From: Zeynep Tufekcioglu <zeynept-AT-turk.net>
Subject: Re: M-I: "Bourgeois Freedoms" 
Date: Thu, 3 Jul 1997 23:26:45 +0300


Another related issue is what we'll replace "bourgeois freedoms" with.
Things like right to silence, right to a trial, right to advice, presumption
of innocence, freedom of speech and dissent weren't gifts from heaven, they
are results of years of struggle (ahem, in theory at least, they don't exist
as rights here). Too often, "leftist" groups operating outside the reach of
the bourgeois state end up rejecting even the bourgeois rights, regressing
instead to barbarism, with tragic results. Last week, as I was reading this
thread, a couple who had left a "leftist" organisation in dissent was killed
by their "ex-comrades". The killers claimed the couple worked with the
police, but there wasn't a shred of evidence to convince outsiders. Which
group did this is unimportant, it is not the first and unfortunately
probably not the last. When challenged to show some evidence, the group
simply claimed such calls for evidence were "bourgeois" in essence.

The freedom of speech issue came up while drawing up the charter of
marxism-international. As you well know, sexist and racist remarks are not
allowed. We decided that we didn't have to put up with provocations of
fascists and racists in this list. However, when the question is applied to
the whole society, I can't but wonder how the "right to dissent" can be
protected without some sort of blanket "freedom of speech" clause. "Right to
dissent" is crucial if a socialist country is to become a new society and
defining the boundaries of "allowed speech" is very tricky. Perhaps, too
tricky to try.

I think a socialist country can have a constitution stipulating, for
example, equality of everyone's happiness, life, time, etc. and ban all
discrimination based on religion, sex, ethnicity, etc. All attempts at
organising or practicing discrimination can be outlawed but we have to
preserve the right to argue against it. Else, how will the society debate
any change? 

Zeynep



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