Friday, March 16, 2007
You'd think the War Was Obey's Fault
Going off my post from a couple days ago on Rep. Obey I just got this over the wire:
"The Democrats attempted to silence debate in the Rayburn Building-- half an hour ago 19 youth from FIST (Fight Imperialism Stand Together) stormed Rayburn to let them know that the people will not be silenced...Today--minutes ago-- a diverse group of 19 youth, mostly women, entered the Rayburn Building, to demand "Money for Jobs and Education, not for War and Occupation" and "Cut the Funding, End the War; Troops Out Now!"Their demands were loud enough to be heard from across the street and prevented the Congressional offices and hearings from conducting their daily business of imperialism, greed, and oppression.The Capitol cops were clearly unprepared for the militant youth and could only attempt to chase them through the building as they marched through every hallway on all three floors.Members of Congress may attempt to hide their crimes behind "non-binding resolutions" and phony timetables, but the antiwar movement is not fooled by political posturing. Resistance will only increase until Congress does what the people have demanded--cut off the funds and bring the troops home."
So "FIST" will keep getting arrested for barging into Congressional hearings until Congress-which would have to include the Republicans too-gets
sick of paying the Capitol police over time and brings all the troops home. As Rep. Obey so nicely put it: "Do you see a magic wand in my pocket? We don't have the votes for it." All this is going to do is making harder to get into Congressional hearings. Its one thing for SDS to protest in front of the 1968 Democratic Party national convention; they had after all shut out all opposition to the Vietnam war and it was legitimate to see it as their war. Its another thing to decide that Congress-which has finally began to check Bush's war powers-is now the main enemy which will be targeted by direct action stunts.This is classic substitution of moral witness for real politics not to mention politically disorienting.
sick of paying the Capitol police over time and brings all the troops home. As Rep. Obey so nicely put it: "Do you see a magic wand in my pocket? We don't have the votes for it." All this is going to do is making harder to get into Congressional hearings. Its one thing for SDS to protest in front of the 1968 Democratic Party national convention; they had after all shut out all opposition to the Vietnam war and it was legitimate to see it as their war. Its another thing to decide that Congress-which has finally began to check Bush's war powers-is now the main enemy which will be targeted by direct action stunts.This is classic substitution of moral witness for real politics not to mention politically disorienting. Of course in the case of "FIST", they aren't as naive as they seem. They are the youth group for a Kim Il Sung loving, Tiananmen Square massacre supporting Marxist-Leninist sect who is merely trying to impress college students by being the first to up the ante in the ultra-militancy game. It isn't going to help the movement and it isn't going to give us power. Its true that power conceded nothing without a demand; its also true that if those power show some interest in your demands you don't kick them in the teeth.
Not that the Iraq supplemental they voted on doesn't have major flaws. One could say it stinks. I doubt FIST is going to do a lot to change it though.
I'll let you all know about tomorrow. I'm glad to read in the Post that legitimate anti-war groups(in this case Christian ones) will be protesting in DC tonight.
Labels: anti-war movement, FIST, Rep. Obey, Workers World Party
# posted by Gang of One @ 3:08 PM 
