Longish thread on the ongoing debate over WWP influence in ANSWER.(extract)
http://www.infoshop.org/inews/stories.php?story=03/02/20/7261744
This entire "red-baiting" debate shows how dysfunctional the left is these
days. An argument could be made that Corn and Gitlin ARE engaged in
red-baiting, since they suggest that the presence of ANY variety of
communists or socialists in a prominent role is bad for the movements
image. ANSWER does have a case there.
But the key thing here for everybody to understand is that ANSWER is being
dishonest and evasive when they raise the charge of red-baiting. The WWP
sectarians who runs ANSWER seek to poison the movement's internal debates
with the idea that ANY criticism of their presence within ANSWER is
red-baiting. I have nor problem with radical communists and socialists
being involved in anti-war work, yet WWP supporters have charged me with
red-baiting when I criticize the WWP.
THE CHARGE OF RED-BAITING IS USED BY AUTHORITARIAN LEFTISTS TO STOP
DEMOCRACY AND TRANSPARENCY WITHIN ACTIVISTS MOVEMENTS.
