I want to express my thanks to all who took the time to respond to my comments about the complex and highly volatile issue of 'immigration'. Many excellent points have been made on different sides of this complex question. It is always heartening to hear points of view expressed in reasoned arguments. It is crucially important that we on the progressive Left maintain the capacity for reasoned internal dialogue, most especially in those areas where we find ourselves in disagreement.
I do regret that certain false assumptions have been made about me and what I think, such as the completely untrue assertion that "Zwarich casually identifies all Mexicans immigrants as the enemy of workers", which came from one writer who clearly has very strong emotions invested in this issue (nothing wrong with that, I greatly admire passionate commitment). This same writer went on to say that, "Neither Zwarich, SOS, nor the Minutemen promote working class unity against corporate and government rulers". I would like to make it very clear that I am NOT a supporter of, an apologist for, or defender of, SOS or the Minutemen. I am only trying to get us to develop some perspective on this volatile issue. I am trying to get us to see both ourselves (by far the hardest task), and these anti-immigration groups, in terms of how we fit in to the larger picture. Although I have spent a few hours now reading on the SOS and Minutemen web sites, I do not really know that much about these groups at this point. But in lumping me together with them in terms of what we promote, the writer quoted above could not be more wrong about my lack of promotion of working class unity against the ruling class. In fact, this was the very central message I was trying to get across in my comments, (although I obviously did a very poor job of it). 'Identify the Enemy' is one of the most basic tenets of warfare. I have tried energetically to promote an awareness and understanding of this basic principle of adversarial struggle among the ranks of the progressive Left. I have written many tens of thousands of words trying to get us (the Left) to realize that we are constantly allowing ourselves to be flummoxed and bamboozled by the corporate ruling class, (which I have referred to for years as the Corporate Party), precisely because we continually fail to properly 'identify the enemy'. (The disastrous ABB fiasco was a direct result of such a failure). It seems very clear that the de facto open border policy that is currently in effect, under which current US immigration laws are simply not being enforced, is a policy that could only have been implemented by the corporate ruling class that holds the reigns of power. I was trying to make the point in my previous comments that this de facto open border policy is entirely in keeping with the overall (and age old) ruling class strategy to pit all workers around the world against each other in the much discussed 'race to the bottom'. I cited Marx's thesis: 'The value of labor is defined by the cost of reproduction (replacement) of that labor', which explains the simple and obvious mechanism of this working class 'race to the bottom'. How can it possibly not be completely and immediately obvious, to anyone who perceives reality from a Left perspective, that the direct and immediate objective of this open border policy is to instigate wage-suppressing competition, among desperate competing workers, in those jobs that cannot be exported to third world countries, where labor is desperate and therefore cheaper, (service sector jobs, domestic construction, etc)? To suppress working class wages in those jobs that cannot be exported, the Corporate Party is importing massive numbers of desperate immigrant workers to compete directly with domestic workers. This policy is having its intended devastating effect in the lives of the American working class. Millions of American workers, who only recently held decent paying jobs, now can no longer find those jobs, because they have been filled by lower-paid immigrant workers. Or even when they can still find those jobs, they now pay dramatically lower wages that cannot support a dignified life for workers and their families. How, or why, is this disastrous effect of the current open border policy in the lives of working class Americans not completely obvious? And when those Americans who are being victimized by this open border policy attempt to organize themselves to find redress for their grievances, how is it that we feel that we should demonize them for trying to protect their families and livelihoods? Thus we are left to contemplate this completely bizarre circumstance where Left wing pro-immigration groups are vociferously supporting the capitalist Corporate Party's open border policy, which directly victimizes the domestic working class, while anti-immigration groups, such as SOS and the Minutemen, which many are identifying as 'right wing', are protesting vociferously AGAINST the open border strategy of the capitalist ruling class, because they feel victimized by its effects. And, in the very height of irony itself, many of those who SUPPORT the capitalist open border policy most militantly, (and demonize those who are demonstrating AGAINST this capitalist open border policy), carry signs that say things like, "Smash Capitalism!" How did we get this confused? How did we let ourselves be drawn into this absurd position as enthusiastically willing dupes of the Corporate Party, supporting the capitalist ruling class open border policy? One writer asserted that the Corporate Party, witnessing this fiendishly clever drama it has devised, is "laughing all the way to the bank". Right On! (as we used to say in the olden days). SOS and the Minutemen are NOT the enemy folks. In class terms, (in may respects), we could say that they ARE the working class. Many of the instigators and leaders may actually be middle class, but there can be no doubt that they are enjoying a huge degree of support among the American working classes, represented by ALL races, that have been victimized by these open border policies. These are 'ordinary people', concerned citizens, who feel threatened by this sudden massive wave of immigration we have seen in the last ten years, and, right or wrong, they are organizing in response to that perceived threat. To the extent that they are confused and misinformed about this issue of immigration, to the extent that they may resort to racist attitudes and arguments, they are indeed themselves the dupes of the ruling class (the Corporate Party). What I have tried to point out is that when groups on the Left take up a belligerent battle cry in militant terms that demonizes these people as 'the enemy', these Leftist groups are only succeeding in making Corporate Party dupes of themselves. We are, in direct effect, taking up 'class warfare' against our own class, (assuming that the Left identifies with the working class), and in doing so, we are providing the corporate ruling class with great amusement, not to mention GREAT political advantage. When we fail to properly 'identify the enemy', we ALWAYS provide that enemy with great advantage. I'm sure it was my fault for not making this point clearer to the writer who missed it so completely. This main point of my recent comments was no doubt unwisely obscured by my attempts to point out that in terms of aggressively emotionalized 'hate speech', of which the pro-immigration Leftist militant groups are accusing SOS and the Minutemen, the commentary that I have personally seen and heard on this immigration issue that is coming from the Left is FAR more incendiary than anything I personally have seen or heard (in the research I have done) coming from ANY of these anti-immigration groups. I was not in Baldwin Park, but there is a great deal of video of both events available on the internet. Anyone who cares to can see for themselves that the most emotionalized, obscene, and blatant 'hate speech' was coming from the Left. Can anyone refer me to actual documentation of hate speech coming from SOS or the Minutemen? (I'm not saying it does not exist, I'm just saying that the hate speech coming from the Left is immediately apparent, but I have not yet found any that is coming from SOS or the Minutemen, even after looking for it). That does NOT assign a value judgment as to who is 'right or wrong' on this issue. I tried to make it clear in my comments that in addressing those comments to Left discussion groups, I am addressing what I consider to be 'my side'. I am simply disturbed and embarrassed that 'my side' is presenting such ill-considered arguments, arguments that ignore the most basic premises about class struggle, (that we should have learned by now), and that those arguments are being presented in such unreasoned, hateful, and emotionalized terms. These heated emotions that are being directed against essentially working class groups, like SOS and the Minutemen, should properly be directed at the corporate ruling class, the Corporate Party. When we take up this inflamed battle cry against these working class groups, we are taking our eye off the ball, folks, and we are doing EXACTLY what the Corporate Party wants us to do. We could not possibly be cooperating more fully in making complete 'ruling class dupes' of ourselves. We are vociferously supporting the Corporate Party's open border policy that is victimizing American workers. As I have already said, I have no doubt at all that many overt racists would gravitate to the ranks of groups like SOS and the Minutemen. This should be no surprise to anyone. Racism is RAMPANT among the working classes. Lord God, SURELY we are aware of that! EVERY racial group at the bottom of the economic ladder suffers from this cursed affliction of racism. Working class people of EVERY race, and most especially those clinging to the bottom rungs of the economic ladder, exhibit distressing degrees of racism against other racial groups with whom they are in direct economic competition. The most violent and virulent emotions of overt racism exist among the poorest classes, between poor whites, poor blacks, poor Hispanics, etc. Any who don't understand this, should take a walk on the 'other side'. If you are black, walk through an East LA barrio. If you are Hispanic, walk through a South Central 'hood. It doesn't matter whether you are Anglo, or Asian, or African-American, or Hispanic, or any other race, take a walk through any ethnically segregated neighborhood of a different race, among the poorest economic classes, and see what kind of reception you get. This is the problem we face, folks. And when we take up this battle cry against other working class groups, as we are taking it up against these anti-immigration groups, we are only making ourselves a part of that problem. We are playing right into the hands of the Corporate Party. Zwarich ----- Original Message ----- From: "Michael Novick" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Cc: "Zwarich" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "activism" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "Jimmy Rivera" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "Actionla" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>; "LAAMN" <[email protected]>; "peacecenter" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Saturday, July 16, 2005 11:20 PM Subject: [LAAMN] Re: [actionla] Earl Hutchinson invites Joe Turner at the L.A. Urban Policy Roundtable? >I appreciate Leone, Leslie and Tom's responses to Zwarich. He and I have > previously exchanged views about immigration issues, and despite his > appeal > to "Reason," I am honestly not sure "reason" is what will carry the day. > However, here's another go at it, > from a different angle. > > Turner and SOS are quite clear that issue is not immigration -- it is > "defending" the conquest of this land. Their provocations directed at > Judith Baca's art installation in Baldwin Park clearly is about their > claims to sovereignty (through war) over this land, and their objections > are to the idea that this is Mexican, or Indian land. > > Unless we acknowledge that, we can't begin to have a discussion, with > Zwarich or anyone else. That is to say, the starting point for > understanding this phenomenon must be colonialism and particularly settler > colonialism. We must directly confront the SOS ideology about a > "reconquista," which it shares with the most openly racist > "anti-immigrant" > groups, such as Glenn Spencer's American Patrol. Spencer was the thug and > criminal (had to flee CA because of problems with the law) who used to > promote anti-Mexican July 4th protests at the Westwood Federal Building. > Hal Netkin, the racist thug with the CCIR who ran his van into protesters > in Orange County, runs a website that views "Mexican-American" politicians > like LA Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa as fifth columns following secret > orders > from Mexico and/or MEChA to carry out this reconquest. Mexican population > growth in any form -- births, immigration, inter-marriage -- is seen as a > demographic assault on Euro-American dominance in this territory. This is > not new. White settlers carried out lynchings and created vigilante > organizations like the Texas, Arizona and California Rangers to enforce > their land grab and domination of the indigenous population. Neither > Arizona nor New Mexico was admitted to the union until each had a clear > Anglo majority population. Before they became states they were governed as > colonial territories of the federal government. > > If you think this struggle is only about immigration, you pursue fruitless > strategies and arguments for dealing with it, like the popular US myth > that > we are "a nation of immigrants." This foundation myth -- that is to say, > lie -- is meant to disguise the fact that the US is an Empire, peopled by > colonized and kidnaped people and settlers, as well as some immigrants. > Native people including Mexicans are not immigrants. Black people are not > immigrants. Hawaiians are not immigrants, nor are Inuit. Neither are the > descendants of the English colonists offspring of immigrants, but of > settlers -- people intent on the dispossession of the indigenous > population > and seizure of their land. > > The very concept of immigration, in fact, is a fairly recent one, and > spread from the US and other settler colonies that wanted to increase > their > European population. Immigration (as opposed to migration, a natural > process of human (or animal) population transfer and distribution, is > predicated on the imperial nation state and its imposition of borders on > reality. Neither restrictions on human movement, nor imposition of borders > and planting of flags to claim territory (and ultimately privatize it) are > "Reasonable" or justifiable; they are simply manifestations of the > operation of the strategy that "Might Makes Right" in history. > > It's interesting that Zwarich tries to rest his arguments on Marx. Marx > and > Engels, who certainly made some contributions to human understanding and > liberation, were also flawed by Euro-centrism. They supported the US > invasion and conquest of a large chunk of Mexico, because they felt that > Yankee Protestant industry would hasten the development of the productive > forces, and thus of socialism, more than leaving it under Catholic, > mestizo > Mexican authority. They did this, despite their opposition to slavery, > when > the US, by virtue of its conquest, REINTRODUCED chattel slavery into a > territory where it had been abolished by the Mexican revolution for > independence. > > What are the terms on which we struggle about and discuss this issue? They > must be on the question of de-colonization, because only in that context, > which require the total social, economic and political transformation of > this society, can we begin to build an alliance among all oppressed and > exploited people. Within that alliance, the contributions of the millions > of Mexicans who now live throughout the US -- a million Mexicans in > Chicago, for example -- become strategic, and any contradictions such as > those Zwarich cites become contradictions among the people whose real > shared interest is in defeating the Empire. > > > > At 06:21 PM 7/15/2005, Leslie Radford wrote: >>I'm going to try to take this from Zwarich's anti-ruling class ideology. >> >>First, let's be clear: Joe Turner and Save Our State are opposed to all >>Mexicans and to the poorest workers. > > In accordance with Title 17 U.S.C. section 107, this material is > distributed without charge or profit to those who have expressed a prior > interest in receiving this type of information for non-profit research and > educational purposes only. > > Check out "Turning the Tide: Journal of Anti-Racist Action, Research & > Education" > > Anti-Racist Action/People Against Racist Terror > PO Box 1055 Culver City CA 90232 > 310-495-0299 > www.geocities.com/ara_losangeles > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > "To subscribe to ARA NEWS, email [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the following command > in > the body of your message: > subscribe ara-news" > > > > > --------------------------------------------------------------------------- > LAAMN: Los Angeles Alternative Media Network > --------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Unsubscribe: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > --------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Subscribe: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > --------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Digest: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > --------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Help: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > --------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Post: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > --------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Archive1: <http://www.egroups.com/messages/laamn> > --------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Archive2: <http://www.mail-archive.com/[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > --------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > Yahoo! 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