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> Obamaism uses "Racist!" as McCarthyism used "Communist!" - and for a similar > purpose. I would be careful with this kind of allegation; President Obama is actually being targeted for his race; witness the effigy burnings, assassination talk and assassination attempts (documented by Souther Poverty Law Center as one example); the emergence of racist right-wingers in the military, among other things. There is plenty to oppose in the Democratic Party President, and, for good or ill, the manner in which one raises this opposition must be taken so that it is clearly delineated from the racist hate-mongering going on. It's not easy, BUT IT IS NECESSARY. Indeed, one can argue that regardless of the ethnicity, a bourgeois liberal president is the chief in charge of implementing racist, imperialist, misogynistic, and anti-working class policies; witness who benefits and who loses by the sellout of healthcare reform, climate protection, continued imperialist war, terrorism by Israel toward Palestinians, etc. ad nauseum. Indeed, the President seems to be the first to run away from addressing racism when confronted with specific attacks or affronts against him (witness the pathetic reconciliation with the racist cop who profiled the African-American professor in Cambridge, MA; first calling the incident for what it was and then backing off and having a beer with him at the White House just to acquiesce to the press). Revolutionists must be the most able to articulate opposition to the capitalist class and its mouthpieces in such a way that our opposition, and, more important, our clear solutions can be understood and supported by the most oppressed. Capitalism is the enemy and racism is one of its primary weapons in this advanced capitalist society. If we do not see this point and cannot differentiate ourselves from the rightist reaction who oppose the President for their fundamentally different purposes, we are not worthy to be called Marxists and can never be useful revolutionists. ________________________________________________ Send list submissions to: Marxism@lists.econ.utah.edu Set your options at: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
