For my part I do not think the ISO can be reformed enough to justify the effort put in by joining or any other approach. There is too much dogma going too far back. Everyone has been educated to organize this way. People need to think from scratch about what we need to do to wage a better struggle today, not channel Lenin from 19XX. Things I have been thinking about is that it might be better for radicals to build social struggle organizations and movements then to build a specific brand of Marxist Truth. It dawned on me when Occupy Madison was going on how silly it was that all the experienced activists in the ISO and other groups were doing all the usual routines instead of participating and strengthening a national movement. Only a few members were ever there and not often. Surely this happened elsewhere to the detriment of that movement or perhaps not for if the ISO there more deliberately it might have been to maneuver some divisive shenanigans. Other thoughts are about backing away from the socialist label altogether. The socialist movement is no more. It has reached its high water mark many years ago and now people literally say that socialism is what the USSR was and they want more of that or that is what is happening in North Korea or that its Sweden or whatever. Its outdated and has too much baggage. We dont need that crap. Doesnt mean we cant learn from it though. At the same time, we need more radicals whatever they call themselves running for office and proposing reforms and uniting together into one electoral front united with mass participation in the streets. The collaboration in chicago should unit immediately with Sawant organizationally but probably not under the label of socialism. My thoughts for now.
Posted on: Wed, 29 Jan 2014 02:33:36 +0000