Is the real left ready to govern?*
//
O P • E D S
CONTROVERSY
JON HOCHSCHARTNER
What would the great Hellen Keller, one of the ACLU founders, have to say about the current trends in the PC left? Heller, by the way, was a socialist, one of the best kept secrets by the mainstream media, which have always preferred to focus on her heroic struggle to overcome deafblindness instead of her advanced political beliefs. Same can be said about Einstein and other widely admired figures.
There are many on the far left*, who, I suspect, don’t want to govern. But for those of us who actually want to institute progressive change, who do not enjoy the hipster’s satisfaction of existing on the periphery, governing is the eventual goal. And yet, looking at the far left today, are we actually ready for such a thing? Frequently, I’m forced to conclude we aren’t. For instance, there are significant portions of us, who, despite our support for police and penal reform, are suspicious, if not avowedly hostile, to due process and freedom of speech. This might come as something of a shock for those of us aware the American Civil Liberties Union was founded by socialists and feminists. But it’s true.
Take what’s happening at Wesleyan University. After the school paper published conservative criticism of the Black Lives Matter movement, the student government voted to consider cutting the publication’s funding. In response, the paper has been forced to appeal for donations so as to retain its editorial independence. Similarly, when Northwestern University professor Laura Kipnis published an article criticizing “sexual paranoia” on college campuses, she was slapped with Title IX complaints. There are countless recent examples of left-wing students engaging in the no-platforming of potential speakers. Unfortunately, you can’t just chalk this up to youthful exuberance.
Socialist Worker is the publication of the International Socialist Organization, a group led by middle-aged people with children of their own. Prior to the summer of 2013, I was published on their website with some frequency. Every time I sent in an article or letter, it was generally posted. But after I mildly criticized the ISO’s slate-voting system in another outlet, their publication was suddenly closed to me. Over the past two years, I have probably sent the group an average of one letter or article a month. Nothing has shown up on their website.
[box]
The author is a social activist residing in Connecticut. He can be reached at jonhoch3@gmail.com .
- The original title of this essay was “Is The Far Left Ready to Govern?”
Note to Commenters
Due to severe hacking attacks in the recent past that brought our site down for up to 11 days with considerable loss of circulation, we exercise extreme caution in the comments we publish, as the comment box has been one of the main arteries to inject malicious code. Because of that comments may not appear immediately, but rest assured that if you are a legitimate commenter your opinion will be published within 24 hours. If your comment fails to appear, and you wish to reach us directly, send us a mail at: editor@greanvillepost.com
We apologize for this inconvenience.
Nauseated by the
vile corporate media?
Had enough of their lies, escapism,
omissions and relentless manipulation?
Send a donation to
The Greanville Post–or
But be sure to support YOUR media.
If you don’t, who will?
Perón on the death of Che
//
Few men become more radical as they grow old, but apparently Perón was one of them.
“Comrades!
I have received with deep sorrow the news of an irreparable loss to the cause of our people struggling for their liberation.
We are united with those who have embraced this ideal, anywhere in the world and under any flag, who fight against injustice, misery and exploitation. We are united with all the courage and determination of those that face the insatiable greed of imperialism, with the complicity of the military oligarchy and puppet states propped up by the Pentagon to keep the people oppressed.
Today in this struggle, a hero fell, the most extraordinary young man to give his life to the revolution in Latin America, Comandante Ernesto Che Guevara.
His death breaks my heart because he was one of us, perhaps better than us all, an example of selfless behavior, the spirit of sacrifice and renunciation. The strong belief in the righteousness of the cause he embraced, gave him the strength and courage, courage that today elevated him to the status of hero and martyr.
I have read that some seek to portray him as an enemy of Peronism. Nothing is more absurd. Supposing it were true that in 1951 he had been linked to an attempted coup, how old were you then? I myself, being a young officer, participated in the coup that overthrew the popular government of Hipolito Irigoyen. I also at that time was used by the oligarchy.
Perón in exile in Spain, with his wife Isabel Martinez (1962)
The important thing is to recognize those mistakes and correct them. And Che fixed them!
In 1954, when Guatemala struggled to defend the government of Jacobo Arbenz against the arrogant armed intervention of the Yankees, I personally gave instructions to the Foreign Ministry to help solve the difficult situation facing this brave young Argentine and this is how he left for Mexico.
His life, his epic – is the clearest example to our young people, young people throughout Latin America.
There will always be those who will attempt to tarnish his name. Imperialism has a huge fear of charisma, and he managed to win the hearts of the masses of our subjugated people. Already I have received news that the Argentine Communist Party, has begun a hypocritical smear campaign to discredit him. This is not surprising, because it was always known that they act contrary to the historical national interest. They were always against the national and popular movements. We Peronists can attest to that.
The Hour of the people’s national revolution in Latin America has struck, and this is an irreversible process. The current balance will be broken! It is childish to think that no revolution can overcome the resistance of the oligarchy and it’s imperialist investor monopolies.
The socialist revolution must be carried out, no matter under what flag the revolution is fought. We should stand united for the sake of all our national movements. Solidarity among ourselves and in the face of the privileged exploiters.
Most Latin American governments are not going to solve national problems simply because they do not care about the national interests.
To carry out the socialist revolution, revolutionary speeches are not enough. We need organized revolutionary action, strategy and tactics, to make the revolutionary victory possible.
Provincial hospital built during Peron’s tenure. He and Evita built hundreds of hospitals across the nation. Often accused of corruption and demagogy by his enemies in the upper strata, many of Peron’s policies represented real gains for the masses.
At the forefront of this should be those who embrace the struggle! This fight will be tough, but the final victory will be won for our people. Our enemies have a significant financial advantage over us, but we have an extraordinary moral force that gives us confidence in the justice of our struggle and the historical justification of our actions.
Peronism, in accordance with the traditions of our struggle and, as a national, popular revolutionary movement, give our tribute to the idealist and the revolutionary Comandante Che Guevara – Argentine guerrilla, who was killed in combat, fighting for the national revolutionary vixtory in Latin America.
Juan Domingo Perón
Madrid, October 24, 1967
Note to Commenters
Due to severe hacking attacks in the recent past that brought our site down for up to 11 days with considerable loss of circulation, we exercise extreme caution in the comments we publish, as the comment box has been one of the main arteries to inject malicious code. Because of that comments may not appear immediately, but rest assured that if you are a legitimate commenter your opinion will be published within 24 hours. If your comment fails to appear, and you wish to reach us directly, send us a mail at: editor@greanvillepost.com
We apologize for this inconvenience.
Nauseated by the
vile corporate media?
Had enough of their lies, escapism,
omissions and relentless manipulation?
Send a donation to
The Greanville Post–or
But be sure to support YOUR media.
If you don’t, who will?
MATT DAMON on ELITE & NWO – Amazing Speech On This Evil World
[dropcap]D[/dropcap]espite its sketchiness, and the liberaloid error of pointing to the Soviet Union as a similar evil to the global capitalist hegemon, Damon’s main argument, that the world needs less civil obedience to the powers that be, is well taken. Incidentally, we are surprised at the poor quality of this video.
https://youtu.be/Rh-HOyJpJsA
[printfriendly]
Remember: All captions and pullquotes are furnished by the editors, NOT the author(s).
What is $5 a month to support one of the greatest publications on the Left?