Date: Sun, 9 Feb 1997 07:32:03 -0500 (EST)
From: Gerald Levy <glevy-AT-pratt.edu>
Subject: M-I: when the personal is political


> From: Chris Burford <100423.2040-AT-CompuServe.COM>
> Subject: M-I: Hugh's support for Robert
> While Hugh has a right to claim that some of the past ways of
> arguing against Robert were unfair, (and it is a matter of historical
> record that I agree with some of those points) if we are actually
> to move beyond personal confrontations, I would like to put a
> political question. <snip>

Hugh's support for Robert M concerned a political question!

The personal can _become_ a political question -- and has in this case.
The bottom line is that Robert M was maliciously and falsely accused of
being an FBI agent. Smear tactics, intended to isolate and dismiss the
political perspectives of one's political opponents, have a long history
in the workers' movement. If one can't take a decisive stand against such
actions and attempt instead to trivialize those actions by calling them
"personal confrontations", then one might as well pack up one's bags and
go on a permanent vacation from politics.

Such actions -- and public messages do indeed constitute actions! -- are
not "personal confrontations" alone. The individuals making such charges
are a cancer on the working class and the unwillingness of "Marxists" to
stand resolutely against such actions indicates a willingness on the part
of those "Marxists" to let the working class be infected by this
malignancy.

Most seem to _want_ to reduce the above to "personal confrontations"
since, by doing so, they will not have to deal with the serious political
issues. They are only playing themselves.

Jerry

PS: How sad it is that such an excellent journal, _Sozialismus_, should
now be tarnished by association. Presumably the editors were unaware of
his past and continuing actions.



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