Views in brief

The importance of Longview

IN RESPONSE to "Labor war in Longview": Excellent article! I found the article by a link from the Facebook page for Occupy Raleigh.

My folks live in Olympia, Wash., and my sister lives in Portland, Ore. I spent 20 years in the Pacific Northwest, so I know the Columbia River and towns along it--but I didn't know about this labor struggle in Longview. I wish everyone could read this account. It is a perfect example of the struggle between the 99 percent and the 1 percent.
Bob Evinger, Pittsboro, N.C.

Boycotts and Christmas

IN RESPONSE to "Why the movement shouldn't #OccupyXmas": I have nothing to add except "nicely done"...

Okay, I have one thing to add. Dick Gregory for years urged civil rights advocates to boycott Christmas shopping. His reasoning had nothing to do with an attack on consumerism; it was more a statement that African Americans were in a position to hit racism where it hurt--in the pocketbook. I'd have at least acknowledged Gregory's contribution, and why--a good idea or not--it and other boycott efforts differ from the Adbusters call.

Again, except for this caveat, your piece was terrific.
Michael Hirsch, New York City

The need for socialist ideas at Occupy

IN RESPONSE to "The aspirations of Occupy Wall Street": I am delighted and encouraged to have read that currents within the Occupy movement are developing an explicitly anti-capitalist philosophy and that the "aspirations" of Occupy Wall Street include confronting capitalism directly. This is the point over which I've been pessimistic about the potential of the Occupy movement, as well as other uprisings such as that in Wisconsin.

There has been a conspicuous absence of coherent anti-capitalist philosophy and explicitly socialist strategies for reconstructing a more just, egalitarian and democratic society. Outrage and indignation may be needful to facilitate and fuel mass rebellion, but a mob mentality of "throw the bums out!" is not sufficient to sustain a movement nor to forge an alternative society. It must be understood that "without revolutionary theory, there can be no revolutionary movement."

This brings me to the one contention of the author with which I disagree: that Americans are "no less prepared" than our international comrades to challenge the neoliberal consensus or capitalism in general. Unfortunately, Americans are seriously less prepared, primarily because socialism and Marxism has been virtually exterminated from public discourse, and certainly from public education, by reactionary, pro-capitalist forces for at least a century.

I can say with certainty that the majority of Americans involved in Occupy activities around the country are either opposed to socialism or totally ignorant of the actual tenets of Marxism. It's safe to say that most, if not all, of those who are opposed are so because of a totally distorted conception of socialism, again thanks to the deliberate propagandization of generations of Americans by the same institutions that are being targeted by the Occupy movement today.

As socialists, we must continue to educate, to raise the consciousness of our struggling comrades, and to pursue the "un-brainwashing" of the people.
Peter F., Glendale, Ariz.

Speaking up against the 1 percent

WHEN PUSH comes to shove, the Democrats and their ilk show their true colors: they do an about-face on their promises of help for the working class and poor, and defeat roundly any option for helping those who have been disadvantaged through the machinations of the 1 percent.

America is now standing at a crossroads that will determine the future course of this country for the next several generations. If the people do not rise up and let their voices be heard, the privileged elite, those who make up the cultural and moneyed of society, may well think that we care not about the results of their schemes.

Yet in the face of such disaster, the politicians will revert to their time-honored and time-tested true roots. They will do the will of their puppet masters, the oligarchs who determine monetary policy and the corporate schmucks who say, "No more protests, it's disturbing our peace of mind."

Why is it that, in the face of economic disaster, the global economy crashing and the world being taken over by individuals who care not for the people, these thieves of industry have not been incarcerated along with every other felon and lawbreaker? Is there a bias against workers and the poor? Absolutely and unequivocally, yes!

Nothing but a complete cultural shift, one which takes away the incentive for the runaway theft of property, retirement funds and the denial of health care and food for all, will make a difference in the world today. We cannot allow the machinations of the oligarchs to come to fruition--for if we do, then the next generations will be asking us, "Why did you allow the 1 percent to take total control of our lives?" Nothing will make an effective dent in the morass that is the corruption of politics today unless we the people demand change--starting at the very top and working its way down to the level of the people.

Are you prepared to shift the burden of your mistakes onto the next several generations? If so, do nothing about the current situation. If not, then speak loudly and clearly to power. Not a single word, but essays and papers that speak to the heart of the matter--that politics is corrupt, the government has ceased to represent the people and that we cannot count on you when the chips are down.

Surely, this is the only thing that politicians fear--the madding crowd speaking their minds and working for a cure from the common corruption that is the seat of power in the world.
Nelson Robison, Reynoldsville, Pa.