June 17, 2004
NEW YORK CITY FORUM RAISES THE BANNER OF SOCIALIST UNITY
By Monica Hill
Radicals representing divergent opinions and various tendencies
and groups crowded into Freedom Hall in Harlem on June 2 to take
part in a forum entitled "Is it time for a U.S. socialist alliance?" As it
turns out, the 70 people present sometimes had widely differing
answers to that question. But many stayed until almost midnight
engaged in high energy give-and-takes.
Nearly everyone had one thing in common--a sense of urgency
about the times we live in. The forum--hosted by the Freedom
Socialist Party--was chaired by Ray Laforest, National Board
member of Pacifica Foundation, an AFSCME union organizer and
coordinator of Haiti Support Network. As Laforest put it in his
introductory remarks, "The theme of this event is at the very core of
the future of society and the survival of the planet itself. It has been
time (for a socialist alliance) for a long time."
Speaker Sean Sweeney, co-founder of the New York Socialist
Project, echoed this sentiment: "There is a crisis of human
civilization unfolding right now." Although there is the technological
wherewithal available to eradicate some of the worst conditions in
history, he said, the fragmented condition of the Left makes it
impossible to alleviate suffering.
"There are too many socialist organizations and this is profoundly
damaging," he lamented. Instead, Sweeney strongly advocated a
socialist alliance of the many leftist groups in this country where
it would be possible to express political differences formally and still
organize in one larger group. He considered the Scottish Socialist
Alliance a model of success. And he reminded the audience that
"the biggest socialist formation in New York is unaffiliated
socialists" who need an organization to work in.
Bryan Koulouris, Socialist Alternative's speaker, did not believe that
an alliance of small left forces is the answer, but rather "a real
workers party that involves broad forces that have never before
been engaged in the left." It is the job of socialists to "point the way to
victories that affect peoples everyday lives," he contended. These
victories will encourage people to form coalitions of mass groups
inside and outside the electoral arena. In contrast to virtually
everyone else in the room, Koulouris supported Ralph Nader for
president as a way to attract people who have not yet become
socialists.
Socialist Party representative Sam Morales, speaking briefly
because he was a last-minute replacement on the panel, described
his party as a "multi-tendency group that is somewhat of a socialist
alliance itself." The SP supports a socialist roundtable that would
work around proportional representation and united electoral slates,
he said. Morales did not think socialists should "get too caught up
in electoral politics but that it is a good platform to present an anti-
capitalist message."
Guerry Hoddersen, international secretary of the Freedom Socialist
Party, said that the FSP had decided to sponsor the forum because
of the acute political crisis in the U.S. There is a "proto-fascist
movement building out there," she said, "composed of super
patriots, racist militia men, heterosexual marriage worshippers, the
Christian right and rightwing radio disk jockeys who preach bigotry."
She added that some people in the U.S.--such as immigrants,
people of color and political dissidents--are already living under
police state conditions right now.
"This serious situation calls for a high level of cooperation."
But is an alliance possible? "We will only know if we try," she said.
"Start now talking about a possible program. Treat each other
respectfully. Work together in the antiwar and labor movements
instead of competing. We need boldly anti-capitalist alliances that
promote socialist ideas and workingclass independence from the
parties of capitalism."
"Workers all over the world need our help," Hoddersen entreated.
"Even a small beginning on a U.S. socialist alliance would be a
tremendous boost to people who are fighting for their very lives in
Latin America, the Middle East, and Africa."
After the speakers remarks, the room erupted in fast-paced
discussion. Palestinian partisan Farouk Abdel-Muhti, recently freed
after two years in prison as a victim of the Patriot Act, warmly
thanked the room full of cheering activists for helping get him out of
jail. He urged the Left to "create a family to oppose imperialism in
the heart of the United States."
Some attendees did not endorse the concept of a socialist alliance.
A representative from the International Socialist Organization said
leftists should come together on other "smaller issues" before
attempting organizational alliance. The League for a Revolutionary
Party dismissed the idea of socialists allying as "ballot box
socialism," and the Spartacist League denounced it as "grotesque
reformism." Two parties that ran presidential candidates in the 2000
election--Workers World and Socialist Workers Party--declined
invitations to participate in the June 2 forum.
But most of the 70 people in the room wanted to see some serious
work on building left unity. In addition to the groups represented on
the panel, there were people from Harlem Tenants Council, New
York City Working Peoples Voice newspaper and
AFRAMnewservices, as well as many community organizers not
affiliated with any group. They all stressed the necessity of
matching words with deeds and integrating race and class
struggles. Most preferred an alliance with explicitly socialist
principles. Some pointed to existing alliances in Puerto Rico,
Australia and Latin America.
Long after the forum was officially adjourned, Freedom Hall on
West 128 Street in Harlem was abuzz with discussion and people
signing up for future meetings on the issue.
Said event planner, Stephen Durham, New York organizer for the
FSP, "Seeds were planted tonight. Hopefully, this enthusiasm will
become the nourishment they need to grow." Sean Sweeney
concurred saying "I applaud this initiative. The meeting was an
important first step, one that is much needed at this time."
For more information about future efforts, call 212-222-0633 or
email or .