Recently Leninist-International has had a high spate of non-comradely
discussion around issues that truly need both discussion and respect from
all sides. Understandably in the case of a major issue such as
Kosovo/Yugoslavia feelings will run high, and comrades will be apt to become
very heated as to what they might want to say. As such an issue needs very
strict and deep analysis, it is even more important that attitudes remain
cool and respectful.
There are two things that have a tendency to destroy "open, militant and
non-sectarian" discussion on Marxist lists. One is to frame an argument in
verbiage that is clearly developed out of a particular splice of Marxist
history. To use an example that should make it clear but is not from this
list, such things as a proud Stalinist saying, dismissively: "bang your
shoe on the podium again, you revisionist!" or a Trotskyist going on about
formulae that are based on gospel, and demanding that they be put above
reproach, claiming elsewhile things to be signs of "non-Marixst" thought. We
don't need either insults of an extremely provocative nature or the
proclamation of slogans that we can raise. We need knowledge and the ability
to fuse our thoughts together into something we can act on; we are not here
to prove to one another who is right and wrong on these matters, except
quietly and without stating it. Evidence works better than declaration.
We are all Leninists and must remember that we *should* be here to come to
greater understandings, and work towards common goals. Our enemies can build
common programs, we simply must work this out as well.
As far as posting is concerned, all list members can feel absolute
confidence in posting anything they deem neccessary. Bandwidth as Nestor
recently reminds us all of, is very costly. If something can be given one or
two paragraphs with a link to the entire work, then this is of the utmost
importance. The list members who cannot afford every penny that the luckier
of us can are the most important to keep around anyways, it is our
internationalist duty to keep things accessible. I trust and suspect that we
all already know this.
Marxists are necessarily some of the most opinionated bunch there are. And
thank goodness! So when some heads ultimately don't keep their cool, I and
my co-moderators trust people will be kind in response to the barbs, and
stuff a flower down your comrades barrells.
The absolute most wonderful thing about lists of this type is how forward
thinking they are in the way they exist. They are not here so as to prove a
winner in an often stifling and unresolvable debate. We can have common
house for all the traditions within Leninism. And in that, we have our
collective best hope for regroupment and a socialist future from the abyss
that is the present.
Comradely,
Macdonald Stainsby, Co-Moderator,
Leninist International,
on behalf of the overwhelmingly busy team of Yoshie, Johannes and Nestor, my
invaluable comrades in moderation and struggle.
**
Now, if members would please resume the thread on Kosovo in the particular
case of the Trebca mines. I am finding it most informative and fascinating.
Thank you to both Jared Israel and my co-moderator Johannes Schneider for
getting us invaluable information.
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