Portside

Efforts to achieve such unity is possible if we maintain an atmosphere of tolerance and eschew subjective responses to past encounters and disputes. This effort should involve not only members of existing socialist groups and publications but the many unorganized left activists in the struggle for economic and social justice, democracy and peace.

Cynicism or struggle? Cynicism is self-fulfilling prophesy. The generation of 1968 fought - America changed. The changes didn't come easily. Every positive step was met with determined resistance. But we became better and stronger because we were determined to change. Today to make progress, to prevent slipping backwards - will require no less steadfastness, intelligence, and patience than was necessitated before. Graduates today are the most indebted - ever.

Reader Comments on Matt Taibbi: Everything Is Rigged; Chiefs Declare Keystone XL Invalid; Rape in the Military; Islamophobia; Real IRS Scandal; Kissinger; Viet Nam War; Cambodia; Marx Banned in Hungary; Announcements: Black Talkies On Parade Film Series - Los Angeles - May 25; The Future of the Left - A Conversation on Socialist Unity - New York - June 5 - event moved to larger location

The current political environment shows that activists must be flexible in choosing which political arenas are most open to their goals. Opportunities for state government to enact progressive economic measures are there for the taking, but are not being seized due to a lack of grassroots pressure that is connected to the exclusive focus on federal action.

The New Era Windows Cooperative opens its doors (and windows) for business. The workers know launching and running a company won't be easy, but given their deep knowledge of the industry and their personal investment in the project, they are confident they can do it.

Reader's Comments - End of the War in Viet Nam; Paid Sick Leave Law in New York; Guantanamo; Dodging Corporate Taxes; Working Class; Education; Health Care; Songs for May Day; Interview with Rene Gonzalez; What Can I Do - Portside emails have suddenly stopped? Alert for Earthlink, Mindspring, IGC PeoplePC readers Announcement - New York City Troublemakers School, May 18; International Forum on Globalization - Peoples of the Pacific - Berkeley Teach-In - June 1 & 2

The struggle for structural reforms is essential to changing the "common sense" of the US political arena. But it is not enough to wound the rabid beast; one must ultimately bring it down. Alperovitz's views are shaped by several assumptions. First, actually existing capitalism is not working. Second, socialism, as we have known it, did not work. Third, people need to actually see what an alternative world would look like in order to be encouraged to fight for one.