Socialist Viewpoint

Dear Editor,

Our movement has lost a leader—Sylvia Weinstein—57 years an activist in the fight for socialism.

Sylvia led not only through her energy, her dedication, but especially through her intelligence and revolutionary optimism. Sylvia was always there when I called, seeing to the day-to-day functioning of the Party. It’s easy, working in Baltimore, to feel isolated from party work in the Center. Sylvia lightened that isolation; she was my lifeline, as I called to order papers or magazines, to talk about a sub drive, or just to find out “what’s happening.”

That was one side of her leadership.

Another side was Sylvia the public speaker, who expressed herself clearly and could move people. Here in Baltimore , we had an opportunity to organize a speaking engagement for Sylvia in the early 90s, during Women’s History Month. Co-sponsored by the UMBC Campus Women’s Center, it was one of the most successful meetings that our campus socialist group ever held.

Many who attended the meeting had participated in defense of women’s health clinics from anti-abortion forces. Women’s faculty from the Sociology departments and Women’s Studies attended. Sylvia spoke on “Socialism and Feminism.” What followed was a wide-ranging, sisterly discussion. There were differences of opinion, but in the end, there was genuine enthusiasm for Sylvia’s message. The meeting was everything an International Working Women’s Day celebration should be—educational and motivational, calling for action and involvement. Sylvia was an inspiration to all of us that night.

As we celebrate the life of Sylvia Weinstein, let us re-dedicate ourselves to continuing her work.

Yours in Solidarity,

Richard Hill

WHY THERE IS NO PEACE

Editor - Along with the grief and outrage that most Americans share the day after Tuesday’s calamities there is talk of retribution and reprisal. National politicians and reportedly ordinary men and women alike declare that “the enemy must pay a price” for the tragic loss of life in New York, Washington, D.C. and Pennsylvania. Sadly, it seems more likely than not that there will be a military response by the U.S. government to Tuesday’s aerial assaults on civilian and military targets. No doubt Pentagon files contain contingency plans that detail how the military will go about delivering an escalated attack. No doubt unforgiving metal and scorching flames will shortly snuff out more civilian lives.

We know this not because U.S. military and political leaders say so, but because we remember. Fresh horrors prevent the older ones from fading away. We cannot forget the fire bombing of Dresden, the indiscriminate suffering rained down on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, the protracted blood bath that was Vietnam, the wanton slaughter that accompanied the occupation of Panama, the horrors suffered by an unarmed Serbian civilian population, the continuing aggression against Iraqis, and the simple calm of everyday life denied to Palestinians by the U.S. surrogate, Israel.

No doubt Tuesday’s horrific events are unintended consequences that the world’s super-cop brought home along with tens of thousands of body bags. Ironically, a cartoonist caught America’s dilemma very well when Pogo said, “ I seen the enemy, and he is us.”

Bob Mattingly

September 12, 2001