IMHO opinion communists have a lot to learn from Anonymous and these other youth groups before they are in a position to provide any badly needed idealogical leadership. I wrote what follows in response to some of the comments posted to Occupy Wall Street! on Sept. 19th. Since it remains unpublished I've decided to run it here. apparently they don't just moderated comments for spam or obscenity but also to avoid criticism. Hardly the intellectual courage that befits Marxists.
I apologize if my tone is a little acid but the attitude and arrogance of some people that call themselves Marxists but have done little or nothing to support the great revolutionary movements taking place in MENA in 2011 is really starting to piss me off.
Marxists are not cynics!
If you people are going to call yourselves "communists", will you please find out something about what you are talking about before you commit thoughts to print because as Lenin once said, nobody can discredit the communists if they don't do it to themselves.
Here we have a group of youth protesting capitalism on Wall St. and described by a Business Insider Board Room commentator as typically "wearing a Che shirt and spouting off Marxist slogan." You might think such a gathering would be welcomed by groups like the little known website Kasama Project that has been described "as a communist project that fights (in theory and practice) for the forcible overthrow of all existing social conditions." But judging by the comments here, that is not the case.
Saturday night Adbusters and Anonymous brought out about 5,000 people, according to Forbes and what I see here are the most disparaging remarks and mostly disrespect.
I find statements like:
Anonymous, and their subsequent overall influence, is limited to digital communities occupied mostly by White males.
go uncontradicted.
Well allow me to educate you. Did you know Tunisia had 35% broadband Internet access, an extraordinary level of service, the highest of any North African country? Did you know Anonymous had Tunisian members before the uprising? Did you know that Anonymous initiated OpTunisia on January 2nd? Anonymous played a much bigger role in supporting and promoting the "Arab Spring" than you people know.
Anonymous was already discussing OpLibya in mid-January when Libyan protesters were taking over housing projects, and play a very important role in events in Egypt with their OpEgypt.
There is a relationship between Anonymous, WikiLeaks and things like Google's speech-to-tweet service that was hastily put together for Egypt and then Libya that I don't think you are aware of.
If you don't think these hackers played a critical role in the revolutions that have swept North Africa in 2011, remember that in none of those countries were the regimes ever completely successful in cutting off Internet access. Now think of how things might have worked out differently if they had.
Frankly, there is a lot going on the revolutionary road in the 21st century that you are obviously not aware of so please try to have a little humility. Try to learn more about what you are talking about and try not to give communism a bad name.
Another great video from the Libyan Revolution:
Uploaded by libr817 on Sep 10, 2011
The revolution isn't over, but with the liberation of Tripoli the biggest part of the battle is complete.
This is in honor of families who grew up outside of their country. Of fathers and mothers who persevered through difficult times raising their children in a foreign country. For the thuwar who fought and continue to fight until the end. And so importantly, those who gave up their lives for this. Kulhum shaheed inshallah.
For more background on the Libyan Revolution and links to lots of information see my other writings at the DailyKos and WikiLeaks Central:
Why is Chris Hedges calling for "boots on the ground" in Libya?
The Worm Has Turned: Good Film on Libyan Revolution from PressTV
Why NATO's mission in Libya isn't over yet
Libya's Freedom Fighters: How They Won
Racism in Libya
Abdul Rahman Gave his Eyes to See the End of Qaddafi
BREAKING: Secret files reveal Dennis Kucinich talks with Qaddafi Regime
BREAKING: Libyan TNC won't extradite Lockerbie bomber
Who really beat Qaddafi?
#Feb17: @NATO Please help MEDEVAC wounded from #Libya
What should those that opposed NATO's intervention in Libya demand now?
BREAKING: Qaddafi's Tripoli Compound Falls!
Does PDA Support Qaddafi?
BREAKING: Operation Mermaid Dawn, the Battle to Liberate Tripoli is JoinedHelter Skelter: Qaddafi's African Adventure
Qaddafi's Long Arm
SCOOP: My Lai or Qaddafi Lie? More on the 85 Civilians presumed killed by NATO
Did NATO kill 85 Libyan Villagers As Qaddafi Regime Contends?
CCDS Statement on Libya - a Critique
The Assassination of General Abdul Fattah Younis
NATO over Tripoli - Air Strikes in the Age of Twitter
How Many Libyans has NATO Killed?
Qaddafi Terror Files Start to Trickle Out!
Have Libyan Rebels Committed Human Rights Abuses?
Tripoli Green Square Reality Check
Behind the Green Curtain: Libya Today
Gilbert Achcar on the Libyan situation and the Left
NATO slammed for Libya civilian deaths NOT!
2011-07-01 Qaddafi's Million Man March
NATO's Game Plan in Libya
February 21st - Tripoli's Long Night
Did Qaddafi Bomb Peaceful Protesters?
Tripoli Burn Notice
Libyans, Palestinians & Israelis
'Brother' Qaddafi Indicted plus Libya & Syria: Dueling Rally Photofinishs
An Open Letter to ANSWER
ANSWER answers me
2011-06-22 No Libyans allowed at ANSWER Libya Forum
Are they throwing babies out of incubators yet?
Continuing Discussion with a Gaddafi Supporter
Boston Globe oped supports Gaddafi with fraudulent journalism
2011-04-13 Doha summit supports Libyan rebels
Current Events in Libya
Amonpour Plays Softball with Gaddafi
Arming Gaddfi
North African Revolution Continues
Is Libya Next? Anonymous Debates New Operation
Fri Jan 20, 2012 at 9:46 AM PT: The charge that I made in the introduction to this dairy that I had been banned from the Kasama Project was wrong. I apologize for the misunderstanding.
On 01/18/2012 12:57 PM, mike ely wrote me:
We never ban anyone for their views.
So I plan to post some stuff there in the future.