Re: [Marxism] Malik Miah

[David Walters <dave.walters@comcast.net>]

On the abstracted paragraph....Malik is 100% correct. I don't agree with 
the totality of his argument in the rest his article. I think if you 
view Joaquin's "meaning behind Obama" you find the right reason to 
engage with *Black* Obama supporters. I wouldn't agree there is too much 
basis for the general support among Obama, but it's important to engage 
his African-American supporters along the line Jaoquin has been harping 
on for sometime. It's 'narrower' but far more political.

This is why the McKinney campaign is so important because at least when 
engaging Black activists (a much smaller than the general Black 
population that supports him but still significantly large) one has 
something to *point to*. One can 'dis' Obama but one will make zero 
headway unless there is something to point to as an alternative...not in 
*voting* but in terms of what one says, the issues McKinney raises as 
*compared to* Obama. Her "Power to the People" campaign is a perfect 
discussion program to compare, discuss and otherwise engage newly and 
not-so-newly political activists around Obama on the *issues* 
confronting and swirling around Obama.

Analytically now I see the tremendous "rising expectations" among 
African-Americans, surely to be dashed if Obama gets in the White House 
(something I doubt the ruling class really wants right now), the huge 
upsurge of the 'race issue' that is surely to spin out of control if he 
even gets the nomination despite his wanting it "go away", the huge 
politicization now occurring opens many doors for activists generally 
who tout independent politics. It keeps the *national issue* in the body 
of bourgeois politics and this is a good thing, not a bad thing. If 
Clinton gets the nomination, all this "goes away", even with the 
negative example of her most recent racist statements. Bourgeois 
politics will have shifted away from the racism question and it'll be 
quelched. Not so if Obama gets the nomination, it will continue despite 
what he wants. I think this is part of Malik's perspective, which is 
correct, even if his view is close to an endorsement of him.

McKinney's campaign is the only one that can seriously take advantage of 
the rising in discussions about race and what it really means, not the 
academic feel-good spin Obama gives it. I think Obama's nomination will 
actually help the development of the Power to the People campaign and 
the Reconstruction movement.

David

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