[Peace-discuss] EC, Process, and Assumptions

[Al Kagan]

I would like to respond to the discussion around EC and AWARE process.

First of all, I want to address Robert Dunn. I want him to realize that 
although he has apologized, it is not OK to send such messages and then 
think that all can be righted by sending an apology.  AWARE has 
patiently worked with Robert over a long period of time. Whatever his 
new political perspective is in his new place of residence, I would 
have though Robert would have some warm feelings for us.  As far as I 
am concerned, Robert should keep his further comments off the AWARE 
list.

Carl has made some political assertions that need to be addressed. I 
certainly don’t want to debate EC with him since his opinions are his 
own and are long-standing. There is obviously room in AWARE for people 
with various views.  We established the 90% rule in order to 
accommodate this diversity while also being able to take positions and 
act when the overwhelming majority are in support.  Whether or not Carl 
was in attendance when we made this process decision seems unimportant. 
I hope he can accommodate himself to the will of the organization, and 
I hope he will stop protesting the 90% rule.

Carl asserts that there is more principled criticism of the neoco 
program and the Iraq war on the Right than on the Left.  He states that 
the Left has been reduced to 2 groups, the liberal imperialists and the 
defenders of identity politics, and that Noam Chomsky falls outside 
these two groups.

First of all, it seems to me that Chomsky is highly regarded throughout 
the Left and he is therefore quite in the Left mainstream.  It seems 
bizarre to me that he could be considered in any other way.

Secondly, I don’t understand how liberal imperialists could ever be 
considered part of the Left. By definition, liberals are not leftists.

Thirdly, Carl seems to disparage “identity politics.” If by this he 
means groups that identity along lines of race, gender, or sexual 
orientation, he is right that there is a wide diversity of such groups 
within the Left.  There is a reason why such groups exist, namely 
because  people in these groups are systematically discriminated 
against and repressed by the mainstream society.  Naturally people will 
organize to defend their collective rights based on the nature of the 
oppression. So  it my view, there is nothing wrong with “identity 
politics.” In fact, I wish that AWARE was more sensitive to these 
issues in general. I think this is one of our weaknesses.

Finally, I am very surprised to see that Carl thinks the Right has 
criticized the war more than the Left.  Unless this refers to some kind 
of theoretical armchair discussions of which I am not aware, it also 
seems absurd on its face. Just who is it that goes out all over the 
country (and world) to protest the war? Just look at our own local 
situation for example, or look at who organizes the huge Washington 
protests.  Do we see rightists coming out in any large numbers to 
actually protest the war?  I think not.

The above points relate to the assumptions behind our work. I think it 
is good to get them on the table.

Al Kagan
Africana Unit, Room 328
University of Illinois Library
1408 W. Gregory Drive
Urbana, IL 61820
USA

tel. 217-333-6519
fax 217-333-2214
akagan at uiuc.edu
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