Anti-Semitism 8C Zionism Fighting Racism
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Anti-semitism 8c Zionism Fighting Racism . Workplace Editors' Introduction This is the fourth issue of the tendency newsletter. We particularly wish to draw your attention to the conference call in the first pages of this issue. While a number of details remain to be work ed out (though it seems fairly certain that the conference will be held at a single site in Brooklyn on Easter weekend- April 1,2,3,1983), several meetings have already been held and workgroups assigned to the various tasks, rangi ng from funding to childcare to speakers arrangments. Participation at al l l evels is still welcome, anyone with a desire to either come to the conference or work on its preparation should contact either this newsletter or one of the individuals or groups listed as sponsors. It is our opinion that the success of this project will be dependent in lar ge measure on the Rreparation of the participants. To aid that preparati on, future issues of this newsletters or special editions will likely concentrate on readings for background and papers to be debated and discussed at the conference. Those who have suggestions within the areas outlined should immediately contact us. For those reading this generic newsletter the first time, we repeat from a previous issue: we want to circulate material that is of direct in terest and use to the political trend to which we belong. In part this will be descriptions and analyses of work area; in part it will be treatment of various strategic and theoretical questions and the debates around them ••• Our hope is to gradually overcome various questions of security and political diplomacy to the point where major areas of work can be analysed with suf ficent detail and candor so that a clear picture of various forces and pro grams will emerge. Similarly, on the theoretical and strategic questions our goal is to be able to present issues and question in a way that a more general participation i n discussions wil l be possible before lines become fixed and public stances are assumed. Other notes: - as always, publishing or reprinting of an article here should not be taken to mean that the writer is a member of the tendency. - the anti- war newsletter Battlecry, which was combined with this news letter for the previous issue, will begin publication shortly under a new name . Notes and debate should be sent to it c/o this address. Technical notes: send camera- ready copy (carbon ribbon, 1/2" margins all around , 8 1/2" by 11" paper) to us . In the case of posters, leaflets and the like, send the original or a good PMT. We have facilities for re duction and other layout changes, but discourage this unless c ecked before hand . This newsletter is on permanent file at the Chicago Historical Soci ety Circulation this issue: 500. Let us know if you need more . Tendency Newsletter c/o STO P.O. Box 8493 Chicago , IL. 60650 TABLE OF CONTENTS Edi-tor 1 s Introduction . .. ., ........... ., ... ~ . ., .............. ., ...................... 1 Table of Contents ...•••••.•.•.•••••.•.•••.•••.•••••••••••••.•.•.•..••••••.• 2 Announcement of Conference on the Nature of the Period •...•••••.••..•.•••.• 3 Focus on Zionism and Anti-Semij;;m Effects of Zionism, A. Brule et al. .................................. 5 Exchange in Off Our Backs. June and July 1982 •.•••.•.•.•.•••••.••••..• 9 Study Aid, Sojourner Truth Organization, Chicago Branch .•.•....•••••• 11 Bibliography, Wej N.acinema ..••.•.•••••••.•.•••.•.•.•.•••••••••.•...•. 14 Zionim and Its Scarecrows, Moshe Machover and Mario Offenberg from K~amsin, Journal of Revolutionary Socialists of the Mid-East ................................... 0 ••• 15 The Class in Motion? Fight Against Union Busting in Minneapolis, L. Weiss •.•.•••.•.•.•...• 29 Iowa Beef Strike, Ted Tuel, from Missouri Valley Socialist .•••••••.•• 31 You Made Only One Mistake, Carole Travis ............................. 34 Fighting Racism and Fascism: Strategies and Resources National Anti-Klan Network Conference, ...•.•••.•••.••..••• 36 On Anti-Rascist Strategy, Mitchell Cohen , Re1J r. ; · ,,, rollective •.•. 38 Anti-Rascism Literature Project .•.•.•••.•••.•...............•.•.•.•.. 41 Attacks on Armed Movements and Their Supporters Nyac Grand Jury Leaflet •..••. , , ••••••. , ..•.•.•.... , ... .. .... 43 Puerto Rican Indictments ...••. , .•••••••••••.•••••• , •...... , . • ••.•.• 44 Solidarity and Regroupment, Phil Hill, Tuesday Marxist Group ........•.•.•.• 45 More on Germany .•..•.•.•••••.•. , ••.•• , .•. , .•.••.•.••.••...•••..••....•.•••. 48 Norteamericanos, Call Home, Ariel Dorfman, from The Village Voice, s, ~4/82. 50 2 Conference Called A theoretical/political conference is being planned for Easter weekend, 1983, to be held in New York City. It will be on the interrelated themes of new trends in capital and the implications of those trends for both state and society. Our emphasis will be on the particularities of the U.S. situation with an eye to providing a context for future discussions of questions of strategic importance for left work in various movements and sectors. Within this framework, we intend to incorporate a consideration of developments in other developed countries as possible indicators of the direction of the move ments spawned by the present crisis. The conference is conceived by its initiators as part of a process already un derway to consolidate a political tendency on the left--one that is existent in elements but not self-conscious nor effectively organized. Generally this ten dency is characterized by activism, internationalism, a recognition that strug gles waged by oppressed groups (Black, latin, women, etc.) are central to the revolutionary process and a conviction that those struggles must develop auto nomously, an open and critical approach to major questions before the left, a willingness to draw from various currents in left thought, an appreciation for the importance of theory, and a critical attitude towards the traditional party building movement but still understanding the need for revolutionary organization. Besides preparations for this first of what may be a .series of conferences, co ope·ration on joint political projects are going ahead amongst people in this ten dency and communication is being promoted through this generic newsletter. The planners of the conference hope to· attract activists who generally fit within the characteristics stated above. Identification with the tendency building pro cess is not a prerequisite to participation. The conference is not intended to develop formai organizational structure or to serve as a recruitment devise. Rather,it is meant to be an opportunity for much-needed serious, strategically oriented discussion amongst revolutionaries who do share a certain common per spective. At the end of this report you will find a description of the thematic divisions we have arrived at and the breadth of consideration they are meant to encompass. There is obvious overlap between the various segments and final clarification of the exact limits between eacn topic will be determined in consultation with the princip~,) speakers. The format consists of a panel of two o.r three speakers on each topic followed by small discussions involving the panelists and perhaps other speakers. Partici pants would reassemble for a plenary discussion before proceeding to the next topic. There will be no votes or resolutions. Participants will be expected to do extensive advance preparation. With the wide scope and complexity of the topics, we can only expect issues to be clarified, questions asked, and debate to begin. It is hoped that debate will continue through this newsletter, other appropriate media, and possibly other conferences. 3 The conference planning committee has thus far included the following indivi duals and groups: Red Balloon Collective, South African Military Refugee Aid Fund, Sojourner Truth Organization, Tuesd(ly Marxist Group, SaEalee Hamilton, and John Garvey. Letters to prrep~ct±v~participants will be mailed soon. Readers of this news letter who are_.interested in the conference should correspond with the conference planning committee care of this newsletter: PO Box 8493, Chicago, Il, 60680. CO~FERENCE TOPICS ~~D QUESTIONS I What is happening to the U.S. economy? The microprocessor revolution--what is the future of the auto and other industries which up to now have been basic to the economy? Will there be a shift in relative importance of heavy indus try, military, clerical, communications and service sectors? Hhat is the aim of capital--to restructure or to reindustrialize?--and to what extent can it realize that aim? To what extent are these developments caused and shaped by the various mass struggles? What will be the impact of these changes on the size, and on the racial, sexual, age and skill composition of the working class? \fuat are the likely changes in the sexual division of labor and in the family? Is. there a tendency towards the emergence of Third World characteristics (i.e. extremes of poverty and wealth with little in between) in the U.S. and. other industrial countries? II Changing condistions in the periphery The effect of uneven development of the periphery. The character of the "economic 7'-1irq~-le" in Taiwan,- South Korea, etc. Multi-national corporations and multinational imperialism. The degree to which captital remains "nationalistic... -quest'ions of domestic stability versus foreign investment. The role of the· IMF and AID policies. The "new internation al economic ordern and the