"We Can't Make It Here"

There's a neat new addition to the ortho-Maoist section of the blogosphere, Kasama, run by a guy called Mike Ely. The initial focus there is Ely's extensive critique of the Revolutionary Communist Party (USA) with which he was associated for many years. One theme which has come up in several comments is RCP leader Bob Avakian's recent "I blame the masses" speech. Some of those responding have pointed out that in an imperialist power like the US, even ordinary working people partake of imperial privileges and they share the responsibility for the global crimes of the US government unless they opt to stand against those crimes.

I would not deny the truth of both of these points, but I think we have to keep an eye on the other side of the coin as well, especially if we are talking about making revolutionary change in the US. Arguing the negative (yeah, I just saw The Great Debaters--don't miss it), James McMurtry:



You may well have heard this before and there are several video versions of it at YouTube, but this live one is my favorite, for the palpable bitterness and for the verse McMurtry botches in the middle.