Democratic Left - Volume 021 Number 01

16 Pages·1993·5.4 MB·English

PUBLISHED BY THE DEMOCRATIC SOCIALISTS OF AMERICA
January /February 1993
Volume XXJ Number 1
Danger & Opportunity
.
-~~'HJ
J
0 se LaLuz on prospects for democracy and justice in the Americas
Eric Lee on the Arab-Israeli stalemate
Bogdan Denitch on the collapse of Yugoslavia
Francis Adams andAnne Peters ontheperilsofNAFI'A
INSIDE DEMOCRATIC LEFT
INTERNATIONAL STRUGGLES On the Left
The Perils of NAFT A by Harry Fleischman ... 9
by Francis Adams & Anne Peters ... 2
Who Wants Peace in the Middle East?
Radical Democracy in the Americas: by Eric Lee. ..1 0
an inteNiew with Jose LaLuz. .3
The Collapse of Yugoslavia:
1993 Directory of DSA Locals. .7 an inteNiew with Bogdan Denitch. . .12
DSAction. ..8 Janie Higgins Reports ... 16
cover photos by Tordai and Kathleen Foster/Impact Visuals
EDITORIAL Expansion of the export sector is rable access to capital, economies of
then expected to stimulate other sec scale, advanced technologies, or
tors of the Mexic~ economy, in marketing skills. Small landowners
THE PERILS OF
creasing employment opportunities, will also be displaced as production
raising real incomes, and laying the of cash crops for export replaces the
NAFTA foundation for genuine national de production of staples to meet local
velopment. needs and the best lands become
Unfortunately, there have been concentrated in the hands of a small
BY FRANCIS ADAMS AND few attempts to examine the differen group of foreign and local exporters.
tial effects that NAFTA is likely to The cost of living is already soaring in
ANNE PETERS have inside Mexico or to seriously Mexico. This combination could re
The recently completed North consider the social and political re sult in declining real income and in
American Free Trade Agreement percussions of the agreement. creased unemployment.
(NAFTA) among the United States, NAFTA may be as devastating for Moreover, it is important to con
Canada, and Mexico is sure to spark Mexican small business and agricul sider the type of jobs that foreign
intense and emotional debate as it ture as it is likely to be to many indus corporations are likely to bring to
moves toward congressional review trial and agricultural communities unskilled Mexican laborers. The
later this year. across the United States. maquiladoras presently operating
There has already been consider On the one hand, certain sectors along the nation's northern border
able speculation about who will be of the Mexican economy will clearly are already notorious for low wages,
the primary "winners" and "losers" benefit from liberalized trade and poor health and safety conditions,
in this country from the creation of a investment regimes. Entrepreneurs continued on page 15
regional trading bloc. The initial in industry and agribusiness will
assumption is that while American benefit from access to American and DEMOCRATIC LEFT
businesses and consumers will gen Canadian markets, while profession
erally benefit from the accord, some als and skilled laborers will find ex Founding Editor
American assembly jobs will be lost panded employment opportunities Michael Hanington (1928-1989)
as corporations shift their operations in multinational corporations, possi Managing Editor
to Mexico and U.S. farmers will face bly with significantly better wages Michael Lighty
increased competition from im and benefits than they now enjoy.
Production
ported fruits and vegetables. At the same time, it is not at all
Dnid Glenn
At the same time, most analysts clear that the gradual reduction of
UitoruJJ Committee
have declared Mexico the clear-cut tariffs and other barriers to trade and
Dorothee Benz, Joanne Barkan,
winner in the accord. Access to for investment would benefit the major
Howard Croft, Mitcl\Horowitz,
eign markets will stimulate local ity of working class and poor rural
Sherri Levine, Neil McLaughlin,
export production and expanding Mexicans.
Maxine Phillips
foreign investment will bring an infu NAFTA is likely to lead to the
sion of much-needed capital and dismantling of a broad array of !olo..mt.a Scnt.i ct L5o0l0l .( lN!5YN. N 0Y16 1'0030130I'.1 S) Io<otad~~u i exlx- U&•m p aI i,d.. I.1I 1N1o.wS
advanced technology, modernizing manufacturing enterprises in Mex SYiaardk. NadY. sSru-bo<chnpu«oec•n oI;D S 1I 5n sDuunlcrh; $S1t5., lnI ol5il0U0l,i O1l'l"oYl.l "N'r -1aa:..
the nation's industrial base and in ico, as the transnationals drive out 1uD5o. D.m.<,o.*c.l.nl.Sb.t<.. . t 1..5n0l0a,p NuYb,b NaYh o1d0b0y38lh(2o1 D2)9o6m2-0oJ9c0.n ~tlc- oortld" o-1t.Q.,. .
creasing productive capacity. small scale artisans without compa- a( 1M --.~100t~O.-a(IM~
2 DEMOCMTIC LE.FT
11The Most Participatory Way"
.
Prospects for Radical Democracy in the
Americas: An Interview with Jose Laluz
D
emocratic Left: The mainstream in the hemisphere, and those are the people who
press has written extensively about have to become the subject, not the object, of
how democracy has come to Latin democracy. They have to become protagonists
and South America, yet in some re of this political project that has yet to be imple
spects they praise a very narrow, limited vision mented in our hemisphere, which calls for an
of democracy. What are the prospects for a expanded role in the civil society. That is our
broader vision and program, a "radical" democ understanding of democracy.
racy in the Americas? DL: Let's make this country-specific and
LaLuz: The various forces that are emerg first talk about Venezuela. What's your view of
ing in the hemisphere, the voices that are in fact democracy in Venezuela in light of the recent
putting forth an alternative vision of what de coup attempts against the social democratic
mocracy is, the Workers Party in Brazil, Causa government of Carlos Andres Perez, what are
Radical in Venezuela, the Party of the Demo the prospects in Venezuela for a radical democ
cratic Revolution in Mexico, and others, have racy?
been insisting that Latin America has never LaL uz: The best example of what we mean
truly experienced democracy, because democ by democracy has to do with the fact that grow
racy means that citizens are able to participate in ing sections of the people in Venezuela, particu
any and all institutions, and that includes politi larly the working class and poor people, do not
cal parties most certainly, it includes trade un see the political project of our sister party in
ions, and most fundamentally the state. They Venezuela, the Accion Democratica, led by
conceive democracy in the most participatory President Perez, as one that speaks to their
way, so that people are involved in decision legitimate aspirations and interests. These at
making at all levels; particularly when it comes tempted coups d'etat by sections of the military
to economic planning, planning for develop did not enjoy popular support; it wasn't like the
ment of the respective countries. People should civic military insurrection in the '50s that over
be involved in formulating policies and pro threw the military dictatorship in Venezuela, in
grams that affect their daily lives, that affect which our sister party played in fact a promi
their standard ofliving, the quality of their lives. nent role. However, growing sections of the
And that calls for, in fact, as you characterize it, people identify with some of the goals of this
a radical approach to democracy. It's not just a military element that led the coup, because in
matter of exercising their right to vote every fact they call for a participation of people in the
four or five or six years. economic integration processes that are being
What we're discussing here is participation promoted by President Perez himself, and by
by all sections of the population, particularly his party in his administration.
those that have been deliberately and con As a result of this crisis, we see some very
sciously disenfranchised: workers, poor people interesting developments. In the most recent
who live in marginalized communities - these elections in that country, the gubernatorial and
are the people who have yet to benefit from this municipal elections, the opposition, which in
experiment in what we call a radical democracy cludes some elements that were formerly in the
1993 3
Accion Democratica, and now are part of this think of particular interest to the American left
new party, called Causa Radical, which func has been the rise of the Workers Party in Brazil,
tions and operates more like a movement. and its very charismatic leader, Inacio da Silva,
These are the ones that have put forth a vision of known as Lula. What can you tell us about their
program in the context of radical democracy,
what we're talking about is a
and specifically their prospects for electoral
process that allows citizens to success in Brazil?
LaLuz: That is a fascinating case in point,
participate fully in developing
because when it comes to Brazil, what we're
their own programs ... talking about is the legacy of corporatism, simi
lar to the fascism through a populist party that
radical democracy and of the need for people to dominated the state under the dictatorship of
participate fully and in any and all processes Vargas, in which the trade unions in fact were
that affect their lives, especially economic deci part and parcel of that political project. And
sions such as those that have to do with trade now the birth, or the rebirth if you will, of the
and investment in the Andean region (President Brazilian left was the result of the thrust to
Perez and our sister party are part of this An wards democratization, of not only the state
dean economic integration project in that region legacy of corporatism, but also the democratiza
of South America). The Causa Radical is also tion of society itself. After the decimation of the
promoting participation in redistribution poli Brazilian left in the late '60s and '70s, a new left
cies, especially the whole question of the use of emerged with a new language, with a new prac
the oil resource in Venezuela, in order to bring a tice, which is the result of the experience of the
lot more equity in terms of the economic growth Christian-based communities, the popular edu
that has been attained in that country. cation, people that did a different type of organ
We have in Venezuela a very clear example izing within trade unions to reconstruct a pro
of how the failure of the social democratic party gressive presence, all of which resulted in the
to grasp the necessity to incorporate ever-grow formation of an independent trade union move
cur,
ing sectors of the working class and the people ment, known as the the Unitary Confed
into this thrust towards democratizing the state eration of Brazilian Workers. Out of that whole
Riot police arrest
and all institutions has resulted in its own seri experience, there emerged a new political for
striking civil
ous internal crisis. And I anticipate that this will mation, the Workers Party, which sees itself as
service employ
ees In El Salva also be the case for other sister parties. the institution that has the major responsibility
dor. DL: Let's tum to the situation in Brazil. I for democratization, of not only the state but of
Brazilian society.
Their experience has
been very instructive from
the point of view of those of
I us who subscribe to this view
i of radical democracy, be
cause in the recent past they
were able to win significant
I
gains in the electoral front.
l
For instance, they won the
elections in Sao Paolo in the
last round of municipal elec
tions, as well as in other major
cities in Brazil. That gener
ated a debate within that
party and its allies about what
it means for people who sub
scribe to this view of democ
racy to ad~ster and gov
ern.
In the city of Sao Paolo,
which is the country's largest
city, the party advocated the
creation of parallel organiza-
4 DEMOCRATIC LE.FT
I
I
I
"'
' . ,,,,. ..
•
• '
tions to those municipal governing bodies, so multi-faceted process that allows citizens, that In a maqulla
that people would have the possibility to par allows people, particularly those that have been dora In Quate
ticipate fully in developing their own proposals systematically disenfranchised, the opportu mala City, A
about how to govern better a city like Sao Paolo. nity and the possibility to participate fully in young woman
assembles
That resulted in some tension: some elements in developing their own proposals and their own
clothing for
the party saw the party's role as that of support policies, and ultimately their own programs to
export to the
ing, without criticism, without question, the govern the municipality or to govern the state,
U.S.
municipal administration of a leading party or as the case might be, to govern a country.
member, a woman who became mayor of Sao That is also happening in Mexico.
Paolo. And it's very instructive also that the Dl: Let's talk about Mexico.
party lost the election in the most recent round laluz: In Mexico, there are similarities
of municipal elections, which coincided with with the character of the state in Brazil, because
my visit there in November. And a lot of that we'retalkingonceagainaboutaone-partystate,
had to do with discontent among the people of and a corporatist state, in which, since the
Sao Paolo with some of the programs or lack
thereof from this Workers-Party-led municipal
administration, although the party won the people have to become the
elections in other cities. subject, not the object, of
DL: Does this conflict, or tension, between
democracy.
popular and representational democracy hold
broader lessons for the left?
Laluz: Yes-that is the tension, the dialecti Mexican revolution, the Institutional Revolu
cal tension if you will, that we have to insist on tionary Party (PRI) has been the only party in
when it comes to the practice of democracy. It is power. It wasn't until recently, until the last two
not enough to elect somebody to enable that decades really, particularly the very recent past,
person, him or her, to develop a public policy that there has been an opposition we can actu
and develop programs; it becomes important ally speak of in Mexico. And that came about as
for citizens to participate fully in any and all a result of the split from the PRI itself, led by the
decisions, and obviously we're not talking Democratic Current, elements that were identi
about lobbying either. We're not talking about fied with a section of the PRI, which included
lobbying as it is practiced in this and other Cuahetemoc Cardenas, Porfirio Munoz Ledo,
countries, where it's just a matter of attempting who was the president of the PRI for years, and
to monitor the work of a particular elected offi also Mexico's ambassador to the UN, and a
cial. What we're talking about is a complicated, number of other leading figures of that party
/ANUARY/Ff.BRUARY 1993 5
r
f
I
Striking that seceded from the party, and coincided with their own lives on the line. In the state of
workers some process of unification of the Mexican left Michoacan, where the PRO was the incumbent
occupy a after the dissolution of the Communist Party in party, the fraud in the recent election also in
textile Mexico and other left forces. All of these ele cluded a violent response by the PRI supporters
factory In El
ments coincided and resulted in the formation and presumably some of its leaders that re
Salvador.
of a political party that saw as its most impor sulted in the murder of many of the PRD's or
tant task the democratization of Mexico. In this ganizers and leading members. The military is
case, obviously not only the state, doing away in fact very much controlled by this corporatist
with the one-party corporatist rule, but also state, by this one-party state. We can sense that
in Mexico this question of democratization of
the state and society could be a very tumultuous
and perhaps even a violent process.
DL: From this survey, what is your view of
pis hemisphere is going
the immediate electoral possibilities for the
to witness some tremen
radical democrats in the hemisphere?
dous changes. LaLuz: We anticipate that the real democ
racy, the participatory, popular democracy that
we envision, is going to be the subject of much
democratizing society as well. And that is in debate in the hemisphere in the coming years.
fact the project of the Party of the Democratic Some of these parties that put forth and advo
Revolution in Mexico (PRO). cate this view of radical democracy have real
The complications, however, are perhaps possibilities of winning the elections in coun
more serious because the powers of the presi tries like Brazil of course, or in Mexico itself. In
dency in Mexico are perhaps unparalleled in the Chile there is a possibility of Ricardo Lagos,
history of so-called democracy in Latin Amer who is the leader of the democratic socialist
ica. Presidencialismo, as they describe it in Mex party there, our sister party, becoming elected
ico, has no precedence in Mexico itself and the in the next presidential elections. So this hemi
rest of Latin America, because as you know in sphere is going to witness some tremendous,
Brazil, which has a similar history, the fact significant changes, and the parties and the
remains that the legislative body was able to movements that are leading this see democracy
impeach the president, and Collor had to step as something where citizens, where people, are
down, and now a deal was dropped recently able to affect any and all decisions that impact
where would not have to be tried, I believe. But their lives. And this is somethingthatwewould
in Mexico, that's inconceivable. like to see in our own country o~rselves, but it's
The conventional and popular wisdom is going to be the subject of much discussion with
that the 1988 presidential election was in fact our friends and allies in the coming months.
won by Cardenas. At that time, he was the
leader of the broad-based opposition known as
the Democratic National Front. And so the Jose LaLuz is a member of the National Political
party in Mexico has made democracy its utmost CommitteeofDSA. He is the Worker Educator of the
priority, and in Mexico that has meant putting Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Workers Union.
6 DEMOCMTIC LEFT
I
DSA Locals and Organizing Committees
Northeast
ALBANY Local, Mark Schaeffer, 518-362-7207 MAHONING VALLEY OH O.C., Allan Curry, 216-534-9327
399 State Street, Albany NY 12210 117 Caroline Avenue, Hubbard OH 44425
BALTIMORE Local, Laila Atallah, 301-467-9388 MILWAUKEE O.C.,Tom Sobottke, 414-367-5893
1443 Gorsuch Avenue, Baltimore MD 21218 208 Hill Court #8, Hartland WI 53029
BOSTON Local, Glenn Kulbako, staff, 617-354-5078 ST. LOUIS Local, Dave Nibert, 314-776-1261
11 Garden Street, Cambridge MA 02138 3535 Halliday Avenue, St. Louis MO 63118
CENTRAL NJ Local, William Volonte, 201-642-0885 TWIN CITIES Local, Dan Frankot
PO Box 2029, Princeton NJ 08543 695 Ottawa Avenue, Saint Paul MN 55107
CENTRAL PA Local, Curt Sanders, 717-328-5124 WICHITA O.C., Jim Phillips, 316-681-1469
115 Loudon Road, Mercersburg PA 17236 2330 North Oliver Street #219, Wichita KS 67220
CONNECTICUT Local, Mike Phelan, 203-782-9189
80 Clinton Avenue, New Haven CT 06513
South
DC/MD/Northern VA Local, Bill Mosley, 202-483-3299
PO Box 33345, Washington DC 20033 ATLANTA O.C., Cleveland Sasser, 404-634-9612
HOWARD COUNTY MD Local, Bob Feldman, 301-381-0727 1184 Argonne Way NE, Atlanta GA 30324
7205 Talisman Lane, Columbia MD 21045 AUSTIN Local, Dick Fralen, 512-820-0257
ITHACA Local, Theresa Alt, 607-273-3009 2409 West Eighth Street, Austin TX 78703
206 Eddy Street, Ithaca NY 14850 CENTRAL KY Local, Jim Ryder, 606-268-2983
NASSAU COUNTY NY Local, Mark Finkel, 516-538-8246 PO Box 1190, Lexington KY 40589
662 Howard Avenue, West Hempstead NY 11552 HOUSTON Local, Jerry Lynch, 713-864-3689
NEW YORK CITY Local, Steve Oliver, 212-962-1079 710 Courtland, Houston TX 77025
15 Dutch Street #500, New York NY 10038 OKLAHOMA O.C., Mark Hudson, 405-364-6842
PHILADELPHIA Local, Bruce Haskin, 215-729-2429 542 South Flood, Norman OK 73069
920 South 48th Street, Philadelphia PA 19143 TALLAHASSEE Local, Paul Lincolnhol, 904-878-6905
PITISBURGH Local, Bill Wekselman
1608 Chinnapakin, Tallahassee FL 32301
PO Box 5122, Pittsburgh PA 15206
READING-BERKS PA Local, Bob Millar, 215-944-0991
RD4, Box 4482A, Fleetwood PA 19522 West
ROCHESTER, Nancy Kleniewski, 716-245-5541
ALBUQUERQUE Local, Gerry Bradley, 505-881-4687
2216 East Lake Drive, Conesus NY 14435
6008 Ponderosa NE, Albuquerque NM 87110
SUFFOLK COUNTY NY Local, Hugh Cleland, 516-751-0340
EAST BAY CA Local, John Katz, 415-653-4644
528 Pond Path, Setauket NY 11733
585 62nd Street, Oakland CA 94609
WESTCHESTER NY Local, Faye Bennett 914-769-0145
FAIRBANKS AK Local, Richard Farris, 907-451-0098
46 Usonia Road, Pleasantville NY 10570
Box 80967,Fairbanks AK 99708
JUNEAU AK Local, John Dunker, 907-465-3400
Midwest 592 Seatter Street, Juneau AK 99801
LOS ANGELES Local, Trish Bailey, 818-797-7640
ANN ARBOR Local, Eric Ebel, 313-662-4497
PO Box 77027-161, Pasadena CA 91117
P.O. Box 7211, Ann Arbor Ml 48107
MARIN COUNTY CA Local, Meyer Balin
CARBONDALE IL O.C., E.G. Hughes, 618-549-1409 180 Marguerite Ave, Mill Valley CA 94945
PO Box 2201, Carbondale IL 67902
PALO ALTO Local, Carolyn Curtis, 415-364-6124
CHICAGO Local, Maggie Shreve, 312-384-0327
1418 Alameda, Redwood City CA 94061
1608 N. Milwaukee Ave.,4th floor, Chicago IL 60647 SACRAMENTO Local, Duane Campbell, 916-361-9072
CLEVELAND Local, Roger Willer PO Box 162394, Sacramento CA 95816
34732 Beach Park, Eastlake OH 44095 SAN DIEGO Local, Virginia Franco, 619-276-6023
COLUMBUS Local, Bob Fitrakis, 614-227-2482 5122 Gardena Avenue, San Diego CA 94110
44 Brunson Avenue, Columbus OH 43203 SAN FRANCISCO Local, Janet Kobren
DANVILLE IL O.C., Brian Mitchell, 217-431-8251 121 Day Street, San Francisco CA 94131
1002 Glenwood, Danville IL 61832 SEATILE Local, Craig Satins, 206-784-9695
DETROIT Local, Roger Robinson, 313-822-4639 6221 Greenwood Avenue North, Seattle WA 98103
653 Pemberton, Grosse Pointe Park Ml 48230 SONOMA COUNTY CA Local, David Walls, 707-823-7403
INDIANA O.C., Brad Lorton, 317-293-2612 943 McFarlane Avenue, Sebastopol CA 95472
PO Box 1631, Indianapolis IN 46206 UTAH Local, Mary Reddick, 801-531-6233
IOWA CITY Local, Jeff Cox, 319-338-4551 PO Box 395, Salt Lake City UT 84110
112 S. Dodge, Iowa City IA 52242 VALLEY DSA Local, Leo Whitaker
1102 North Brand Boulevard #20, Glendale CA 91202
fANUARY/Ff.BRUARY 1993 7
DSAction
th ec ion Gleminist
Commissi n
Fourteen members of the DSA Youth Section, along
with two comrades from the New Democratic Youth of
Canada, traveled to the U.S.-Mexican border January 5- The DSA Feminist Commission held a conference
12 to gather information about human rights and envi entitled "Socialist Feminists: Who Are We Now?" Janu
ronmental abuses being committed by U.S. companies in ary 8-10 in Washington, D.C. The conference was de
the maquiladora zones. signed to help set a socialist feminist agenda for the
Many observers believe that these abuses will in Clinton era.
crease if the North American Free Trade Agreement Over 100 people attended the opening-night plenary,
(NAFTA) is ratified. The youth section planned this which featured Heidi Hartmann of the Institute for
investigative trip as the first component ofa broader anti Women's Policy Research, NOW president Patricia Ire
N AFTA organizing campaign. land, D.C. activist Gwen McKinney, and Kay Ostberg of
The students visited several maquiladora industrial the Human Rights Campaign Fund.
parks and workers' neighborhoods in the Mexican cities Saturday afternoon's session was entitled "Breaking
of Matamoros and Reynosa. In Matamoros, across the Bread: Can We Be Part of a Multiracial Women's Move
border from Brownsville, Texas, students met with for ment?" Speakers included Juanita Webster, of DSA's
mer maquila workers who are organizing an under African American Commission and the Feminist Com
ground movement to improve wages and working con mission; Tomasa Gonzalez, of DSA's Latino/a Commis
ditions. They are demanding basic rights such as warn sion and the Feminist Commission; and Cindy Deitch of
ing signs printed in Spanish and 30-rninute lunch breaks. the Feminist Commission.
In Matamoros, the students witnessed toxic dumping by The Feminist Commission plans to compile a de
General Motors, Zenith, and Stepan. tailed report of the conference, including synopses of all
While in Texas, the students were hosted by local the major speeches and notes from each workshop. The
leaders of the Amalgamated Clothing and Textile Work report should be available by late February. To obtain a
ers Union. ACTWU and several other unions provided copy, send $10.00 to the Commission: 5123 Fifth Street
crucial support for the trip. NW, Washington, DC 20011.
Fighting for Hope: Remembering Petra Kelly
by Eleanor Mulloney LeCain
Petra Kelly, an outspoken champion for peace, a healthy environment, and human rights for all, was found dead
on October 19 at the age of 44.
The official statement maintains that she was killed by her companion, general-turned-pacifist Gert Bastion, who
then allegedly killed himself. However, Petra and Gert had recently received death threats, and there is some specu
lation that they could have been murdered by Nazis because of their work for human rights in Germany.
We may never know the cause of Petra Kelly's death. But we do know the causes she championed with her too
brief life.
Petra Kelly was an extraordinary woman, a tireless fighter whose words and deeds helped change the political
landscape. In 1979, she co-founded the Green Party in Germany, for which she served in parliament from 198.3 until
1990. She published numerous books and articles on ecology, feminism, peace, and human rights.
I first met Petra ten years ago, when I was in Europe doing some human rights work. I was immediately struck
with her intelligence and verve. She was full of life and compassion and fight. Our paths crossed over the years at
various conferences where she inspired me and countless others with her clarity of thought and her courage. She was
a firebrand with a vision.
It is tragic that at a time of darkness, we have lost a woman who could help light our way.
Petra believed passionately in nonviolent transformation to a more peaceful, just, and ecologically sustainable
civilization. Although she has died, that vision lives.
8 D£MOCMTIC LEFT
plan to work to strengthen the boy and Gore "to their promises."
cott campaign throughout Indiana.
An organizing tour by Arturo Ro
driguez of the United Food and MINNESOTA
Commercial Workers is planned for
the spring. Stephen Peter, a DSAer who
is also a member of the German
by Harry Fleischman ILLINOIS Social Democratic Party, spoke at a
meeting of the SL Paul-Minneapo
lis DSA in November on the politi
Chicago DSAers have just
cal situation in Europe.
ALASKA published a six-page leaflet, Raise
DSAers Gene and Anita
Hell with Chicago Democratic Social
Martinez hosted a fund raiser for the
Alaska DSAers met Decem ists, welcoming progressives into
ber 9 to discuss "Political Restruc membership. It features comments Wellstone Alliance. Senator Paul
Wellstone spoke to the DSAers and
turing: Opportunities and Options by United Steelworkers leader Ed
Democratic Farmer Laborites in at
in the 1990s." SadJowski; Dr. Ron Sable, the Illi
In Alaska as elsewhere, 1992 nois chair of the Physicians for a Na tendance.
was a year of political gains for tional Health Plan; Vicki Starr, who
women. Two progressive Demo appeared in the film Union Maids; NEwYoRK
cratic women defeated two reac political scientist Jane Mansbridge;
tionary, pro-life male Republicans and theologians Rosemary Reuther On January 15 New York City
for State Senate seats representing and Michael Dyson. DSAheld a forum entitled "OurlOO
South Anchorage and the Kenai Chicago DSA also sponsored Days or Theirs?" at which the mean
Peninsula. four panels at the Midwest Radical ing of the Clinton victory for radical
Scholars and Activists Conference, activists was discussed. Speakers
CALIFORNIA which was held at Loyola Univer included DSA vice chair Jim
sity in late October. DSA speakers Chapin, Noreen Connell of the
DSAer Bonnie Anderson, a at the conference included Bogdan Education Priorities Panel, and Gale
student at Los Angeles Valley Col Denitch, Bob Fitrakis, and J. Brewer, the federal liaison for New
lege, helped launch the L.A. wing of Hughes. York City.
the "Bite 'Em Back Campaign," the NYC DSA held a fundraising
movement to recall Governor Pete IOWA bash on December 7 at which long
Wilson. time activists Ruth and Victor Sidel
DSA activists Barbara Iowa City DSA is working were awarded the Paul Du Brul
Hooper and Donna Wilkinson host with Iowans Against the Death Memorial Award. Approximately
a radio program entitled "Voices Penalty to fight legislation that 150 people gathered to honor the
from the Left: A Socialist Perspec would legalize capital punishment Sidels, to enjoy a performance by
tive." It's heard every other Friday in the state. They urge Iowans to Pete Seeger and Randy Harris, and
at 5:00 pm on KPFI< 90.7, the Los contact State Representatives Mona to hear remarks by Manhattan Bor
Angeles Pacifica station. Martin, Bob Rafferty, and Dick ough President Ruth Messinger and
Los Angeles DSA plans a Weidman, the undecided members other political and labor leaders.
March tour to Vancouver, BC to of the Iowa House Judiciary Com Ithaca DSA celebrated Bill
learn first-hand about the merits of mittee. Clinton's victory with, appropri
the Canadian health care system. ately enough, a waffle brunch.
KENTUCKY
PENNSYLVANIA
INDIANA
The Kentucky Socialist Ban
DSA's DELCO I Seventh
Indiana DSA has voted to ner's December edition featured
Congressional District branch met
make support for the United Fatm election reflections on social change
Workers' boycott of California table and left values, notingthat"our first November 22 to discuss "The Elec
tions and Beyond: Where Does the
grapes a top priority for 1993. They order of business" is to hold Clinton
Left Go From Here?"
/ANUARY/FEBRUARY 1993 9
Who Wants Peace in
the Middle East?
Facing the stumbling blocks in the Rabin era
BY ERIC LEE
F
or fifteen years the Israeli left had a ment's disgraceful ban on Israeli-Palestinian
two-word solution for the hundred contacts-despite all the fireworks of the Labor
year-old Jewish-Arab conflict: elect government's "peace offensive," Israel has not
Labor. The only thing preventing the offered much more now than it did in the days
outbreak of a wondrous era of peace and recon of Begin and Shamir.
ciliation, we said, was the Likud government in Israel still does not recognize the PLO as a
Israel. legitimate (or even illegitimate) partner in the
Six months after Labor's spectacular return peace process. Years ago Israeli leftists would
to power in the early days of summer, it has now say that the day will come when Israel will look
become clear that there are, in fact, two ob back fondly upon Arafat; the radicalization of
stacles to peace in the Middle East. the Palestinians would make Arafat look like a
One, as we have discovered to our sorrow, moderate. That day has now arrived. The PLO,
is the Arab side. The Syrians continue to back for better or worse, is the best negotiating part
terror, and to back away from serious negotia ner Israel can find among the Palestinians. The
tions, even when offered the Golan Heights in alternative is a nightmare: the murderous Is
exchange for a peace treaty. The Lebanese will lamic Resistance Movement, known as Hamas.
do nothing unless and until Damascus gives the As some recent elections in the occupied territo
green light; negotiating with the Beirut politi ries have shown, Hamas has begun to displace
cians as if Lebanon had an independent govern the PLO as the key player among the Palestini
ment is absurd. Jordan and Israel could sign a ans. And still the Rabin government will not
peace treaty today; in fact, they could have talk to the PLO.
signed one years ago. There are no serious Israel will not concede even in principle,
issues dividing the two countries. But Hussein even at this early stage, that it is prepared to
is no Sadat, and will not dare to risk signing an negotiate with the Palestinians on the basis of
agreement with Israel before the Syrians have UN Security Council resolutions 242 and 338.
done so. What this means is that Israel is not willing to
Tragically, the Palestinians are also a stum give up land for peace when it comes to the
bling block. The election of Labor in Israel, Palestinians. The Rabin government is ada
rather than forcing the Palestinians to adopt mant: there will never be an independent Pales
more moderate positions and prepare them tinian state between Israel and the Jordan River.
selves for compromise, has had no readily ap Finally, Israel's version of Palestinian au
parent positive effect. To the contrary, the Pal tonomy is no different from the version offered
estinian voices urging an abandonment of the by Menachem Begin at Camp J?avid. Auton
peace process have grown louder day by day. omy is not seen as a transitional stage prior to
The second obstacle to peace, it is now the establishment of an independent Palestinian
becoming clear, is the Rabin government itself. state. It is not being offered to the tens of
For all its talk of giving up the Golan Heights, its thousands of Palestinians who live in Israel's
appeals to Syrian dictator Assad to come to a capital, Jerusalem. And thanks to a quarter
summit meeting, its repeal of the Likud govern- century of Israeli occupation, tens of thousands
10 DEMOCIV.TIC L£Fr