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Independent Politics
A burning task at this political juncture is the setting in motion of a mass movement of working people toward independent politics. At this point we should define what we mean by “independent politics.” But before doing that, before discussing political strategy, we need to ensure that we share the same political goals. Without that,…
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Why Politicians Are Not Our Legitimate Representatives
What does “growing up” mean? It means, among other things, developing the ability to think critically. It means coming to understand that not everything that exists is right, necessary or permanent. We are born into a political system which we take for granted. We start off by thinking it is perfectly natural and democratic. Then,…
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Left Fragmentation
The Left is incredibly fragmented. Obviously, as long as it is in pieces it will remain weak. And yet that is not the real problem at this juncture. The real problem is that the Left is divided into essentially two pieces, if we consider only their political complexion and not other factors such as national…
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The Movement’s Requirements
There is no need to lay out all the components of today’s growing social and economic crises nor detail the symptoms of growing racism and repression. We are all aware of the problems. What we need to do is to develop a vision of how we can not only strengthen our fight against the continued…
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Mandela: An Example of Principled Leadership
Analyzing an excerpt from Nelson Mandela’s The Long Walk to Freedom, addressed to the New African Voices Alliances in the late winter of 1990. I thought I might use the speech of Nelson Mandela as an example of what good revolutionary leadership is. Everyone has noted his remarkable strength and dignity, notwithstanding the ordeal of…
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Struggling Against Racism & Class Interests – Letter Excerpt, June 1989
In discussing the question of racism, I think the emphasis shifts, depending upon the audience. When speaking to a predominantly white audience, it is necessary to stress that the struggle against racism is a key and indispensable aspect of the class struggle. Without the struggle against racism, one cannot pursue a class struggle, but rather…
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A Word About the Liberals – Letter Excerpt, October 1988
A word about the liberals. WE need to wage an all-out ideological war against them. We need to expose every vacillation, every instance of cowardice, opportunism, etc. But this does not preclude entering into agreements with them around specific issues or actions. There are times when tangible benefits for the masses and better conditions for…
