UFPJ chose to not mobilize antiwar organizations on the sixth anniversary; instead, UFPJ chose to organize a national mobilization in New York City called “Beyond War: A New Economy is Possible” on April 4th (which marks the anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s “Beyond Vietnam” speech).
Look at the “calls to action” side by side; here is World Can’t Wait’s and here is UFPJ’s. What do you think?
Which could use some nuance? Which poorly draws dividing lines? What do both do that could be improved?
Lack of nuance in organization would be a small problem if it weren’t for the fact that many groups have connections to marginalized parties with manifestos designed to build up support for state power.
Many of the groups who are perennial players in the organization of national mobilizations seek to build radical movements for power; their calls for a Socialist Labor Party, a Revolutionary Communist Party, Party for Socialism and Liberation, Anarchism, and even the larger Green Party split the antiwar movement at the seams as a large portion of the movement puts their picket signs down and pick up clipboards for door-to-door campaigns to campaign for the most “electable” Democrat to Congress or the U.S. Presidency.
A broad swath of people quit speaking out while another broad swath frantically try to mobilize other Americans.
The movement cannot, as the tired cliché goes, chew gum and walk at the same time. The Kerry election ripped the growing movement at the seams, then the 2006 election further exacerbated tensions, and then Obama won over conformist lefties and progressives by beating the rhetorical anti-war drum.
I admit it---I am guilty of letting electoral politics get in the way of organizing to end the war. Nothing could be more divisive to the movement than someone advocating that members vote Green or that people who really want peace policies to triumph should vote Nader or McKinney. That draws a line.
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