Click on the title to link to an "Under The Hood" (Fort Hood G.I. Coffeehouse)Web site online article about the "Oleo Strut" Coffeehouse, an important development in the anti-Vietnam War struggle. Hats off to those bygone anti-war fighters.
COMMENTARY
LABOR-SUPPORT YOUR CLASS BROTHERS AND SISTERS-BUILD ANTI-WAR SOLDIERS AND SAILORS SOLIDARITY COMMITTEES-IMMEDIATE UNCONDITIONAL WITHDRAWAL FROM IRAQ!
As readers of this space are aware over the last year I have been running a propaganda campaign for the anti-war movement to change its focus and concentrate on winning over the rank and file troops that are fighting the bloody war in Iraq. Readers will also note that these commentaries are part of a byline dedicated to fighting for a workers party here in America. Recently I received a rather surprising communication from a young militant who in essence accused me of having a ‘military’ deviation on the war question. The basis for this comment is the notion that propaganda for a workers party- a political solution to the crisis of leadership in the American labor movement and thus ultimately the question of the war in Iraq- precludes my so-called ‘military’ solution. Needless to say this calls for some commentary, or rather clarification, on my part.
Politics, including left-wing propaganda politics, is about timing as much as any other factor. A realistic look at the political landscape of the organized labor movement today shows no particular movement at the base to defend itself against the onslaught of effective wage and benefit cuts. Nor is there a serious commitment to massively organize the working class into trade unions, particularly the critical Wal-Mart and Southern labor forces that would go a long way to reversing the decline in the power of the organized labor movement. Given those conditions, what is the likelihood today of galvanizing organized labor for meaningful political action in opposition to the Iraq war? While many unions and labor federations, including my union, have gone on record in ‘paper’ opposition to the war, it remains a paper position except for support to bourgeois , mainly Democratic Party, ‘anti-war’ candidates. This abject support is the labor equivalent of those meaningless non-binding resolutions that the Congress is so fond of, and that require no heavy lifting.
A look at the general political scene is even more depressing, if not down right embarrassing to those in the anti-war movement who, unlike me, took the mid-term 2006 elections as good coin. After six years of getting hammered by the likes of Dick Cheney and Karl Rove one would think that those esteemed bourgeois politicians from Hillary “Hawk” to Obama the “Charma” would be able to ratchet up the courage to say no. No, not meaningless non-binding resolutions gently chiding President Bush for his ‘surge’ strategy. No, not trying to have one’s cake and eating it too by supporting the troops and opposing the war policy. The only meaningful anti-war parliamentary maneuver is to vote NO on the war budget. That proposition will come up for a vote (maybe) soon. Watch all the rats deserting ship on that one after the great political courage they summoned up to vote for the non-binding resolution. It will not be pretty and it is not recommended for the faint-hearted.
If one takes a look at the causality lists from the war or reads the seemingly endless local news profiles of those who have died or been severely wounded (a more difficult number to digest) it is plain as day that working people from the cities and small towns of America have taken the brunt of the beating in Iraq. While my appeals to form ant-war solidarity committees have been generic one thing is clear the class brothers and sisters of those soldiers and sailors have a very deep interest in getting their people the hell out of Iraq. Thus, the dragging out of the war, the average citizen’s frustrated desire to get out, the bourgeois political impasse, the anti-war leadership’s parliamentary cretinism strategy and labor’s unwillingness to take decisive action at this time makes it necessary to call for the troops to take action as the short way home. We must not let our anti-war class brothers and sisters in uniform stand alone. Yes, in a beautiful, politically conscious labor movement we should be calling for political strikes against the war and calling on dockworkers and others not handle military goods to Iraq but that is not the case right now (although it might be latter). Until then I can take the heat on my ‘military’ deviation-as long as we get those anti-war solidarity committees up and running.
THIS IS PART OF A SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THE 2006-2008 ELECTION CYCLE UNDER THE HEADLINE- FORGET THE DONKEYS, ELEPHANTS, GREENS-BUILD A WORKERS PARTY!
FOR MORE POLITICAL COMMENTARY AND BOOKS REVIEWS CHECK MY BLOG AT- Http://markinbookreview.blogspot.com/
National “Sick of War” Sick Day
ReplyDelete- A Proposal by Workers Against War
The working class has nothing to gain and everything to lose from the wars being waged by our ruling class.
We are expected to pay for every crime and bloody mistake made by the ruling class. It is our sisters and brothers, and our sons and daughters that are to die for rich peoples’ schemes of world domination.
We are expected to spill the blood of other working people who have done us no harm.
We are expected to bear the mass lay-offs, shredding of our democratic rights and violations of our privacy and dignity.
We are expected to suffer in large numbers while an exploiting and oppressing minority of rich people gets richer.
We are expected to bear our share of “sacrifice” – which is usually the entire weight.
We are expected to sit down, shut up and be good little obedient slaves.
We are NOT expected to realize that the working class is the overwhelming majority and that we have the power to not only stop the war, but to also create a system that serves our needs instead of the greed of a few.
Workers Can End the War – By Refusing to Work
Working people are the real majority and we are in a position to end this war immediately. We run the machines, haul the cargo, load the planes and ships, drive the buses and trains and create all of the wealth that those who rule take as their own. Without us the ruling class would have nothing – not even the clothes on their backs.
As workers, we are used to the idea that we must sell our ability work in order to survive. Now it is time to consider the idea that we may have to withhold our ability to work in order to survive. If workers across the US decided to stop working until the war ended, it would only be a matter of days, if not hours, before the first soldiers were on the planes heading home.
In order to send the message that we are serious about stopping the war, and capable of doing it, working people must organize themselves for a national “Sick of War” sick day. Workers Against War has been formed with the purpose of bringing this plan forward to all anti-war, social justice and working class organizations and individuals with the hope that they will form their own “Sick of War Committees” to build and promote this event in whatever way they can.
Workers Against War is proposing the date of October 26th, 2007 for the “Sick of War” sick day. This will provide an opportunity for last minute promotion of and participation in the major regional anti-war demonstrations being organized by United for Peace & Justice on the following day.
The basis of unity for the “Sick of War” sick day should simply be that we are all sick of war. Workers Against War is proposing the slogan “Are you sick of war? Call in sick on October 26th!” as the unifying theme of this event. All organizations and individuals are encouraged to incorporate additional demands and slogans that address the issues important to them.
In addition to this broad appeal for a national “Sick of War” sick day, Workers Against War aims to build a solidly working class formation within the anti-war movement. In order to do this we are calling on all working people who agree with the 3 demands listed below to organize their own local chapters of Workers Against War. Our main purpose between now and October 26th will be to make the “Sick Day” a reality, but we must also look beyond any one particular action and begin preparations for a national convention to formulate more demands and to plan our next steps.
If you are a working person, and this idea appeals to you, please get in touch.
WorkersAgainstWar@gmail.com
www.WorkersAgainstWar.org
Workers Against War – 3 Demands
• An immediate, unconditional withdrawal of all US troops and private mercenaries from Iraq and Afghanistan.
The continued military and corporate occupation of both of these countries has nothing to do with any humanitarian concerns or with “making us safe” but has everything to do with economic interests. If corporations want to steal other countries resources, let them send their boards of directors and stockholders to fight and die.
• An immediate end to the phony “War on Terror”.
The “War on Terror” is merely a cover for endless wars of aggression in pursuit of profits for the ruling class. In reality, this has been a “War of Terror” waged not only against the populations of Iraq and Afghanistan, but also against Lebanese civilians, Palestinians fighting for their homeland, Colombian trade union organizers, supporters of democracy in Haiti and the Philippines… the list goes on and on. The doctrines of “Regime Change” and “Preemptive War” are designed to remove threats to rich peoples’ wallets, not to stop terrorists. In fact, the “War on Terror” is likely to create more terrorism. Who usually dies in terror attacks? - Working people.
The “War on Terror” is also a war on working people in the US. Strikes have been broken for “national security” reasons and the largest teachers’ union was labeled a “terrorist organization” by Bush’s Secretary of Education. Repressive laws such as the USA-PATRIOT Act, the Homeland Security Act, the Military Commissions Act and others have enabled the government to violate the privacy of all people and have stripped us of basic democratic rights. The immigrant community, especially Arabs, Muslims and South Asians has been terrorized by the “War on Terror”. Many thousands have been arrested and held with little or no access to lawyers or their families. If it is true that “the terrorists hate us for our freedom”, then we should stop worrying. Soon there will be no freedom left for them to hate.
• A Thoroughgoing Democratic Renewal of Society
A workers’ movement against war can not limit itself to ending only one of the many injustices that we face in our daily lives. Even if the war were to stop tomorrow, many working people would still be without health insurance, a living wage, educational opportunities, housing, etc. A movement capable of stopping the war would be able to achieve all of our demands and bring about a truly democratic society that serves the interests of the majority of the population – the working class.