> But we can trace the legacy of pacifism to the very election of Barack Obama.
Alejandro:
Yes, pacifism (at least, in the historical form that it manifested itself in the US) has,
unfortunately, contributed to the legacy of 'lesser evil' politics and reformism, which
led to the election of Obama, a Clintonesque figure for the 21st Century. As for the
civil rights movement, one could argue that the RIOTS which followed King's assasination
and the fear of a MILITANT Black liberation movement, such as the Black Panther Party
for Self-Defense, are also responsible for civil rights legislation. But, since you raised the
issue of racism, I _do_ think it's relevant to the divide between the Bolivarians and the
"Opposition". I can assure you that, from a historical perspective, the legacy of King
(who, not coincidentally, was gunned down a short time after he opposed US
imperialism in Vietnam and supported workers' struggles in the South) has far more meaning
to Chavez and the Bolivarians than it does to the reactionary, wealthy, privaleged, and largely
white opposition. Also, it should be noted that Chavez's spiritual (Christian) values and those
of King have a lot in common - and those spiritual values shape his particular vision of 21st
Century socialism in Latin America.
In solidarity, Jerry
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Received on Sun Mar 1 11:16:58 2009
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