I just had to write down some thoughts on the recent emails and largepopups on the main ZNet page advising people to join IOPS.
Firstly, I just have to admit to the reader that as a foreigner and Asian male who has lived in the United States for many years and often involved with social activism, I have been both motivated but also suspicious of attempts at organizing on the left. Motivated, because there are many people and organizations out there doing self-less work and organizing and protesting, but still staying high-spirited and bringing their enthusiasm to the community to build a better world. Suspicious because needless to say there are people who do the opposite even when they say they intend to 'change the world' for the better. No, I'm not talking about Obama and the democrats. I'm talking about people often associated with anti-war, feminist or economic rights of people. There is tremendous tendency within the left to control, prevent debate and generally behave in ways that are pretty hippocritical and sectarian. That background said, I would like to come to the topic of IOPS that I would like to comment about.
Firstly, IOPS could well turn out to be a great project and I wish everyone who wants to be involved with it the very best. But its hard to understand how good things can start with a terrible precedent.
Why badger people with so many emails advising them on the benefits of IOPS? I agree that attention can be provided to it, but whats going on here is nothing but an advertising campaign. Very valuable writers like Noam Chomsky have written their views on IOPS and they are encouraging ones, perhaps rightly. But why is it being advertised with the entire beginning part of the ZNet page being devoted to this? Why cannot it be just another news item? That way people will have the opportunity to make a fair judgement and not be bombarded with folks telling them about the wonders of this project??
I think the left has to practice what it preaches first.
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