[Peace-discuss] Carl Oglesby on humanist liberals

[David Johnson]

Carl,

This is absolutely Excellent !

Unfortunately the problem with most liberals is that they are ; 

1) The older liberals that are living in the past, in the sense that they have not realized ( or refuse to accept ) the changed political landscape / shifting of political alliances from the 1960's / 1970's ( aka. The Class War ) and are totaly focused on identity politics. They continue to live in the fantasy of the past that the democratic party is the " vanguard " of good and change,

2) The younger liberals whom are oppurtunists.
The last thing they would ever do is form any alliance with the Working class that they both despise and fear of ever becoming themselves. Hence they kiss the ass of the ruling class for some type of ; think tank, NGO administrator, etc. job, and then rationalize that they are advancing the interests of humanity when in fact they are nothing but corporate hacks. These are the one's who also support the democratic party to advance their careers into either the DLC or some cabinet position.

3) Working class people who identify with liberals and think that they are also liberals.
This group has the most potential to take to heart Carl Oglesby's message, but probably not until they are betrayed the 5th or 6th time by the dems ( 2016 or 2020 election year ) and have slid from middle class standards into poverty.

David J.
 

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: C. G. Estabrook 
  To: peace-discuss at anti-war.net 
  Sent: Thursday, September 15, 2011 6:22 AM
  Subject: [Peace-discuss] Carl Oglesby on humanist liberals


  [Carl Oglesby died Tuesday. I was privileged to know him slightly. The following is from his speech at one of the first major anti-war rallies in Washington,more than 45 years ago. The problem he speaks of remains the same. Requiescat in pace. --CGE]




  Let me then speak directly to humanist liberals. If my facts are wrong, I will soon be corrected. But if they are right, then you may face a crisis of conscience. Corporatism or humanism: which? For it has come to that. Will you let your dreams be used? Will you be a grudging apologist for the corporate state? Or will you help try to change it—not in the name of this or that blueprint or ism, but in the name of simple human decency and democracy and the vision that wise and brave men saw in the time of our own revolution?

  And if your commitment to human values is unconditional, then disabuse yourselves of the notion that statements will bring change, if only the right statements can be written, or that interviews with the mighty will bring change if only the mighty can be reached, or that marches will bring change if only we can make them massive enough, or that policy proposals will bring change if only we can make them responsible enough.

  We are dealing now with a colossus that does not want to be changed. It will not change itself. It will not cooperate with those who want to change it. Those allies of ours in the government—are they really our allies? If they are, then they don’t need advice, they need constituencies; they don’t need study groups, they need a movement. And it they are not, then all the more reason for building that movement with the most relentless conviction.

  There are people in this country today who are trying to build that movement, who aim at nothing less than a humanist reformation. And the humanist liberals must understand that it is this movement with which their own best hopes are most in tune. We radicals know the same history that you liberals know, and we can understand your occasional cynicism, exasperation, and even distrust. But we ask you to put these aside and help us risk a leap. Help us find enough time for the enormous work that needs doing here. Help us build. Help us shape the future in the name of plain human hope.



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