1. We, the undersigned, condemn the Democratic Party as a bloodstained
instrument of imperialist politics and imperialist war -- on an equal
basis as the Republican Party. The Democratic Party is responsible to and
serves the same capitalist class which controls the Republican Party. The
Democratic Party is different than the Republican Party primarily in that
it plays a special role in the system of imperialist politics -- in which,
for example, it pretends to be a "friend" of the antiwar movement in order
to gain control of the movement and liquidate it.

2. We oppose the influence of the so-called "progressive" and antiwar
Democratic Party politicians, such as Jim McDermott, Cynthia McKinney or
Barbara Lee. These politicians (whether or not they are conscious of their
role) serve as fig leaves, as bait -- to promote the illusion that the
imperialist Democratic Party can be an ally of the antiwar movement -- and
to promote the idea that activists should invest their precious time
energy in the hopeless task of attempting to move this imperialist party
"to the left".

3. We believe that Democratic Party politicians (no matter how apparently
"antiwar") have no legitimate place speaking from the stage at antiwar
rallies. We urge activists to withhold applause or approval from these
mouthpieces of imperialist politics. If these politicians are so opposed
to the war in Iraq -- we ask why they base their careers on serving and
promoting a die-hard imperialist party? And, in particular, if these false
friends speak from the stage at antiwar actions -- we condemn as either
clueless or treacherous (as they case may be) those speakers who follow
them on stage and who refuse to unmask the nature of the Democratic Party
as a bloodstained and faithful servant of imperialism.

4. And we appeal to other activists -- who want to see more Democratic
(and Republican) Party politicians willing to pull the plug on the war --
and say to them the following:

> If we want a section of Democratic Party politicians to be more
> willing to argue within the government for acceding to the demand of
> the anti-war movement for immediate withdrawl--the most effective way
> to accomplish this--is to turn our backs on them--and make clear that
> we recognize them as the flunkies of the rich that they are. As the
> anti-war movement abandons illusions in saviors from within the
> establishment--the bourgeoisie (which keeps these "saviors" on a
> leash) will be forced to give them permission to move to the left in
> order to better maintain the illusion that the system of bourgeois
> democracy can be made to work in the interests of the masses. In this
> way the anti-war movement can help to transform the current political
> climate and greatly complicate the plans of the warmakers.

---------------------------------
Signature, date and attributions
(most recent signatures on top)
---------------------------------

* Grok, Sept 15, subscriber to http://groups.yahoo.com/group/marxist
* Nick DLC, Sept 15, supporter of the Media Weapon community
* Marik, Sept 15, supporter of the Media Weapon community
* Peter, Sept 15, AL Collective, http://struggle.net/ALC
* Ben, Sept 15, AL Collective, http://struggle.net/ALC
* Ben Seattle, Sept 14, supporter of Media Weapon community, http://struggle.net/ben


This statement is available online at:
http://MediaWeapon.com/2005/joint.htm
together with a forum where readers can
post comments, questions and criticisms

This has also been posted (and has drawn comments) at:
------------------------------------------------------
http://seattle.indymedia.org/en/2005/09/248012.shtml
http://portland.indymedia.org/en/2005/09/325007.shtml