okay my head hurts now

This ANSWER/Ramsey Clark/Anti-War protest shit just might be the thing that does me in. I don't know what to think anymore. I've read posts criticizing ANSWER and posts praising them. I've read posts demonizing Rasmey Clark and posts praising him and his organization.

The ANSWER thing I can't reconcile. They just plain get on my nerves and I don't like them. I don't know what the truth is about them. Regular run of the mill communists don't scare me at all. Stalinists on the other hand... I don't know what to think about ANSWER but I refuse to play into the hands of anti-communist boogey-man crap.

I decided to do a little google search on Ramsey Clark. This stuff makes my head spin. But I do find it interesting that the most stinging criticism of him comes from newsmax, and Michelle Malkin. That tells me plenty right there.

This is a blog
http://emperors-clothes.com/ramsey/ramsey4.htm

http://www.townhall.com/columnists/michellemalkin/mm20020124.shtml

http://www.newsmax.com/archives/articles/2003/3/4/132313.shtml

What's a southern progressive/populist/boarderline socialist dem gal who isn't scared of a so-called red menace to do?

If they don't like Ramsey Clark, he's worth checking out a bit more closely.

he is still Ramsey Clark and he said what he said.
I was blown away.

If you don't like ANSWER, perhaps you can do better? Not being snarky. I figure that's what criticism of ANSWER will be good for eventually. Building the better protest.

Here is my 10 minute google investigation of the horrors of the answer coalition.


IFCO:

http://www.ifconews.org/

What does IFCO stand for?

Since 1967 IFCO has been working for peace and justice in the US and beyond.

The Interreligious Foundation for Community Organization (IFCO) was founded in 1967 by progressive church leaders and activists. Its purpose: to advance the struggles of oppressed people for justice and self-determination. For over 36 years, IFCO has assisted the poor and disenfranchised in developing and sustaining community organizations to fight human and civil rights injustices. This work includes education about the realities of the poor in the US and the third world.


Free Palestine Alliance:
http://www.freepalestinealliance.org/rashmawi/index.html

No information. The ADL thinks they hate jews, but somehow I suspect that they are a bit biased. No indication that they are communists or marxists or anything other than pro-palestinian.


Haiti Support Network:

(can't find a web site) - the closest I could get is http://www.pitt.edu/~ttwiss/irtf/haiti.html

They seem to not be your dreaded stalinists, but who knows, they could be hiding underneath the covers.

Partnership for Civil Justice:
http://www.justiceonline.org/

Go ahead and visit their website - I couldn't find any stalinists, perhaps you will have better luck. They seem to want to litigate civil rights issues. Horrors!

Nicaragua Network:
http://www.nicanet.org/

Hmmm... once again the stalinists must be lurking under the bed or something.

Alliance for Just and Lasting Peace in the Phillippines:
no website found - so we will have to just consign them to the 'who knows' category.

Korea Truth Commission:
http://www.veteransforpeace.org/press/koreatruth.htm
Part of Veterns for Peace. It seems that we may have massacred a whole lot of civilians 55 years ago in Korea and there is a commission that is trying to get the facts straight. I'm looking for the Stalinists but they don't seem to be here. Perhaps criticising our actions in the Korean war makes somebody all gung ho about Kim?

Muslim Student Association - National
http://www.msa-natl.org/

This is a religious association. No stalinists making themselves visible. Must be hiding again. Darn they are tricky.

Kensington Welfare Rights Union:
http://www.kwru.org/

These guys must be stalinists, right? After all they think poor people "have a right to thrive - not just barely survive" that is some obvious stalinist bullshit.

Mexico Solidarity Network:
http://www.mexicosolidarity.org/

"The Mexico Solidarity Network struggles for democracy, economic justice and human rights on both sides of the US-Mexico border." Wow: stalinism written all over that statement of principles.

Party for Socialism and Liberation
http://socialismandliberation.org/mag/index.php
OK here ya go: revolutionary communists. Probably qualify as stalinists. Score one for answer is a bunch of stalinists.

Middle East Children's Alliance:
http://www.mecaforpeace.org/
"MECA is committed to protecting and advocating for the rights of all people, especially children. Our work is rooted in a deep sense of justice and we have a commitment to the Universal Declaration of Human Rights and international and humanitarian law."

Disgusting. Obviously they are in cahoots with Kim Il Sung, or is it Kim Il Jung? They hide it well though.

in WWII, and much, much more

thats why I find it interesting that many of Clarks critics are on the right. I'm trying to parse this crap out for myself but alas I have no degree in International Politics just a BA in History and a minor in Russian Studies (ergo my amusement at all things painted "pinko-commie") *shudder* :wow:

There are LOTS and LOTS of groups working for good causes all over the world. Some are more mainstream, and that's good because they bring in a braoder range of support. Some are more radical and THAT'S good, because they tend to push the envelope, get more done and work toward more fundamental change.

Do I agree with all of them. Of course not! I don't WANT to agree with all of them! I want lots of ideas and methods out there that have different aims and different focuses and different groups that support them and so on.

This is part of democracy and, from a larger perspective, freedom.

Almost all of the positions that ANSWER takes are positions i basically agree with. Their basic style is way to structured for me, but they have done a great job organizing and pulling off a great number of anti-war demonstrations. If we move along now to a less hard-line group that is sufficiently focused to get very large demonstrations to happen and has a sufficiently broad and progressive vision to bring a diverse and motivated and BIG collection of people, GREAT! Frankly, I expect the people I have met from ANSWER and similar groups over the years will be quite happy to see the anti-war movement mature into something larger and stronger.

I overheard two 'old-school' types talking at Saturday's demo. One was saying something about "I don't think it matters what we do now. This thing has taken on a life of its own!" Believe me, he looked very happy about that!

Peace, people.

". . . We're finally on our own . . ." --CSN&Y