I don't see not voting as apathy either, but whether you vote or not our
enemies still stay in power. However, not voting is always depicted as
apathy. There could be a mass march on Washington of people who do not
vote and they could make an issue of not voting as social protest and
the next news commentator you would see would be saying that all these
people are just apathetic because they could not be bothered to vote.
___
Carl Sagan
“Every aspect of Nature reveals a deep mystery and touches our sense of wonder
and awe. Those afraid of the universe as it really is, those who pretend to
nonexistent knowledge and envision a Cosmos centered on human beings will
prefer the fleeting comforts of superstition. They avoid rather than confront
the world. But those with the courage to explore the weave and structure of the
Cosmos, even where it differs profoundly from their wishes and prejudices, will
penetrate its deepest mysteries.”
― Carl Sagan, Cosmos
On 8/20/2020 4:43 PM, Frank Ventura wrote:
Roger, I don't see not voting as apathy. I see it as given active consent to
the status quo.
Frank
-----Original Message-----
From: blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
<blind-democracy-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> On Behalf Of Roger Loran Bailey
Sent: Thursday, August 20, 2020 2:53 PM
To: blind-democracy@xxxxxxxxxxxxx; Carl Jarvis <carjar82@xxxxxxxxx>
Subject: [blind-democracy] Re: Socialist Workers Party 2020 campaign platform
Of course that is not going to be allowed to happen through "our"
election system. Note that I put the word our in quotation marks. It is not our
election system. It is their election system, the bourgeois election system,
and it is rigged so that it will keep the bourgeoisie in power. But, as I have
pointed out before, the SWP does not participate in the bourgeois electoral
charade in order to get elected even if that would be nice. The point is to use
the election campaign to disseminate the party's propaganda and to agitate.
Yes, I would urge you to vote for at least some socialist party, but it is much
more important to involve yourself in the campaign is you can. I understand
that your opportunities for involvement are limited. Altogether, though, it is
much more important to be an activist for the causes that such a campaign
supports. But do vote.
Again, not voting is always portrayed as apathy. It is harder to portray a vote
that rejects the choices they offer us as apathy.
___
Carl Sagan
“Every aspect of Nature reveals a deep mystery and touches our sense of wonder
and awe. Those afraid of the universe as it really is, those who pretend to
nonexistent knowledge and envision a Cosmos centered on human beings will
prefer the fleeting comforts of superstition. They avoid rather than confront
the world. But those with the courage to explore the weave and structure of the
Cosmos, even where it differs profoundly from their wishes and prejudices, will
penetrate its deepest mysteries.”
― Carl Sagan, Cosmos
On 8/20/2020 2:26 PM, Carl Jarvis wrote:
It's a damn fine Platform. One every working class American should
support. But, given the "Fog" spread by the Ruling Class through
their Mass Media, many Working Class Americans oppose that which is in
their best interest. As much as I would like to see such a Platform
be voted in, I am a realist. Four years ago I voted for Jill Stein
and got Donald Trump. Of course we live in a "safe" blue state, so I
could vote for other than Joe Biden, but voting for a Platform without
a strong Political Party is like spitting in the wind. I tell myself
that I am a spectator in this election process. I vote, because it's
important to not lose that right, but at this time it is merely an
exercise in futility.
Looking back over the past 85 years, I can say with certainty that the
Capitalist form of government is not going to be of any help to the
Working Class. A system that responds to the needs of the majority,
rather than to the needs of the minority, will need to come into
power. That will most likely never be allowed to happen through our
election system.
Carl Jarvis
On 8/19/20, Roger Loran Bailey <dmarc-noreply@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Socialist Workers Party 2020 campaign platform
https://themilitant.com/2020/08/15/socialist-workers-party-2020-campa
ign-platform/
August 24, 2020
JOIN THE SOCIALIST WORKERS PARTY 2020 CAMPAIGN!
WORKERS NEED A UNION IN EVERY WORKPLACE. We need to fight growing
employer attacks on our jobs, wages and working conditions. Build
solidarity with workers’ struggles to organize and defend themselves.
Use union power on our own behalf, and for all those suffering blows
by the bosses and their government. One union for all drivers — taxi,
Uber, Lyft and other app-based and car service drivers!
WORKERS NEED THEIR OWN PARTY, A LABOR PARTY. For a class break from
the parties of the bosses, the Democrats and Republicans. A labor
party can organize workers in their millions to fight in our own
interest and in the interests of all those exploited and oppressed by
capital. It can chart a course to take political power out of the
hands of the capitalist rulers and build a workers and farmers government.
WORKERS CONTROL OF PRODUCTION. Workers need to fight to wrest control
of production out of the hands of the bosses. Employers care about
profits, not the dangerous conditions we’re forced to work under.
This is the only road to take control of and enforce safety and health on the
job.
Demand the bosses open their books for inspection by workers and
consumers. Workers control of production is a school for learning to
run the economy ourselves, in the interests of all producers, a
crucial step alongside building a labor party to fight to take political power.
MILLIONS NEED JOBS TODAY! Fight for a federal government-financed
public works program to put millions to work at union-scale wages
building hospitals, schools, child care centers, mass transportation,
quality affordable housing and much more that workers need. Set the
minimum wage to allow workers to have a home and support a family.
AMNESTY FOR ALL UNDOCUMENTED IMMIGRANTS in the US, a life-and-death
question for the unions to unite workers and cut across divisions the
bosses use to drive down wages. For access to driver’s licenses for all.
See directory to contact nearest party campaign office.
OPPOSE WASHINGTON’S WARS. US hands off Iran, Venezuela and Cuba. US
troops out of Afghanistan, Korea, the Middle East. End US colonial
rule in Puerto Rico.
FOR RECOGNITION OF ISRAEL & OF A CONTIGUOUS PALESTINIAN STATE. For
the right of Jews to return to Israel as a refuge in the face of
capitalist crisis, Jew-hatred and murderous violence.
CUBA’S REVOLUTION — AN EXAMPLE. The Cuban Revolution in 1959 showed
it is possible for workers and farmers to transform themselves in
struggle, to take political power and uproot capitalist exploitation.
End the US rulers’ economic war against Cuba; US out of Guantánamo.
HEALTH CARE FOR ALL. Fight for universal, government-guaranteed
cradle-to-grave health care, and retirement income for all.
FIGHT POLICE BRUTALITY! Demand that cops who kill and brutalize
people be prosecuted. Fight racist discrimination and the entire
capitalist injustice system, with its frame-ups, “plea bargains,”
onerous bail and outrageous prison sentences, all of which
disproportionately hit workers who are Black. For the right to vote
for ex-prisoners and all workers behind bars.
WOMEN’S RIGHT TO ABORTION. Defend women’s right to unrestricted
access to family planning services, including the right to safe, secure
abortions.
DEFEND POLITICAL RIGHTS. Defend the right to vote, to free speech and
assembly and to bear arms, under attack from Democrats and
Republicans alike. Defend freedom of worship. Stop FBI and other
government spying, harassment and disruption. No to middle-class radical
“cancel culture”
and their thuggery against people they deem “politically incorrect.”
DEFEND RIGHTS OF PRISONERS. End solitary confinement. End suppression
of the Militant, books and other newspapers by prison authorities.
Abolish the death penalty, an anti-working-class weapon in the hands of the
rulers.
FARMERS — WORKERS ALLIES ON THE LAND. To put a halt to farm
foreclosures, bankruptcies and skyrocketing rural debt, we demand
nationalization of the land. This puts the soil at the service of the
farmers who till it, as opposed to monopolization by the banks and
landlords. We demand the government guarantee farmers their costs of
production, including their living expenses.
Front Page Articles
Fight for a union on every job site, and a labor party Fight for
workers control of production and safety Port explosion fuels
protests against gov’t in Lebanon Bath shipyard strikers discuss
tentative deal, strike still on Nebraska meatpackers, union speak out
in battle for job safety After prison ban in Pennsylvania is revoked,
Florida prison bars ‘Militant’
Feature Articles
Montreal port workers strike over unsafe schedules Also In This Issue
Protests boost interest in books on working-class politics, history
SWP ‘stimulus’ appeal at $143,600, more to come
Protesters: Prosecute cops who killed Breonna Taylor!
Philadelphia: Political fight breaks out over Jew-hatred London bans
China’s Huawei, looks for trade bloc with US As crisis deepens,
workers fight boss attacks on jobs, conditions Sugar workers in Iran
on strike since June over unpaid wages Belarus protests erupt over
presidential election results Socialist Workers Party 2020 campaign
platform Books of the Month ‘American workers: Stop your rulers
throttling our revolution’
25, 50 and 75 years ago
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Okay, thanks
--
___
Carl Sagan
“Every aspect of Nature reveals a deep mystery and touches our sense
of wonder and awe. Those afraid of the universe as it really is,
those who pretend to nonexistent knowledge and envision a Cosmos
centered on human beings will prefer the fleeting comforts of
superstition. They avoid rather than confront the world. But those
with the courage to explore the weave and structure of the Cosmos,
even where it differs profoundly from their wishes and prejudices, will
penetrate its deepest mysteries.”
― Carl Sagan, Cosmos