World Can't Wait - Sunsara Taylor on Fox News

[redwinter]

Sunsara Taylor of World Can't Wait (http://www.worldcantwait.org/) (http://www.worldcantwait.org/) appeared alongside Democratic Party strategist Liz Chadderon. April 10, 2009

Check out the YouTube video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m2HgKMwUz8Y

Thoughts?

[FreeFocus]

*sigh*

American political commentators are disgustingly ignorant. I'm happy that Sunsara capitalized on the observation that Chadderon sounded like a "Bush spokesperson." No surprise there, since they're all American imperialists.

The host and Chadderon didn't even understand what Sunsara was saying.

[skki]

Did I really just see a discussion about imperialism on the O'reilly Factor?
I think this is the first time the world Imperialism has been uttered on that entire network. They must be pretty desperate looking for critics of Obama to resort to interviewing the radical left.

Still, pretty typical of the propoganda model. She didn't have nearly enough time to put the facts on the table, and when she tried she was cut off by the host.

I haven't heard of Sunsara Taylor until now. Where does she stand politically?

[redwinter]

From her blog, http://sunsara.blogspot.com:
"Sunsara Taylor is a writer for Revolution Newspaper (http://revcom.us) and sits on the Advisory Board of The World Can't Wait - Drive Out the Bush Regime. She has appeared on/in The New York Times, The O'Reilly Factor, CNN's Showbiz Tonight, Fox's Hannity & Colmes, Fox & Friends, the Alan Colmes Radio Show, and her writing has appeared in Revolution (revcom.us), TruthDig.com, TruthOut.org, CounterPunch.org, OnlineJournal.com, OpEdNews.com, SmirkingChimp.com, and numerous blogs."

Revolution is the voice of the Revolutionary Communist Party, USA.

[Kassad]

I can't say I really have anything against World Can't Wait, but I feel like they're fading into obscurity, since their name is World Can't Wait: Drive Out the Bush Regime. Well, Bush is gone. I think it would be good for them to update the name as something along the lines of World Can't Wait: End the War Machine or something. They're a relatively enthusiastic group. The only problem is that half their protests are 13 year-olds who literally have no grasp of revolutionary socialism or struggle. They wind up embarassing themselves and the protests look immature.

I hope I'm wrong. It would suck to see the group disband or fade away, since it's always nice to have them at the ANSWER protests. Great video, by the way. Was this the same person who did that debate with the pastor a while back about faith in society? How did that turn out?

[redwinter]

actually, the name has changed if you check www.worldcantwait.org (http://www.worldcantwait.org) - now it is "The World Can't Wait: Stop the Crimes of Your Government"...still very relevant

and if you're talking about the "Morality Without Gods" debate in Atlanta organized by the Georgia State University Revolution Club, yes she was on the panel. Over 300 people came out.

Here's a report from the event: http://www.revcom.us/a/162/ST_atlanta-en.html
Here's the podcast of that event (warning, 3 hours!): http://www.americanfreethought.com/wordpress/2009/03/30/podcast-48-morality-without-gods/

[Kassad]

Didn't catch that. I'll bet they were listening to me. :)

I truly don't know where all of them went in Washington. One of their leaders spoke with the trademark orange jumpsuit guys standing beside her. She said they were going to do one of their sit-in things, but I never saw it happen, nor did I see any of them again. There were a few signs for them, though. Still, good guys. Better than fucking Code Pink...

I'll also check the other things out. Thank you.

[skki]

Wikipedia:
"World Can't Wait was formed in January 2005. Its headquarters is in New York City. It was initiated by supporters of the Revolutionary Communist Party, including Sunsara Taylor and Travis Morales."
"The Revolutionary Communist Party, USA (RCP, USA), known originally as the Revolutionary Union, is a Maoist communist party formed in 1975 in the United States. "

Oh dear.

[Kassad]

Every major anti-war group is founded by a communist party.

ANSWER (Act Now to Stop War and End Racism) Coalition - Party for Socialism and Liberation
Troops Out Now Coalition - Workers World Party
World Can't Wait - Revolutionary Communist Party

I don't know why you'd see that as disturbing. Unfortunately, none of the groups above take an anti-capitalist stance except ANSWER, as the others attempt to veil their radicalism with liberal paint to attract more people that may be repelled by the socialist organizations.

[skki]

It was the Maoist bit that I took issue with.

[ZACKist]

I worked with WCW since right before their October 5, 2006 national day of protest up until the RCP started purging people that were not taking up the Avakian-promotion with the enthusiasm they deemed appropriate, which was around September of last year.

During that time I was the main website administrator for them and did most of the web-site work, though it started getting really nuts when I was asked to meet up with RCP members in my area to ask me about my "web activities" and where I was visiting (sites critical of RCP like Kasama, etc). I was asked to stop my engagement with such activities, which was really kind of off-putting considering the fact that I was NEVER IN the RCP in the first place and therefore under no such obligation to accept their extremely creepy/cult-like obedience. I'm glad to be out of that stuff, to say the least.

***

Having said all that, it wasn't all bad... it was a "learning experience" for me and I did learn a lot about politics (both negative and possitive examples) from my time with WCW/RCP, but it just became too obvious that WCW had turned into RCP and nothing more... all the other support from others outside the RCP orbit had dropped off and left the org and it just go "lonely" for those that weren't hugely into the RCP cult shit.

***

But yeah, Sunsara is intense, though. Hopefully she can pull herself out of that sect someday... she's a great speaker.

[Hoxhaist]

I think she is going to end up leading the RCP after Avakian and seems to be the face of the RCP

[skki]

I'd hit it

[Hoxhaist]

she is a great speaker!!

[Psy]

What a poor interview, why can't they get a better speaker? Could you image how it would have went if it was Mark Steel there instead of her cracking imperialist jokes and stealing the spot light.

[redwinter]

these two last comments from skki and hoxhaist are sexist and chauvinist, and have no place in a discussion group like this. you should self-criticize for that shit and edit those posts...

[Saorsa]

I think skki should be restricted for his disgusting sexism. Sunsara Taylor is awesome and she was typically excellent in that video, the Democratic lady just kept putting her foot in her mouth! :D

I just think it's a shame Taylor is involved with the RCP and the Avakian cult and not a more sane organisation.

[PRC-UTE]

She did a good job getting her points stated. the RCP is fortunate to have her as a public face. was funny when the guy tried to shut her up and she kept repeating the afghan rape law and insisiting it was a fact.

[Os Cangaceiros]

I couldn't watch that particular video. Managed to catch another one with her, though, and I actually like her. She seems a bit more capable of delivering socialist talking points than most of the other socialist talking heads I've seen on television.

[GPDP]

This looks like a perfect video to show to those that think Democrats are on the "far-left". When you put a Democrat right alongside a genuine socialist, no matter how "liberal" the Democrat may seem to be, the difference is clear. Only a complete nut job could fail to see the distinction.

[skki]

these two last comments from skki and hoxhaist are sexist and chauvinist, and have no place in a discussion group like this. you should self-criticize for that shit and edit those posts...

Fucking lol'd

[Dimentio]

What I really hate about such programs is that when the right-wingers or centrists gets backed in a corner, they start interrupting people.

[blackstone]

She was annoying.

The "right wingers and centrists" don't interrupt people once they are backed in corner, they interrupt people when they stray away from the question or making a point. Even though alot of RCPers and leftists wet their pants when seeing her talk about imperialism and arguing, a bunch of normal working class people probably saw her as annoying or a wackjob.

[Os Cangaceiros]

She was annoying.

The "right wingers and centrists" don't interrupt people once they are backed in corner, they interrupt people when they stray away from the question or making a point. Even though alot of RCPers and leftists wet their pants when seeing her talk about imperialism and arguing, a bunch of normal working class people probably saw her as annoying or a wackjob.

After finally watching it, it did seem like she and the other two people were on two totally different wave lengths when they spoke. I highly doubt that the other guest, the host, or 99% of the audience really knows what "imperialism" means.

Americans tend to view politics on a line from "liberal" to "conservative", though. Ideologies like communism are seen as alternately being cryptic, passe or unworkable (at least, that's been my experience). And forget about anarchism...

[Psy]

She did a good job getting her points stated. the RCP is fortunate to have her as a public face. was funny when the guy tried to shut her up and she kept repeating the afghan rape law and insisiting it was a fact.

I don't really think so, she should have known how Fox News works and focus her points more to the audience of Fox News. For example when asked about women rights in Afghanistan she should have responded with the question that if he then supported the USSR occupation of Afghan since the USSR puppet government of Afghanistan offered much more women rights then fascists and fedualists the CIA backed in the 80's in Afghanistan, and force him to either admit the USSR occupation forces was better then the forces the US backed or get him (thus you just got Fox News to admit to US imperialism) or that both sides were bad then ask how is the US occupation of Afghanistan any different. If the he says because the US is liberating Afghans respond that was the same line the USSR gave.

[Pawn Power]

It seems like the whole purpose of the duel interview was to provoke some sort of quarrel between the 'left.' However, they totally failed because Fox News assumed that the WCW member supported Obama as an anti-war candidate. He was so desperately trying to get her to repudiate Obama as betraying his base and argue with the Democrate even after she stated that she never had any anti-war expectations of Obama. He couldn't even understand what she was saying and continued with his apparently scripted debate- based on the notion that Obama was anit-war and that no possible person of the 'left' could not have supported him before the election.

[Psy]

It seems like the whole purpose of the duel interview was to provoke some sort of quarrel between the 'left.' However, they totally failed because Fox News assumed that the WCW member supported Obama as an anti-war candidate. He was so desperately trying to get her to repudiate Obama as betraying his base and argue with the Democrate even after she stated that she never had any anti-war expectations of Obama. He couldn't even understand what she was saying and continued with his apparently scripted debate- based on the notion that Obama was anit-war and that no possible person of the 'left' could not have supported him before the election.


That is why I think she could have done better in that interview by painting Obama as imperialist capitalists on Fox News, for example brining up Obama not supporting labor struggles in the USA during this crisis and instead supporting the capitalists.

[Hoxhaist]

these two last comments from skki and hoxhaist are sexist and chauvinist, and have no place in a discussion group like this. you should self-criticize for that shit and edit those posts...
I was out of line and I am sorry to anyone I offended

[FreeFocus]

Even though alot of RCPers and leftists wet their pants when seeing her talk about imperialism and arguing, a bunch of normal working class people probably saw her as annoying or a wackjob.

Too bad the millions of people dying at the hands of the American-led capitalist empire every year don't have time for these nice, normal working class people to brush up on their leftist theory so they don't see her as an annoying "wackjob."

[Pawn Power]

What Sunsara/the RCP sees out of going on Fox, I will never know.

This is not the first time; she was also a guest when the Terri Schiavo incident was taking place, and I think that Fox did it on purpose to try and make those who disagreed with their line look ridiculous by giving speaking time to the RCP as the spokes-persyn for the other side.

The RCP is willingly allowing themselves to be tokens and political oddities in the service of the bourgeois agenda promoted through the media outlets (aka, FOX). It is unfortunate that, like too many leftists, they crave recognition from the bourgeois media to validate their struggle.

Yeah, I noticed that as well. Sunsara has apparently appeared on O'reilly and Hannity- two of the most jingoist commentators on national tv. My guess is that is the only shows which will have them. NBC and others won't give them a platform but Fox will use them to showcase the 'loony' left. Usually it is hard to get in a proper word on these shows but she did well in this case.

[black magick hustla]

I've seen some of these interviews. in my opinion sunsara taylor does seem to lose. I think the problem with her, is, that like many maoists, they cannot drop the liberal rhetoric of democracy and constitutionalism. so she basically tries to argue in their terms and thus ends up losing badly

[Communist]

but Fox will use them to showcase the 'loony' left

Then they failed. She held her own pretty well. I believe that when communists are on tv, they come off as less loony than capitalist spokespeople do. Certainly, Sunsara made more sense than whoever the other guest was, and probably to even the Fox demographics.
But Sunsara didn't discuss socialism, either. As an RCP member, I fear that if she did go on to talk about the socialist alternative it would become another "Bob" lecture.
I hope I'm wrong about that.

[Mindtoaster]

What Sunsara/the RCP sees out of going on Fox, I will never know.

This is not the first time; she was also a guest when the Terri Schiavo incident was taking place, and I think that Fox did it on purpose to try and make those who disagreed with their line look ridiculous by giving speaking time to the RCP as the spokes-persyn for the other side.

The RCP is willingly allowing themselves to be tokens and political oddities in the service of the bourgeois agenda promoted through the media outlets (aka, FOX). It is unfortunate that, like too many leftists, they crave recognition from the bourgeois media to validate their struggle.

I think it is more to get to the working class audience watching said media channels, or at least that SHOULD BE the purpose.

The video you mentioned:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y70DZOIedhQ

[CheFighter777]

This looks like a perfect video to show to those that think Democrats are on the "far-left". When you put a Democrat right alongside a genuine socialist, no matter how "liberal" the Democrat may seem to be, the difference is clear. Only a complete nut job could fail to see the distinction.

When it comes to foreign policy, both Republicans and Democrat's are basically the same. Chomsky has pointed this out many times.

[Lenin II]

What Sunsara/the RCP sees out of going on Fox, I will never know.

This is not the first time; she was also a guest when the Terri Schiavo incident was taking place, and I think that Fox did it on purpose to try and make those who disagreed with their line look ridiculous by giving speaking time to the RCP as the spokes-persyn for the other side.

The RCP is willingly allowing themselves to be tokens and political oddities in the service of the bourgeois agenda promoted through the media outlets (aka, FOX). It is unfortunate that, like too many leftists, they crave recognition from the bourgeois media to validate their struggle.


Comrade, I'm afraid I can't agree with you here. I see using the bourgeois media as well as bourgeois elections as a perfectly legitimate strategy to gain exposure and mass support. Lenin wrote of the usefulness of such tactics in "Left-Wing Communism." So long as it does not substitute for revolutionary mass action and is not the be-all, end-all of strategies, I view it as fine.

[Prairie Fire]

Comrade, I'm afraid I can't agree with you here. I see using the bourgeois media as well as bourgeois elections as a perfectly legitimate strategy to gain exposure and mass support.


So do I.

I was simply commenting on this case in particular, of the arrangment between the RCP and Fox.

[Cooler Reds Will Prevail]

I think Sunsara did pretty well, though I think other people have made a good point that she needs to drop the jargon we all use when she's on a network like Fox. Most viewers probably don't understand what imperialism is, and she doesn't have the time to explain.

I actually don't think it's a bad strategy for her to go on Fox. What do they lose? If she does well, some people might detract from the right-wing. If she does bad, most of those people are not likely to be convinced anyway. I think the payoff is worth the risk.

Still, I wish Sunsara would break from the RCP... She's pretty awesome and they're holding her back.