Date: Wed, 26 Apr 1995 09:01:04 -0400 From: TimW333521-AT-aol.com Subject: Re: oklahoma bombing -Reply I think there is as aspect of the Oklahoma bombing which Marxists should devote some thought to, and discussion of "anarchy" begins to approach this aspect. Marxists for decades have discussed the question of fascism in America. Most of us, anyway, have been convinced that fascism here will not arise by mimicking Hitler. Hitler and Mussolini modeled their movements on Socialist movements which already had strong bases in the working class of their respective countries. They sought to combine the social appeal of socialism with reactionary nationalism and (particularly in Germany) anti-Semitism. It would make no sense for fascism to arise here modelled upon socialism because socialism has made such limited headway here. We may be seeing the birth of a real American-style fascist movement based on individualism and anarcho-libertarian anti-statism. Such a movement attacks a notion which is fundamental to socialism though predating it by thousands of years: the very concept of a society in which individuals have a commitment to the well being of other individuals. Clearly this view is quite popular these days and extremely reactionary. I see no connection between this view and any form of socialism (including traditional working class anarchist ideas). Like fascism in Europe, this new movement has the affect of rallying confused and frustrated petty bourgeois, workers, farmers, etc. and pitting them against the labor movement, minorities, environmentalists, gays, feminists, etc. = all in the real interests of big capital. It has its layers and its links: the bombers, the Militias, V. Gordon Liddy and other demogogues, leading to Gingrich and his wing of the Republicans. Most dangerous of all, these people are armed and willing to take armed action against the "enemy" and are driven by extreme conspiratorial paranoia. The phenomena deserves thought and discussion. In the meantime I suggest that everyone on the left take a pledge to drop once and for all conspiracy theories. We should set up a CTA (Conspiracy Theorists Anonymous). After all every day reality acted out openly on the floors of Congress should be bad enough for us these days without inventing things. Leave such crap to the rightists! --- from list marxism-AT-lists.village.virginia.edu --- ------------------
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