July 28, 2006
I guess that's what happens when you drink the Kool-Aid
Here is an interesting feature article from eXile, a Moscow-based alternative newspaper largely run by American (or at least English-speaking) ex-pats. The article is by one Mark Ames, the founder and editor of the paper, and comes from June 2003.
A bit late, I know.
The prima facie appearance of the article is a committed Leftist critiquing his own cause. He makes some fantastic points about why the Left is currently descendent and out-of-touch with the voting populace. He nails exactly why criticism of Wal-Mart is so repugnant to the people who shop there: the vast majority of people who criticize Wal-Mart do so precisely because they don't have to shop there. He also understands that the Left is an elite, whether it admits this or not, and pretending otherwise is going to look and sound just as phony as it is.
But as one goes through the article and reads a little more closely, it's apparent that while he does understand some of the above, he's still an unreconstructed culture-warrior who equates the American Right (which he consistently describes as an oligarchy) with the Soviet Politburo. This is quite an amusing and ahistorical connection, as it was the Right who spent 30 years fighting Communists and the Left that spent 30 years trying to get in bed with them.
But no matter. Bascially, Ames believes that the reason the Leftist project of the 60s and 70s failed is because "one side has the money, the industry, the lobbyists, the police, bean-bag guns, APC-mounted water cannons, stun guns, pepper spray, rubber bullets, a near-monopoly on mainstream media contacts and lots of psychologically-impressive expensive dark suits with stern ties. The other side has mountain bikes and the ability to create 10-foot tall papier-mache puppets." He doesn't stop to consider that maybe the Leftist project failed because it's inherently nonviable, hurting the people it's supposed to help. No, it just has to be fascist oppression and violence from the Man.
How quaint.
Basic axiom: cultural activism is no subsitute for politics. If the Left had spent money on actually winning an election or two instead of on reefer, maybe things would be different. Sex, drugs, rock 'n roll, and "raising awareness" do not a legislative majority make.
It's good to see that there are indeed some Leftists who appreciate the problems they face. But it's a little discouraging - if entirely unsurprising - to see them blame the Vast Right-Wing Conspiracy instead of knuckling down and actually getting something done. The American people aren't buying that line. If you scroll to the end of that link, you'll see that while a majority of Americans surveyed disapprove of Bush's handling of the war (as do I, for what it's worth) even more disapprove of the Democrats' handling of the war and 71% said that they offer no clear alternatives.
It's that simple: don't condescend to the American people, and offer a clear direction. It doesn't take much.
