From: "Dave Bedggood" <dr.bedggood-AT-auckland.ac.nz>
Date: Sun, 26 Oct 1997 13:29:41 +0000
Subject: M-G: (Fwd) Fw: M-I: Goodbye Godena and Co


For the record on M-G where anything goes!  here is my letter of 
resignation to Menshevik-International.
Dave.
> 
> Goodbye Godena, Proyect, Henwood and anybody else who is unprincipled
> enough to hang around this rotten list,
> 
> The hypocritical posturing of Godena the stalinist commisar of
> menshevik-international is too much for me to stomach after a year of
> participating in this list.  I refuse to participate any further on the
> terms that Godena has now set in his personal, idiosyncratic and
> bureaucratic fashion.  Godena and I have had some debates on this list.
> Usually, I have taken him to task for his arrogance towards the working
> class, typical of the US labor aristocrat he admits to being,and of a
> member of a stalinist party who has not broken with that parties record
of
> betrayals of the working class. Gay's craven submission to Godena's
> interpretation of the rules, and Dennis silence speaks volumes to me
about
> the degeneracy of this list. 
> 
> Nor do I want to continue any discussions with individuals while they
> continue on this list. Ignorance of the history of this list is no
excuse.
> And that goes for Rakesh and Jim Blaut who have interesting things to
say.
> There is the archive record for those who can be bothered to check for
> themselves. Menshevik-international should be left to rot into the
dustbin
> of history in the same way that the Stalin list disintegrated in a flurry
> of name-calling. 
> 
> I endorse James comments below. Here is someone relatively new to this
list
> who is not identified as a Trotskyist, and respected by most as an
> intelligent and knowledgable marxist. Godena tried to win him over, but
> James latest (below) shows that he has got Godena's number.  It is
obvious
> to anyone but Godena, Proyect and their band of  yankee-doodle
dilettantes,
> that Levy and Malecki have been purged for their politics. As far as I am
> concerned any marxist who had a once of self-respect would not be seen
> anywhere near this list. And I will not be associated with anyone who is.
> 
> Dave [for permanent revolution, and on this list!].
> 
> Louis Godena writes:
>  
> > James H writes:
> > 
> > 
> > >The discussion over the suspensions from the MI list demonstrates that
> > >no principle informs the suspensions, and no clarification arises from
> > >them. Since the suspensions all those that supported the action have
> > >been locked into vituperative exchanges without any political content
> > >whatsoever with the suspended - either shadow-boxing here, or sniping
on
> > >other lists like Marxism-thaxis.
> > 
> > 
> > James, there has been virtually no discussion of the m-i suspensions on
> > marxism-international itself, though quite a number of you have seen
fit
> to
> > either e-mail me personally, or to cc' pertinent (and unwanted)
> discussions
> > from other lists to myself and the other moderators.  I said all I was
> going
> > to on this matter several days ago, and I know that Gay's excellent
> riposte
> > put the matter to rest, as far as we are concerned.
> > 
> > I should say that, seven days having expired, Hugh Rodwell and Dave
> Bedggood
> > have been restored to posting privileges on m-i.  They should bear in
> mind
> > that the list is *not* a forum for personal grievances or for the
acting
> out
> > of the vagaries of one's personal idiosyncracies or dementia.  Any
future
> > behavior of this type, and I promise they will be gone for good. 
> > 
> > James continues with this bit of tom-foolery:
> > 
> > >In particular the self-appointed psychiatric faculty are keen to make
a
> > >diagnosis Bob Malecki. You ought to re-read some of your own posts
some
> > >time. What are we to make of anyone who is preoccupied with what Bob
> > >Malecki has to say? That they are on the same level as he is, and are
in
> > >no position to patronise him. Again the question that cries out to be
> > >answered is what has been clarified? So far, nothing.
> > 
> > 
> > I have *never*, to the best of my recollection, answered Malecki
directly
> > since this list began.  I do know that virtually every list that has
come
> > from jefferson village has had a "no Malecki" clause appended to it,
> sooner
> > or later.  In our own case, we tolerated him far beyond what is
> reasonable
> > to expect of functional adults.  This is his second suspension.  And
his
> last.
> > 
> > And allow me a word about his charge of *who* "developed"
> > marxism-international.  First of all, I have posted more stuff to this
> list
> > than any of the other four moderators *combined* and *multiplied*, on
> > virtually every country in the world, and on quite a variety of topics.

> I
> > have never tried to recruit anyone to my *minute*, addled sect or to
any
> > bogus ideology or to any five-member vanguards which multiply like
> > conspiracy theories in a lunatic asylum.  In fact, Malecki came on to
> > marxism-international largely because *I* argued that *no one* should
be
> > excluded; there was a substantial body of opinion that he should stay
on
> > marxism-general and nowhere else (see, for example, the thread
entitled,
> by
> > Adam Rose, I think, "Expel Nutters early and often").  And, remember,
> > Malecki couldn't stand Zeynep and Jon when they were the moderators and
> the
> > feeling, believe me, was mutual.  Now, he is pining for the "good ole'
> days"
> > when he was allowed to exhibit himself without fear or favor.  
> > 
> > Asshole.
> > 
> > James, marxism-international remains a forum where sensible, functional
> > adults can discuss *anything* within the realm of politics.  That
> includes
> > basic challenges to all the sacred cows currently browsing in the
pasture
> of
> > the contemporary Left.  No one will be disciplined for exploring issues
> of
> > anti-Semitism, fascism, homophobia, sexism, or anything else that
> approaches
> > their subject from a progressive direction.  What is not tolerated is
the
> > personal dementia and the venting of visceral prejudice that led,
> > ultimately, to situation you now lament.
> > 
> > Louis Godena,
> > co-moderator
> > 
> > 
> > 
> >      --- from list marxism-international-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu ---

Dave Bedggood


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