[Peace-discuss] AWARE

Wed Sep 2 08:47:59 CDT 2009

It would seem that the purpose of the peace-discuss list would be by discussion to discover (a) the source and nature of America's war and (b) effective strategies to work against it.  And I think (b) depends upon (a).  In the absence of an accurate analysis, the best will in the world can do the right thing only by accident.

(a) The American two-party system adheres to the business-driven "consensus" that foreign policy, that is, war and "war by other means," should be conducted to serve the interests of the ownership class.

(b) The Democratic Party is part of the two-party system.

Therefore:

(c) The Democratic party adheres to the "consensus" that foreign policy, that is, war and "war by other means," should be conducted to serve the interests of ownership class.

________________________________
From: C. G. Estabrook <galliher at illinois.edu>
To: Matt Reichel <mattreichel at hotmail.com>
Cc: peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net
Sent: Tuesday, September 1, 2009 9:50:28 PM
Subject: Re: [Peace-discuss] AWARE

As I suggested, the functional definition of "unpleasantness" here seems to be "the expression of an opinion that departs from the liberal consensus" (e.g., "Obama is not anti-war").

It would seem that the purpose of the peace-discuss list would be by discussion to discover (a) the source and nature of America's war and (b) effective strategies to work against it.  And I think (b) depends upon (a).  In the absence of an accurate analysis, the best will in the world can do the right thing only by accident.

The largest anti-war demonstrations in human history occurred just before the US invasion of Iraq, in the US and around the world, but the American antiwar movement in the intervening years largely ceased to exist.  (It obviously still exists from Palestine to Pakistan as resistance to US invasion and occupation.)

John Walsh wrote last week <http://www.counterpunch.org/walsh08262009.html>,

"A funny thing has happened on Cindy Sheehan’s long road from Crawford, Texas, to Martha’s Vineyard.  Many of those who claim to lead the peace movement and who so volubly praised her actions in Crawford, TX, are not to be seen.    Nor heard ... Where are the email appeals to join Cindy from The Nation or from AFSC or Peace Action or 'Progressive' Democrats of America (PDA) or even Code Pink?  Or United for Peace and Justice. (No wonder UFPJ is essentially closing shop, bereft of most of their contributions and shriveling up following the thinly veiled protest behind the 'retirement of Leslie Cagan.)  And what about MoveOn although it was long ago thoroughly discredited as principled opponents of war or principled in any way shape or form except slavish loyalty to the 'other' War Party.  And of course sundry 'socialist' organizations are also missing in action since their particular dogma will not be front and center.  These worthies and many
 others have vanished into the fog of Obama’s wars."

It seems to me that there will be more unpleasantness before an effective anti-war movement is reconstituted in the country.  --CGE

Matt Reichel wrote:
> Jenifer -
> 
> It appears that this list has descended into absolute silliness ie juvenile intellectual masturbation from the 3-4 primary posters.
> 
> AWARE was initially founded as an answer to the PRC, which used to dominate progressive politics in Champaign-Urbana with its authoritarian, overly-bureaucratic organizing style. On the student end of things, I founded Student Peace Action for those students who had too much self-respect to sit through a PRC meeting. For a few years there, this model of having three organizations, one for students, one for community members and one for people who were able to withstand PRC's inane bureaucracy, was incredibly effective: on the day the war in Iraq began, we had over 1,000 people marching through the streets of Chambana.
> 
> It looks as if most of the original organizers of AWARE are long gone, and the group has become the wrong it originally sought to correct, i.e. a top-down group dominated by a few unpleasant personalities.
> 
> Best,
> Matt
> 
> ------------------------------------------------------------------------
> Date: Mon, 31 Aug 2009 17:29:50 -0700
> From: jencart13 at yahoo.com
> To: peace-discuss at lists.chambana.net
> Subject: [Peace-discuss] AWARE
> 
> Yet more issues today that take time and energy away from peace and justice work...
>  I think about all the good people who have left AWARE because of the unpleasantness, and so I'm hanging on and trying not to become another casualty. But right now I feel so downhearted about all the ugliness that I really don't want to be part of this anymore.
>  I will say that it is the good people remaining who give me hope that there are better days ahead for AWARE, as well as for our nation and the world.
>  --Jenifer
> 
> 
> 
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