--- "A.Wosni" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
> Lieber Johannes,
> ich schreibe Dir privat, weil ich keine Lust mehr
> habe, diese Diskussion auf der
> LI-Liste fortzuführen.
I think it's interesting that as we are holding this
discussion a book has just been published in Germany
consisting of stories written by young "Germans" who
are immigrants or children of immigrants (1 or 2) in
German. It was reviewed this week in Junge Welt. I
forget now which day and what the book's name was,
something like "more than German." Aber natuerlich
alles auf deutsch.
I also think that in this discussion we must be clear
that there is, in Germany as in the U.S., a difference
between the different sectors of the working class and
the content of their attitude toward language. The
German workers (and communists) are members of the
oppressor nation, even though they too are exploited.
If they learn Turkish, for example, in order to reach
out to Turkish workers, this shows respect for the
language and culture of the oppressed nation. That's
what communists should be interested in doing not only
because it is proper but because it can help build
class solidarity.
Of course it's in the interest of both individual
immigrant workers and for aiding communication among
all the workers that they learn the national and
dominant language. But is also reasonable that many
will resent learning that language. And some will
resist it. And some Turkish political leaders, even
those who want dearly to make revolution in Turkey,
may want the Turkish immigrant workers to stay
oriented toward Turkey rather than assimilating,
integrating into Germany. Other Turkish communists
might argue that Turkish immigrants should fight for
their rights within Germany as part of the working
class. I would consider that an issue to be discussed
among the Turkish workers and communists.
(I would have a similar attitude toward Spanish within
the U.S.)
In Argentina it is a somewhat different issue because
the Argentine bourgeoisie does not oppress Italy; it
never had the opportunity to.
Trotsky was opposed to Jewish nationalism. He also
could argue as a member of that community. He wasn't
implying that French language was somehow "superior."
It is really not analagous to the situation in Germany
today.
John Catalinotto
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