En Passant

It is no accident that the Stonewall riot happened in 1969 and millions around the world stood up for sexual liberation in the ensuing years. The world was in turmoil as millions confronted war, racism, sexism and exploitation. There was enthusiasm for revolutionary change among millions. That is the political atmosphere we have to recreate. So the fight for sexual liberation cannot be separate from the struggle to rebuild a revolutionary movement to overthrow capitalism.

Mostafa Omar, a member of Egypt’s Revolutionary Socialists and journalist for Ahram Online, spoke with Lee Sustar in Socialist Worker about the dynamics of the movement and the prospects for the renewal of Egypt’s revolutionary movement.

Now there is unprecedented clarity among the Egytpian people. They understand that the enemy is the military junta. Egyptians don’t just want Field Marshal Tantawi to step down. People now want to see him tried for crimes against the Egyptian people.

Having socialists involved in the struggles of the day, socialists with an understanding of the tasks necessary to win a better world here and now and into the future and coalescing around common ideas about socialism and democracy is an important part of the ultimate success of the liberationist project.

The people won a victory on 11 February 2011 by forcing Mubarak to vacate his seat at the top table. They did not do this to replace him with new military Mubaraks, but to replace him with a completely new regime. Our revolution is not complete!

We, the Revolutionary Socialists, stationed in Tahrir Square since the first day, call on the brave masses of the revolutionaries in the streets and squares of Egypt today, to apply the lessons of the 25 January Revolution and to unite all the forces in our ‘Liberated Squares’ in a single front, which alone has the right to speak for the revolution.

My son is moving to Brisbane soon. He is, he tells me, a song writer and I know he is a great guitarist. Any bands need a guitarist and, as a bonus, a song writer? Any gigs he could do?

QANTAS workers could walk off the job tonight, and picket to stop any supplies or personnel getting in or out. That way, like the magnificent Fair Work Australia and government defying Victorian nurses, they might have a chance of winning.

If two years ago the European ruling class had “no unified strategy or coherent response”, it is clearer now. Smash, grab, hold on and try to weather both the economic storm and the wave of popular resistance that is being provoked. What remains unclear is how exactly they will be able to do so.

My article on the recent recent resource rent tax experience in Australia (written before the Occupy movment took off so already a bit out of date.) http://www.canberra.edu.au/faculties/law/attachments/pdf/canberra-law-review-2011-vol.-10-2/Passant-John-Lessons-from-the-Recent-Resource-Rent-Tax-Experience-in-Australia-_2011_-10_2_-Canberra-Law-Rev.pdf

Obama has been and gone and the Australian sycophancy parties wet themselves. Actually, that is being unfair to sycophants.

US imperialism is establishing a beachhead in Darwin for its containment policy against China, a beachhead far enough away from China’s missiles. Both Labor and the Liberals – the parties of the one percent – support this because it is in the interests of Australian capitalism, although mining capital might be a little worried.