Campaign strategies
I’m forwarding this important MoveOn campaign calling on apparent Democratic presidential nominee John Kerry to be aggressive and go after Bush and the ultra-right. This is one of a number of campaigns taking similar approaches: supporting Kerry against Bush, while urging him to be more aggressive, take stronger positions on the key issues. These campaigns push real solutions to the huge problems working folks are facing today, as a result of the attacks by Bush, the ultra-right and their corporate bosses.
Kerry has been a strong, tough and very progressive senator who has fought for peace, for health care for those without. He’s fought for people’s civil liberties.
However, there are those, also within the Democratic Party, who are urging Kerry to run a cautious campaign, to not take strong positions on the issues.
A great many of us disagree strongly with that approach. We see that can let Bush and his ultra-right-wing supporters off the hook. We say the problems we face are too large, that too many people have been turned off to all politics and don’t see answers. We say that if Kerry runs the tough, fighting kind of campaign – strong positions for peace in Iraq, for health care for all Americans, against “free trade” pacts that steal our jobs and for protecting our hard-won liberties – then a huge majority will sweep him into office.
Bruce BostickLorain OH
Rethinking World War II
My curiosity was sparked by Norman Markowitz’ piece on recent Second World War historical revisionism entitled “Rethinking World War II” in the op-ed section of the PWW (5/1-7). Are any of the new discoveries to which he refers contained in a book or books? If so, please relate what you know. For those that aren’t, please specify access information for the sources. Thanks much.
Jeff HarperVia e-mail
Author’s reply: I would suggest that you check your library or the Internet for these authors, David Glantz and Walter Dunn, particularly Glantz’s “When Titans Clashed: How the Red Army Stopped Hitler,” and E.J. Cottam on the remarkable role of Soviet women fighters in the war, particularly “Women and Resistance: Selected Biographies of Soviet Women Soldiers.”
For the nature of the war the Nazis were fighting, the best source is Omer Bartov, “The Eastern Front, 1941-1945: German Troops and the Barbarization of Warfare.” None of these sources are written from a Marxist perspective, but all seek to put both the war and the enormous Soviet achievement in historical context.
Herbert Aptheker
I found Herbert Aptheker’s obituary in your archives. I was unaware of his passing, and was happy to find mention of him in the People’s Weekly World. To see that he had cordial relations with PWW and the Communist Party USA in the end of his days heartened me, as I do believe there is a need for all of us with similar goals to attempt to keep a degree of kindness between us. It has certainly not been me that has been the one to set this example, but I do find your article about Dr. Aptheker to be a good example of the cordiality we need to maintain. It is my hope that in the future I can follow the good example you and Dr. Aptheker set.
David FieldsLincoln NE
Jesus and Marx
Jesus was the first socialist and had a dialectical view of the world like Marx. Marx says, “Within everything is planted the seed of its opposite.” The world is the union of opposites, a process of wholes produced by the union of opposites. Jesus says, “I am in you as you are in me.” The perceiver and the perceived, two opposites, form a whole united.
Jesus also says, “If you have two coats give one to your brother who has none.” He is trying to create socialism, social and economic equality and liberation, with a virtue that is charity. Jesus is a utopian socialist. Marx created scientific socialism; it has a material base, the social ownership and running of the means of production, that is, the factories, the companies, the businesses, and the farms, by the state. This will create social, economic, and political equality and liberation scientifically.
Anthony DePalmaBronx NY
Letter sent to Canadian PM
It is our hope Canada’s peace workers will inundate Ottawa with letters! The following is excerpted from a letter sent to Prime Minister Martin.
According to a BBC News broadcast on CBC, the United Nations passed a resolution condemning Israel’s latest attack by helicopter on a Palestinian protest demonstration. The report mentioned only one abstention, that of the United States of America. We hope that means Canada supported the UN resolution.
Israel claims that they fired at a building. We do not believe their statement. They are using U.S.-built helicopters armed with U.S. technological armaments. Such an occurrence cannot be a mistake or even collateral damage!
With respect, we urge you as Prime Minister of Canada to issue a public statement in support of the UN resolution and unequivocally condemning Israel’s actions in Rafah for what they are: gross violations of the Fourth Geneva Convention and as declared by Amnesty International – war crimes.
In this election year, while it is true that Canadians place health care as a priority, it is also true that a majority of Canadians are appalled at Israel’s treatment of the Palestinian population in Israel and its occupied territories.
By taking such a position you will gain world respect for Canada in international affairs.
John and Elizabeth BeechingVancouver, Canada
Comments