Behind the Placards: The odd and troubling origins of today’s anti-war movement

LA Weekly ^ | Nov. 7, 2002 | David Corn

[Porterville]

That all the anti-everything movements are not significant, that they are only butressed by the media; basically nobody cares what they have to say but CSPAN and CNN. They are so worthless that they drive people away from rational discussion to dismission. Wouldn't you agree??

[jimt]

During the depression there was a communist led group called the WOBBLIES that femented civic uprisings on the west coast docks and sawmills. Some of them died of lead poisoning here in Eureka. I do believe wobbly comes from World Workers Party of that era.

Having been somebody who grew up there, I can verify what you said. But I moved to Texas, and we don't love commies here.

But opposing unilateral attack on Iraq is NOT communist. It seems common sense to me, at least so far.

If there's truly a nation-state guily of 9-11, let's not just attack them with conventional weapons - let's make 'em a glass parking lot.

But let's see some PROOF.

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

I basically agree with your analysis okie. I too was dismayed by the attack against Serbia and felt that the motives were primarily political. I'm open to the suggestion, however, that there may have been a confluence of factors (which is often the case) such that clinton's political needs dovetailed nicely with other, geopolitical needs that may be harder to ferret out. Oil pipeline politics? Internal NATO politics? The interests of Bob Dole who had ethnic ties and had been pushing for the Kosovo cause for a fairly long time? Tony Blair was a passionate advocate for the Serbian war. Sure, Blair's a lefie, but it was not his ox being gored by impeachment. What was in it for him?

But, basically I agreed with your case at the time and still do. Look at all the lefties and dems in congress who are now so vehemently anti-war (Daschle, Biden, others) who were pounding the table and wanting to bomb Serbia back to the stoneage.

It sure was a strange, almost parallel universe time. The bombing of the Chinese embassy, and the excuse that it was due to old maps (when you could go to yahoo or mapsquest and see the embassy in its present location) was one of the weirdest episodes of the whole affair. You can never go wrong saying this, but I do think there is much we don't know about it all! I do know that the impeachment evidence that was in the Ford building is still under lock and key. Another weird episode was Bush 41's speech to 100 Senators in Executive Session, behind closed doors, asking them to spare clinton's sorry ass.

Nice post.

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

That all the anti-everything movements are not significant, that they are only butressed by the media; basically nobody cares what they have to say but CSPAN and CNN. They are so worthless that they drive people away from rational discussion to dismission. Wouldn't you agree??

OK, I'm going to hazard a guess that you are under, say 40, so would not have been paying much attention in the 1960's when the anti-war movement brought down two American presidents, led to a communist victory in Viet Nam, changed the course of history forever, and has impacted in a fundamental way American foreign policy and the perception of America both home and abroad for the past 30 years?

[okie01]

"The article tars everybody against an Iraqi war as in league with commie nutsacks like the WWP."

No. It most assuredly does not.

The article is specifically designed to separate the WWP nutballs from those who are against war on Iraq for more defensible reasons (as Corn himself is).

Corn is an anti-war leftist (The Nation magazine), who rightly wants no association with the WWP.

[Porterville]

What, you mean in the spririt of Gramsci how the Socialist have used our own foundation to try and undermind our very base??? Or do you mean the fact that you have no idea who Gramsci or the other Liberal icons are??? Age is not a requirement for understanding the ways of the world my young friend.

[willyboyishere]

A "Wobbly" was a member of the Industrial Workers of the World, and were properly of the "anarcho-syndicalist" persusasion.

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

Do you think this will ever happen (fried mumia, that is?) My guess is that mumia has immunized himself from his just desserts by changing his name from Wesley Cook and grabbing his more than 15 minutes of fame by becoming a college mascot, almost like a Georgia bulldog or Texas longhorn.

[willyboyishere]

Incidentally, the Wobblies predated the depression, going
all the way back to 1905, being started by Big Bill Haywood, through the auspices of the Western Federation of Miners. They still maintain their antiquated website iww.org,
and haven't become any more sophisticated in their rhetoric in the intervening 97 years.

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

Age is not a requirement for understanding the ways of the world

Not a requirement but in many cases it helps a great deal. Thanks for answering my question :)

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

A "Wobbly" was a member of the Industrial Workers of the World, and were properly of the "anarcho-syndicalist" persusasion.

Which just goes to show that if you wait long enough, everything comes back in style. Seems like the anarchists of the early 20th century would be right at home with today's "anti-globalist" crowd. Seems like the anti-globalists aren't precisely sure who they're pissed off at, they just know they're might pissed off.

[okie01]

"Oil pipeline politics?"

Usually, so-called "oil pipeline politics" are resolved by identifying the politicians one must buy-off -- and doing a deal. There's no need to call out the cavalry when these matters can be handled, er, more quietly. The Kosovo War was an unnecessary venture, in these terms. Indeed, where is the pipeline that was to result?

"Internal NATO politics?"

There is something to this. NATO's panties were in a wad and there seems to have been a Euro-need to flex NATO's muscles, just to prove it was still relevant in the absence of a Cold War. I sense those who were pushing the venture in NATO, though, got somewhat more than they intended...

"The interests of Bob Dole who had ethnic ties and had been pushing for the Kosovo cause for a fairly long time?"

Dole certainly was in favor of action in Kosovo, having been bought and paid for by the Albania lobby some time past. But don't you rather doubt that the action would've been taken simply as a favor to Bob Dole?

"Tony Blair was a passionate advocate for the Serbian war. Sure, Blair's a lefie, but it was not his ox being gored by impeachment. What was in it for him?"

O.K. Now, you've got me. Though a lefty, I've always given Blair credit for some intelligence. I somehow can't believe that his kindred spirit, Bill, led him along by the nose. And Tony did seem to be a prime mover in all this, not necessarily "Bill's Man at NATO".

"Another weird episode was Bush 41's speech to 100 Senators in Executive Session, behind closed doors, asking them to spare clinton's sorry ass."

WHOA! News to me. I was aware that all 100 Senators met in Executive Session in the Old Senate Chamber prior to the impeachment. But I never heard a whisper that they were addressed by Bush 41. Until now. Are you certain of this?

*****************

An altogether meaty, thought-provoking post a tthe head of the thread. It has inspired serious responses and what they call "a broad exchange of views".

[okie01]

"My guess is that mumia has immunized himself from his just desserts by changing his name from Wesley Cook and grabbing his more than 15 minutes of fame by becoming a college mascot, almost like a Georgia bulldog or Texas longhorn."

The Antioch Fighting Mumias...

[Porterville]

Well this is what the socialist party of America says about the war with iraq:

The United States has started another war against Iraq. We think there are some things every citizen should know about it.

The President is lying about Iraq

George W. Bush has worked hard to sell this war. There have been repeated claims that Iraq is developing weapons, perhaps biological or chemical weapons, perhaps even nuclear weapons, and plans to use them against Israel, or, somehow, against the United States. The Bush Administration has offered no evidence for these claims, and has no intention of providing any.

The target is domestic political dissent, not Iraq

What Bush calls the "War on Terrorism" is all about providing political cover for the right-wing Republican agenda: tax cuts for the rich, more public resources given away to big corporations, more government spying on citizens, stamping out labor unions. Bush needs war to stifle opposition to his domestic program.

Starting the war was a war crime

Under international law, it is a war crime to attack, or threaten to attack, another country that has not first attacked us. Iraq has not attacked us. The men who gave the orders to attack Iraq are war criminals, as surely as the war criminals who have stood trial in The Hague for genocide.

There are already too many victims Hundreds of thousands of Iraqi children have died as a result of United States sanctions against Iraq following the first Gulf War. Many more innocent civilians will die in this war. Those who survive will likely face even harsher conditions than before. And many more Muslims around the world, witnessing this brutal anti-Islamic crusade, are becoming convinced that we are their enemy. Will you stand silent? The Bush Administration is hoping you will. They cynically expect that you will put your morals aside and let war crimes be committed in your name. They think you're scared and ignorant enough to go along with anti-Arab racism. They think you can be hoodwinked into giving up your Constitutional rights for the illusion of security. Prove them wrong. Join us in resisting the war.

[Porterville]

Basically the left hate America.

[Porterville]

This is what the communist of America say:

The first step was denial of union rights for workers covered under Homeland Security. On the drawing boards are plans to privatize 850,000 government workers' jobs, right-wing judicial appointments, and a perpetual state of war.

Under cover of fear of terrorism, the administration is preparing to limit and further attack civil rights and union rights; gut environmental protection, and allocate unlimited sums for tax breaks for the rich and excessive military spending, leaving nothing for people's needs. In Connecticut, days after re-election Republican Governor John Rowland who demagogically portrayed himself as a friend to workers, announced that 3,000 state workers' jobs would immediately be eliminated because the union would not give in to concessions. The same is shaping up around the country.

Every aspect of life is up for struggle. For the millions -- and growing -- of unemployed workers, the struggle is how to put food on the table and keep a roof over the head. For seniors it is the choice between medicine and heat. For workers, it is the right to a union. For immigrants, it is the right to be treated equally. For young people, it is the chance for an education and the fear of being killed at war. For the whole world, it is saving the planet from nuclear destruction.

[Constantine XIII]

Ewww, those commies dripped evil on my keyboard. Do you know how hard it is to play wolfenstein without an UP button!! ;O)

Seriously, though, this is some creepy stuff. Domestic terrorists in the making...

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

WHOA! News to me. I was aware that all 100 Senators met in Executive Session in the Old Senate Chamber prior to the impeachment. But I never heard a whisper that they were addressed by Bush 41. Until now. Are you certain of this?

I've just searched the web using every trick I could think of and couldn't find a reference. Yet I still think that's what happened. I guess for now, you should consider that this didn't happen, but I will post to you or freepmail you if I can find proof that it did. Another thing that stands out very clearly was a very odd incident in which Robert "Sheets" Byrd sustained a burn on his hand, during the midst of impeachment which allegedly came from touching a shorted out dome light in his car. Do you remember this incident? Some folks thought a message was being sent to Byrd in this way. There were all kinds of photos of Byrd coming into and out of the impeachment proceedings with a bandaged hand. Strange times, that's for sure.

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

OK, Okie, this seems to be what I remembered. I went to the congressional record search page and found this.

I could not find this on any conventional site, not even free republic. I'm quite sure that this is what I remember. See the last line in the next to the last paragraph.

[Congressional Record: January 20, 1999 (Senate)]
[Page S810-S830]
From the Congressional Record Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:cr20ja99-87]                         



 
   TRIAL OF WILLIAM JEFFERSON CLINTON, PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES

  The CHIEF JUSTICE. The Senate will convene as a Court of Impeachment. 
The Senators may be seated, and the Deputy Sergeant at Arms will make 
the proclamation.
  The Deputy Sergeant at Arms, Loretta Symms, made proclamation as 
follows:

       Hear ye! Hear ye! Hear ye! All persons are commanded to 
     keep silent, on pain of imprisonment, while the Senate of the 
     United States is sitting for the trial of the articles of 
     impeachment exhibited by the House of Representatives against 
     William Jefferson Clinton, President of the United States.

  The CHIEF JUSTICE. The majority leader is recognized.
  Mr. LOTT. Mr. Chief Justice, it is my understanding that the White 
House counsel presentation today will last until sometime between 5 and 
6 o'clock.
  I have been informed that Mr. Greg Craig and Ms. Cheryl Mills will be 
making today's presentations. As we have done over the past week, we 
will take a couple of short breaks during the proceedings. I am not 
exactly sure how we will do that. We will keep an eye on everybody, the 
Chief Justice, and counsel. I assume that after about an hour, hour and 
15 minutes, we will take a break; then we will take another one in the 
afternoon at some point so we will have an opportunity to stretch.
  I remind all Senators, again, to remain standing at your desks each 
time the Chief Justice enters and departs the Chamber.
  As a further reminder, on a different subject, the leader lecture 
series continues tonight, to be held at 6 p.m. in the Old Senate 
Chamber. Former President George Bush will be our guest speaker.
  I yield the floor, and I understand that Counsel Greg Craig is going 
to be the first presenter.

[2 Kool 2 Be 4-Gotten]

This seems to be a partial text of what Bush 41 said in January 1999 to the Senate. He may have made other remarks, I do recall it was closed door. This makes is appear that it was some sort of a scheduled speakers series, like CSPAN booknotes or some such thing. Still, I think in these remarks is a subtle message to leave clinton alone. And as I said, he may have said other things that aren't in this text. As I've said, it was a strange time.

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/bb/congress/jan-june99/bush_1-21.html