============================================================================ Delivered-To: •••@••.••• Reply-To: "Brit Eckhart" <•••@••.•••> From: "Brit Eckhart" <•••@••.•••> To: <•••@••.•••> Subject: Re: Date: Tue, 26 Jun 2001 07:51:32 -0400 This comes from Susan George; Sid. Regards, Brit~ ============================ The person sending this is a Canadian trade unionist in whom I have complete confidence and who also sends important texts daily to a list of correpsondents. Please read carefully. SG X-Sender: •••@••.••• (Unverified) X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Light Version 3.0.5 (32) Date: Mon, 25 Jun 2001 13:49:20 -0700 To: (Recipient list suppressed) From: Sid Shniad <•••@••.•••> Subject: Something is happening out there The three messages today about what happened in Sweden, agents provocateurs attacking demonstrators in Barcelona, and the stockpiling of body bags in Genoa indicate that the powers that be are going into high gear in their battle against the opponents of neoliberal globalization. It appears to me that the bad guys could well be setting things up for a dramatic incident in Genoa which will be used to prove to the world that the powers opposing neoliberal globalization are violent enemies of society who must be stopped at any cost. I think this will be used to rationalize a markeds escalation of attacks on progressive groups and movements of all kinds. In this context, I see it as virtally important for all of us to do a serious assessment of where the anti-globalization movement is at today. Cindy Milstein argued in her article "Something Did Start in Quebec City: North America's Revolutionary Anti-Capitalist Movement" that "Care must nevertheless be taken not to let the diversity of tactics principle morph into a code for 'anything goes.' As noted by L. A. Kauffman in her recent essay, 'Turning Point,' already 'in certain radical circles . . . the militant acts at the front lines are being seen-and celebrated-in isolation, as part of a growing mystique of insurrection.' These direct actions are not yet, and perhaps will never become, insurrections. Viewing them as such could lead to the use of tactics that would be potentially suicidal for this still-fledgling movement-as the historical examples of the Weather Underground and Red Army Faction show. Without a bit more definition to the diversity principle, and a way to make people accountable to any parameters decided on, the anti-capitalist movement is wide open to stupidity or sabotage -- or at least more than it needs to be." Given these recent developments, Milstein and Kaufman's warning takes on even greater significance. In solidarity, Sid Shniad 10, rue Jean Michelez 91510 Lardy, France tel. 33 [0]1 6927 4715 fax 33 [0]1 6082 6668 e-mail : •••@••.••• web page: http://www.tni.org/george ============================================================================
