[statecom-discuss] [Platform] Fwd: Peace movement and the 2008 elections ---------- interview with Judith LeBlanc

[John Walsh]

Yes, that was harsh.  Another word for harshness is militancy - and  
it is a much needed value in today's climate.
And it should be harsher.  A million Iraqis are dead and 5 million  
displaced at Bush's hands after  Dems Clinton/Gore  killed "only"  
500,000. UFPJ and UJP and PDA have narrowed and wrecked the antiwar  
movement.
Why do they  exclude Ralph Nader and Ron Paul and Libertarians and  
real Greens (not just those Greens of convenience who do not ever  
point out the complicity of the Dems in the war)?   And as I  pointed  
out, UFPJ has lost half its contributor base - deservedly so.

This is an election year and those who OMIT the genuine antiwar war  
candidates are LYING to us by omission.
It is not too much to say that the blood of those Iraqis is partly on  
the hands of Judith LeBlanc and Tim Carpenter and the other  
misleaders of the antiwar movement.
Want  to see what they have wrought and see them at  work?  Go see  
Donahue's  "Body of War."  By the way, Donahue was led to make that  
movie when Ralph Nader invited him to come along on one of his visits  
to Walter Reed, about which he does not speak, let alone  brag.

So do I regret my harsh words?  No.  To pretend that the LeBlanc's of  
the world, however good their intentions, are not doing the devil's  
work is to maintain a  lie.
john walsh
p.s.  In a recent Zogby poll, Nader got 6% of the vote to 39% for HRC  
or Obama to 44% for McCain!!!  More importantly in a recent FOX News  
poll, 14% said they would consider voting for Nader.  Of that 14%,  
21% were Independents, 14% Republicans, and 10% Dems.  These days I  
feel that there is more genuine antiwar sentiment among the likes of  
Paul or Raimondo than among the Dems.  The Duopoly is the enemy and  
that is why we are  here.  So please stop tut-tutting the militants  
among us in such a self-righteous way.

On Apr 14, 2008, at 1:50 PM, Jim Hammerman wrote:

> Dear John,
> I'm frightened by your harsh tone and the fact that you seem to be  
> judging
> people based on who they are rather than what they say. This is  
> dangerous
> in a party that values diversity and consensus-seeking. If we can't  
> hear
> and value the ideas and approaches of those who are different from us,
> we'll never be able to learn from one another and grow with one  
> another.
>
> I wonder, did you even read this piece before lashing out about it?  
> While
> it supports some work on the upcoming elections, it also calls for the
> fundamental importance of grassroots organizing especially around  
> how war
> spending undermines the possibility of creating an economy and society
> that would be healthier and more supportive for the vast majority. It
> calls for people-power to keep politicians of whatever stripe in line.
> Sure, she wants folks to vote Dem rather than Republican. Until we can
> actually get enough of us elected to steer policy in an even more
> progressive direction, I think that's fine, as long as it's not the  
> only
> thing people do. That's where the organizing part comes in and it's  
> where
> if we can join and shape movement building, we can be a real  
> influence and
> make a difference. But not if we merely dismiss anyone who doesn't  
> agree
> with us entirely.
>
> If you're trying to argue that we shouldn't associate with anyone who
> votes Dem or encourages people to vote Dem, I think we're going to  
> have a
> hard time building this party to a point where we can be a real
> alternative for most folks. But maybe I'm putting words in your mouth.
> Sorry, if so.
>
> I'd be glad to have a civil & respectful discussion about this.  
> Which list
> is the best place for that, or should it happen privately?
>
> Best,
> Jim
>
>
>
>
> "John Walsh" <john.walsh at umassmed.edu>
> Sent by: statecom-discuss-bounces at green-rainbow.org
> 04/14/08 09:17 AM
> Please respond to
> Discussion List for StateCom members <statecom-discuss at green- 
> rainbow.org>
>
>
> To
> "gary hicks" <gooberthink06 at yahoo.com>
> cc
> GRP Platform <platform at green-rainbow.org>, statecomgrp discuss
> <statecom-discuss at green-rainbow.org>, needtoknow at green-rainbow.org
> Subject
> Re: [statecom-discuss] [Platform] Fwd: Peace movement and the 2008
> elections ---------- interview with Judith LeBlanc
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Why do you send this to the GRP?
> We are founded on the idea that the Dem Party (and the Republican)
> are agents of war, empire, police state and opponents of a better
> life whether it be in the form of single payer or a shorter work week.
> The comments of LeBlanc are little more than a call to vote Dem.
> And LeBlanc and her buddies at UFPJ and in PDA (Prowar Dems of
> America) are responsible for dividing and weakening the peace  
> movement.
> Enough.
> john walsh
> p.s. As a result UFPJ's contributions fell by 50% last year, almost
> all of that fall in the form of small donations and internet
> donations.  The antiwar movement has seen through the UFPJ leadership
> (and its amen corner in UJP here in MA) as a mouthpiece for the  
> duopoly.
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Platform mailing list
> Platform at green-rainbow.org
> http://www.green-rainbow.org/mailman/listinfo/platform
>

John V. Walsh, MD
Professor of Physiology
University of Massachusetts Medical School
55 Lake Avenue, N.
Worcester, MA, 01655-0127
Phone (work): 508-856-3360
Phone (cell): 508-868-1653
email: john.walsh at umassmed.edu