Hunter Gray
2014-03-27 16:26:47 UTC
Some of our lists have been rather quiet lately. RBB, where bubbles of dissidence are a regular occurrence, has not been quiet. It's occurred to me that these other lists, including one I don't manage -- New Green Canada -- might be interested in some of these points. H.
(FROM RBB)
The other day, I indicated that I'm cautious of sectarianism when it comes to complex situations -- regardless of who or what is sectarian. I stand by that. Sectarianism as I see it -- and it can wear the clothing of a great many perspectives -- is narrow, relatively rigid, dogmatic, and has a mandated perspective. It can pose problems in analysis and in grassroots organizing -- but any capable organizer of whatever, if any, organizational background, sectarian or otherwise, does develop an ethically pragmatic dimension that transcends any possible sectarianism. As I've written previously on my Organizer website page -- the link to which is on my E-signature:
B] The Organizer can impose a specific ideology -- including
goals and tactics. Not so hot, either.
C] The Organizer can convey a general ideological perspective
which the grassroots people can take or not take. They are not going to
want to feel pushed or hammered into things, but they'll usually take it --
especially if it's sensibly and sensitively "sold". They certainly may want
some time -- and should have it -- to think it all over. And, soon enough,
together the organizer and the people can develop solid goals and effective tactics. Remember, the organizer brings gifts and élan -- and the
grassroots provides at least most of the reality.
Sectarian writers, if they're capable folk, can certainly provide worthwhile information and insights. But if I read one sectarian, I am going to read several in that general pasture and topic, possibly consult solid academic stuff, and above all, try to get a good sampling of grassroots perspectives. (Personally, I am fond of the autobiographical works of leading personages in struggle -- no matter their natural subjectivity.)
I have never seen the fine journal, Against the Current, as sectarian. It certainly has its perspective, but it's not narrow. Same for its accompanying organization, Solidarity. That journal reminds me of one of the best Left journals in American radical history, The American Socialist of the 1950s. Its founder and guiding spirit, Bert Cochran, had a Trotskyist background but left that. His excellent
American Socialist, 1954 into 1959, was not sectarian but broadly pluralistic. Same for a project of his, the American Socialist Union. I was introduced to the American Socialist by Wobblies in Seattle who, despite its political approach, much approved of the journal -- and I became a regular subscriber. Here's a link which gives a good idea of the breadth of the American Socialist:
http://www.marx.org/history/etol/newspape/amersocialist/american_socialist.htm
Yugoslavia came up as well the other day. As I indicated, I know much less about that then I do about Russia. But, as a child, I was a great admirer of Marshal Tito, with his impressive German Shepherd dog, Tiger, who fought the Nazis in the mountains. As a early Teen, I recognized the courage he displayed in breaking with Stalin. I followed his development of workers' councils as best I could -- and also his monumental efforts to build inter-ethnic solidarity in his country. Stalin was a crafty politician but Tito was a warrior -- and Indians, among others, do like warriors. The U.S. did not like Tito at all -- and I and many others are dead certain that this country worked covertly to subvert anything it could -- long before the public breakup of Yugoslavia. There have been a myriad of examples of destructive covert policy by the United States and, with Reagan and beyond, and all of that has flourished like poison ivy in a Kansas river bottom. This morning I was thinking of the eventually obvious efforts by this country to greatly deepen the gulf between the Miskito Indians of Nicaragua and the Sandinistas.
There is no place on Redbadbear for personal attacks. Critiques, sure -- but not destructive attacks on individuals. We can all fall prone to that ill. That can wreck a list, as it's wrecked many Left organization.
I remain convinced that we are all good people.
So let's lighten up a bit on RBB. Some humor would be welcome.
Meanwhile, as I write this, Obama is doing what Obama does best -- global traveling in high echelons while this country and many others suffer on many fronts.
Our social justice work is sure as hell cut out for us -- in whatever genre we choose to do it.
Solidarity,
Hunter Bear
HUNTER GRAY [HUNTER BEAR/JOHN R SALTER JR] Mi'kmaq /
St. Francis Abenaki / St. Regis Mohawk
Member, National Writers Union AFL-CIO
Check out our massive social justice website
www.hunterbear.org The site is dedicated to our
one-half Bobcat, Cloudy Gray, and to Sky Gray:
http://hunterbear.org/cloudy_gray.htm
See my piece ON BEING A MILITANT AND RADICAL
ORGANIZER -- AND AN EFFECTIVE ONE (Mississippi et al.):
http://crmvet.org/comm/hunter1.htm
See our very full COMMUNITY ORGANIZING
page -- with a great deal of practical material:
http://hunterbear.org/my_combined_community_organizing.htm
See my new expanded/updated "Organizer's Book,"
JACKSON MISSISSIPPI -- with a new 10,000 word
introduction by me. This page lists many reviews.
And this book is also an activist's how-to manual:
http://hunterbear.org/jackson.htm
The Stormy Adoption of an Indian Child [My Father]:
http://hunterbear.org/James%20and%20Salter%20and%20Dad.htm:
(Photos)
(FROM RBB)
The other day, I indicated that I'm cautious of sectarianism when it comes to complex situations -- regardless of who or what is sectarian. I stand by that. Sectarianism as I see it -- and it can wear the clothing of a great many perspectives -- is narrow, relatively rigid, dogmatic, and has a mandated perspective. It can pose problems in analysis and in grassroots organizing -- but any capable organizer of whatever, if any, organizational background, sectarian or otherwise, does develop an ethically pragmatic dimension that transcends any possible sectarianism. As I've written previously on my Organizer website page -- the link to which is on my E-signature:
B] The Organizer can impose a specific ideology -- including
goals and tactics. Not so hot, either.
C] The Organizer can convey a general ideological perspective
which the grassroots people can take or not take. They are not going to
want to feel pushed or hammered into things, but they'll usually take it --
especially if it's sensibly and sensitively "sold". They certainly may want
some time -- and should have it -- to think it all over. And, soon enough,
together the organizer and the people can develop solid goals and effective tactics. Remember, the organizer brings gifts and élan -- and the
grassroots provides at least most of the reality.
Sectarian writers, if they're capable folk, can certainly provide worthwhile information and insights. But if I read one sectarian, I am going to read several in that general pasture and topic, possibly consult solid academic stuff, and above all, try to get a good sampling of grassroots perspectives. (Personally, I am fond of the autobiographical works of leading personages in struggle -- no matter their natural subjectivity.)
I have never seen the fine journal, Against the Current, as sectarian. It certainly has its perspective, but it's not narrow. Same for its accompanying organization, Solidarity. That journal reminds me of one of the best Left journals in American radical history, The American Socialist of the 1950s. Its founder and guiding spirit, Bert Cochran, had a Trotskyist background but left that. His excellent
American Socialist, 1954 into 1959, was not sectarian but broadly pluralistic. Same for a project of his, the American Socialist Union. I was introduced to the American Socialist by Wobblies in Seattle who, despite its political approach, much approved of the journal -- and I became a regular subscriber. Here's a link which gives a good idea of the breadth of the American Socialist:
http://www.marx.org/history/etol/newspape/amersocialist/american_socialist.htm
Yugoslavia came up as well the other day. As I indicated, I know much less about that then I do about Russia. But, as a child, I was a great admirer of Marshal Tito, with his impressive German Shepherd dog, Tiger, who fought the Nazis in the mountains. As a early Teen, I recognized the courage he displayed in breaking with Stalin. I followed his development of workers' councils as best I could -- and also his monumental efforts to build inter-ethnic solidarity in his country. Stalin was a crafty politician but Tito was a warrior -- and Indians, among others, do like warriors. The U.S. did not like Tito at all -- and I and many others are dead certain that this country worked covertly to subvert anything it could -- long before the public breakup of Yugoslavia. There have been a myriad of examples of destructive covert policy by the United States and, with Reagan and beyond, and all of that has flourished like poison ivy in a Kansas river bottom. This morning I was thinking of the eventually obvious efforts by this country to greatly deepen the gulf between the Miskito Indians of Nicaragua and the Sandinistas.
There is no place on Redbadbear for personal attacks. Critiques, sure -- but not destructive attacks on individuals. We can all fall prone to that ill. That can wreck a list, as it's wrecked many Left organization.
I remain convinced that we are all good people.
So let's lighten up a bit on RBB. Some humor would be welcome.
Meanwhile, as I write this, Obama is doing what Obama does best -- global traveling in high echelons while this country and many others suffer on many fronts.
Our social justice work is sure as hell cut out for us -- in whatever genre we choose to do it.
Solidarity,
Hunter Bear
HUNTER GRAY [HUNTER BEAR/JOHN R SALTER JR] Mi'kmaq /
St. Francis Abenaki / St. Regis Mohawk
Member, National Writers Union AFL-CIO
Check out our massive social justice website
www.hunterbear.org The site is dedicated to our
one-half Bobcat, Cloudy Gray, and to Sky Gray:
http://hunterbear.org/cloudy_gray.htm
See my piece ON BEING A MILITANT AND RADICAL
ORGANIZER -- AND AN EFFECTIVE ONE (Mississippi et al.):
http://crmvet.org/comm/hunter1.htm
See our very full COMMUNITY ORGANIZING
page -- with a great deal of practical material:
http://hunterbear.org/my_combined_community_organizing.htm
See my new expanded/updated "Organizer's Book,"
JACKSON MISSISSIPPI -- with a new 10,000 word
introduction by me. This page lists many reviews.
And this book is also an activist's how-to manual:
http://hunterbear.org/jackson.htm
The Stormy Adoption of an Indian Child [My Father]:
http://hunterbear.org/James%20and%20Salter%20and%20Dad.htm:
(Photos)