical dimension."

Then the SL gives an example of how workers and the party could apply this 
specific tactic point out that in all cases it is a question of a "military 
block" for example against fascist forces but always keeping the 
organizational independence of the party and working to these "repressive 
forces of the state" are certainly a big difference then the call of the 
centrist fake Trotskyist Lcmcri calling for building communist cells and 
trade unions for cop and military organizations as they argue against 
Cockroach these days..

So for people interested in this discussion I suggest you turn your browses 
to my homepage and check out the rather long exchange with the Lcmcri which 
started over the British elections and quickly led to numerous other 
questions like the cop/military question and their softness on third world 
nationalism and anti imperialist fronts..

Just push on the button "Cockroach vs the Lcmcri" and then go off line and 
read it in your browser. If you have any problems I can EMail the file to 
you by request..

Warm Regards
Bob Malecki
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