On "Revolutionary Regroupment's" Big Lie and Snitchjacketing

The following is being circulated by the IBT back in 24 March 2012. The lie is still peddled by both Sam Trachtenberg's Revolutionary Regroupment and the Brazil-based Reagrupamento Revolucianario:

24 March 2012.

Comrades,

We are writing to alert you to a vicious slander of one of our supporters, Jason Wright, circulated by Sam Trachtenberg's Revolutionary Regroupment website. The latest issue of our journal, 1917, contains a report on the IBT's Sixth International Conference in which we noted our recent failure "to win over members of the Coletivo Lenin (CL) in Rio de Janeiro, some of whom eventually aligned themselves with Sam T., a talented but troubled former IBT member who departed in September 2008 after deciding he was no longer prepared to carry out the directives of the organization."

On 21 March, Sam posted an emotionally-charged and at times delusional critique of this report on www.regroupment.org in which he falsely asserted that comrade Jason "had for several years [been] working at a clerical position for the Dept. of Homeland Security."

Two days later, we wrote Sam a short letter (reprinted below) correcting this misinformation and requesting a retraction within 24 hours. Regrettably there has been no retraction, and we are therefore circulating our letter to expose this odious lie.

Yours for workers' democracy,

Gary H.,

for the International Bolshevik Tendency

To Sam T.:

We have read your 21 March screed directed at us and note that it is largely a pastiche of distortions, falsifications and inventions as well as your previous criticisms. Given your troubled mental condition which would appear to involve more than simply depression, and which we observed gradually worsen during your time in the IBT it is difficult to know which of your misrepresentations are genuinely delusional and which are malicious. While we do not intend to comment on most of your allegations, we were struck by the claim that you “wrote many of their [IBT] documents for so many years.” Whether or not you actually believe this, it is simply not true. We tend to view this assertion as an example of how, at least in some instances, you are genuinely “incapable of recognizing reality.”

A far more serious (and in fact slanderous) allegation is that Comrade Jason had a job “for several years working at a clerical position for the Dept. of Homeland Security.” This is absolutely untrue. It is not clear to us whether you are deliberately inventing this or have derived it from a confused recollection of the fact that Jason, who has long been a unionized state civil servant, was one of the clerks assigned to x-ray mail sent to members of the legislature for a period of time after “9-11.” This had nothing to do with the Department of Homeland Security. The IBT would never have any supporter employed by any police agency, including the Department of Homeland Security, and none of our supporters would ever entertain such a notion. If you are indeed still capable of “making rational political judgements,” we presume you will be anxious to immediately retract this false allegation. If we do not see a correction on your website within 24 hours (and a notification of the change on the Leftist Trainspotters list to which you posted a link to your article), we will have to conclude that you are deliberately promoting a vicious slander.

Bolshevik greetings,

Tom Riley

for the International Bolshevik Tendency

Thoughts on the Split Between Samuel Trachtenberg's Revolutionary Regroupment and the Rio-Based Reagrupamento Revolucianario

About a year ago now there was a rather nasty he-said, she-said fallout between Sam Trachtenberg and the Brazil-based Reagrupamento Revolucianario. Initially I made the rather naive assumption that Reagrupamento Revolucianario had the moral high ground. Sam Trachtenberg had made numerous personal attacks against me. He accused me of "angry outbursts", "flying off the hinges", "discrediting myself", he called me a "liar", a "labour bureaucrat", a "lawyer", a "bourgeois politician" and seemed to insinuate that I was some sort of spy. He also has described the murder of disabled children, the rise of fascism, violence in the workers movement, political censorship and slandering one's opponents as "no big deal". For him exonerating his buddies (namely Robin Palmer and David Walter, to be fair David Walter has since repudiate his mistakes on disability issues) takes precedent over revolutionary principles. I think at this point Sam's politics could be best summed up as political banditry (think Gerry Healy, Tim Wolhforth, David North, James Robertson), unprincipled combinatinism (think Max Schachtman, Martin Abern and James Buhrnam) and cliquism. I thought that to expel Sam Trachtenberg must have been reasonable.

As it turns out Reagrupamento Revolucianario is as cynical and dishonest as it get. Frankly, they seem more like a clique then any sort of serious political organization. According, to Coletivo Lenin, which I have plenty of disagreements with, Icaro Caleb and Marcio Torres (sometimes referred to as Leandro) had the idea that they should run Coletivo Lenin and be allowed to expel anyone who disagrees with them. When they didn't get their they quit. In many ways, fusing with Sam Trachtenberg was to their advantage and to the disadvantage of Trachtenberg. Basically, any time they voted as a bloc, they would run the organization and Trachtenberg would be marginalized. This was further compounded when Pedro Abreu, and another member joined their organization. Basically it would be four against one. Such an arrangement wasn't sustainable long-term. Sam was very much an outsider to their clique.

In order to appease him, they agree to sign on and approve every lie/delusion Sam had to say about my group, the International Bolshevik Tendency (IBT). This includes the Spartacist big lie that Bill Logan is a "sociopath" (via Phil Ferguson) and the malicious slander that Jason Wright works for the Department of Homeland Security. It should be noted that snichjacketing or falsely calling leftists cops, is a popular tactic by police, including COINTELPRO, when they infiltrate left groups. Actually this very tactic helped tear apart the Black Panther Party. To be fair, it is probably best to give the Reagrupamento Revolucianario clique the benefit of the doubt and assume they are not cops. This isn't to say that aren't patholigical liars. Of course, when they chewed up and spat out Sam Tractenberg, they coninue to stand by his lies about the IBT as a matter of personal prestige. If they would to admit they were wrong in saying such things, they would have to explain why they were peddling such lies for years and, god forbid, they may have to actually look themselves in the mirror. This would require actual principles as well as integrity (which they have none).

I think the group Reagrupamento Revolucianario is best described as political bandits and unprincipled combinatinism. They are more accurately described as an apolitical clique, rather than as any sort of legitimate political organization, in my opinion. Sam Trachtenberg, at least has the excuse of being unwell and untreated. The Reagrupamento Revolucianario clique is just cynical and dishonest and such pathological liars they don't even know they are lying. That being said, I really don't think either group is worth supporting.

Coletivo Lenin Articles Talking About the Fallout Between them and Sam Trachterberg and the Apolitical Clique of Torres and Icaro:

http://coletivolenin.blogspot.ca/2011/07/nossa-resposta-ao-documento-de-ruptura.html O Coletivo Lenin é destruído pelo revisionismo! (Portuguese)

https://translate.google.ca/translate?hl=en&sl=pt&u=http://coletivolenin.blogspot.com/2011/07/nossa-resposta-ao-documento-de-ruptura.html&prev=search The Lenin Collective is destroyed by revisionism!(English)

http://coletivolenin.blogspot.ca/2011/07/resposta-aos-companheiros-leandro-e.html Resposta aos companheiros Leandro e Rodolfo: Dois camaradas destruídos pelo seu sectarismo, dogmatismo e pela stalinofilia! (Portuguese)

https://translate.google.ca/translate?hl=en&sl=pt&u=http://coletivolenin.blogspot.com/2011/07/resposta-aos-companheiros-leandro-e.html&prev=search Reply to comrades Leandro and Rodolfo: Two comrades destroyed by their sectarianism, dogmatism and by Stalinophilia! (English)

http://coletivolenin.blogspot.ca/2011/07/nossa-resposta-ao-documento-de-ruptura.html Nota sobre o racha no Coletivo Lênin (Portuguese)

https://translate.google.ca/translate?hl=en&sl=pt&u=http://coletivolenin.blogspot.com/2011/07/resposta-as-mentiras-e-distorcoes.html&prev=search Response to the lies and distortions of children of Rodolfo and Leandro

Article by Sam Trachtenberg on his Expulsion from Revolutionary Regroupment:

http://www.regroupment.org/main/page_split_with_rio.html Revolutionary Regroupment statement on split with Pedro Abreu, Rodolfo Kaleb and Marcio Torres

Article by the Rio-Based Reagrupamento Revolucianario on Sam Trachtenberg's Expulsion:

https://rr4i.milharal.org/2015/11/19/statement-on-sam-trachtenberg/ Statement on Sam Trachtenberg

More Thoughts on Revolutionary Regroupment‏

As has been stated by the Bolshevik Tendency, Jason Wright had a job scanning letters (the horror). But this is actually one of the jobs postal worker's typically do. There are I fact jobs where teachers and security guards and/or cops are in the same building. There are security guards in hospitals. Does this mean nurses and healthcare workers are all cops? There are security guards on campus. Does this mean teacher's assistants, janitors and maintanence workers etc. at the university are all cops?

Revolutionary Regroupment (RR), now two separate groups (which are now fighting over who gets to keep the name), initially claimed that Jason Wright had a job as a clerical worker for the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). When called on it they admitted that he IS NOT a cop and DID NOT work for DHS. But insted of admitting they lied through their teeth they merely resort to several contradictory explanations. Icaro Kaleb claims they never called Jason Wright a cop or member of DHS and that Jason supposedly wasn't forthcoming about his employment (i.e. shifting the goal post) . But on their website they dismiss they wrongdoing as a technical error (as if wrongfully smearing someone as a cop is as innocent as a typo). Clearly Revolutionary Regroupment (RR) can't keep their story straight.

Revolutionary Regroupment's (RR) reasoning goes like this, "YES we made malicious allegations against the other guy.‎ YES we were lying. YES we know are remarks are defamation and slander. But WE are the good guys and THEY ARE the bad guys. WE are the truthful guys and THEY the liars. You can trust us. We may be liars but we are honest and sincere."

Ironically, Sam and R‎R whine that the IBT has supposedly "tried to brand him 'insane'". And yet, Sam T. tried to brand me "insane". A while back he accused me of "flying off the hinges", "having angry outbursts", "making debacles", discrediting myself". So clearly self-awareness isn't a thing for RR, whether Sam T. in New York or three-person clique in Brazil. Hypocrisy, thy name is Revolutionary Regroupment.

‎https://rr4i.milharal.org/2012/03/02/on-the-international-bolshevik-tendencys-dodges-and-evasions/

Some Thoughts on My Correspondence with Icaro Kaleb of Reagrupamento Revolucianario

As for Kaleb's claim that they have "sufficient evidence" that Jason Wright had a job with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), they have yet to show this "sufficient evidence". Any video footage of Jason Wright talking to people at the Department of Homeland Security? Any video footage of him talking to confirmed members of DHS? Any photo evidence? If they had such evidence they probably would have shown it on the very website where they made that claim. They CLAIM to have "sufficient evidence" (read: we are just pulling stuff out of our ass) but have not shown it to me in our correspondence or on their website. There is a reason for this, the "sufficient evidence" they speak of doesn't really exist. It only exists in their deranged fantasy world. One they inherited from Samuel Trachtenberg, hook, line and sinker.

It is truly telling that they themselves admit that half the information they have been spreading about Bill Logan isn't even true and they know it and yet they see nothing wrong with spreading such information without qualification or explanation or any sort of disclaimer. As Leon Trotsky said, "Speak the truth. Say things as they are. Call things by the right names. Be true in little things as in big things." Clearly Icaro Kaleb and Reagrupamento Revolucianario deserve a huge "F" in Trotskyism, revolutionary politics and even basic honesty.

Correspondence with Steven Argue of the Revolutionary Tendency About Samuel Trachtenberg, Icaro Kaleb and Reagrupamento Revolucianario

Just so you know. I have banned Icaro Kaleb from several of our groups for snitch jacketing.

He has accused members of the IBT of having ties with the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and regurgitated slanders from the Sparts. He basically fessed up that he didn't believe half of what he and his comrades have said about the IBT but still stands by it. It might make sense to check if he is a member of such groups as For Communism (Leninist-Trotskyist) and the Revolutionary Tendency. My suggestion is he be banned, unless he is willing to publicly repudiate the allegations he had admitted in private aren't as well as all of his cop-baiting allegations.

Kaleb was part of a splinter of Coletivo Lenin which fused with Samuel Trachbenberg's one-man group Revolutionary Regroupment. After four years, a nasty fallout erupted and Sam T. stole the groups email address and website (he changed the passwords without telling other members).

Sam T.'s erratic behaviour isn't new. He displayed similar behaviour in the IBT. If anything the, the IBT was MORE LENIENT with Sam then the Coletivo Lenin. Sam quit the IBT, he was expelled from Revolutionary Regroupment.

Sam behaved very erratically when he was in our Facebook group, the Marxist Internet Archive - Underground External Tendency. He sided David Walters a Robin Palmer when they defend ablest killer and fascist front-man Robert Latimer (a stance David Walters has since repudiated). He also made a mountain of personalize attacks against me such calling me a "liar", "flying off the hinges", "a bourgeois politician", a "laywer", a "labour bureaucrat", who accused me of having "angry outburst" and of "discrediting myself". This was BEFORE the rest of Revolutionary Regroupment decided to boot him.

I think it was mistake for the Coletivo Lenin splinter to fuse with Sam T. They have suffered the consequences but rather than learn from their mistakes or make an honest accounting of what went down they choose to stand by every slander and provocation that Sam T. had made before he left there group. This way they don't need to look themselves in the mirror or admit wrong doing.

It sort of reminds me of the Internationalist Group. They denounce every mistake the Sparts made after they were expelled in 1996 but ignored the cult-like internal workings, abuses and programmatic overtures before 1996 (in the 1970s and 1980s). They claim the ICL had a pristine record before 1996. They say such thing because they were essential components of the Robertson regime before their departure.

Myself, I find people (including on the left) who won't admit when they are wrong to be quite frustrating a waist of time.

As for Sam T.'s hostility toward Jason Wright and Tom Riley, who he has accused of having ties with the Department of Homeland Security, he has held such animosity before he left IBT. He has accused them of being out to get him and even insinuated that Riley had his arm up Wright's anus and his hand in Wright's brain. Sam T. in my opinion is extremely paranoid, irrational, malicious and dishonest.

It seems the Revolutionary Regroupment cadre in Brazil are no different. What is bizarre about it is Icaro Kaleb liked several of my posts, by the IBT, and had joined one of the groups I admin (which I added several IBT admin to). When I spoke to him via inbox, however, he quickly became very hostile. He basically called me a liar and seemed to imply that I was stupid.

Conrrespondence with Icaro Kaleb of Reagrupamento Revolucianario on the International Bolshevik Tendency and Samual Trachtenberg

Me

Hello. My name is Michael. I am a Trotskyist and a sympathizer for the Internationalist Bolshevik Tendency (http://www.bolshevik.org). It seems we are both Communist and with the Facebook group Class-Struggle Study Circles. Would you like to be facebook friends?

04:30

Icaro Kaleb accepted your request.

Icaro Kabel:

Hello Michael. How do you feel about this?

"At a 15 April 2010 local meeting it was suggested that a comrade who roughly fit my own description in terms of my limited relationship with Sam “befriend” him on a social media site in order to monitor him and relay information back to the leadership. I was the only person to comment on that point, stating that I would be the best candidate for such a job but that I don’t feel comfortable with it; that it felt dishonest and wrong. Riley merely shrugged and dismissed my objections by saying it wasn’t so bad and I shouldn’t have a problem with it."

https://rr4i.milharal.org/2010/07/17/1796/

09:00

Me:

I talk about Sam T. in my blog

http://spartacistwatch.blogspot.ca/

I have had run-ins with Sam T. myself. He was in my facebook group the Marxist Internet Archive - Underground External Tendency. We threw him out for numerous violations including slander, personalized attacks, ageism, ablesm and cop-baiting. I find him to be extremely malicious and dishonest as well as extremely paranoid. He often accuses people of being against him when they are clearly not. He has admitted to having O.D.D. which can be defined here.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oppositional_defiant_disorder#cite_note-7

Sam is an extremely talented individual for sure but also extremely troubled.

Kaleb:

Well, my question was not about Sam T. It was about the IBT conduct according to Brandon Gray. How do you feel about it?

Me:

Honestly, knowing what I know of Sam. I wouldn't be surprised if he made the whole thing up.

Kaleb:

This letter was written by Brandon Gray, a former IBT member in Toronto.

Me:

Did you speak to Brandon Gray yourself?

Kaleb:

It has been merely reproduced in our website (and we are no longer even associated with Sam T. as you certainly know). Yes, I communicated with him a few times years ago, when he left the IBT.

Me:

I honestly don't know specifics. I would really need to look into this. I have read that letter. I would need to talk to the IBT and hear there side of the story. I generally made a habit of not taking one side at it's word and not weighing in until I have all the facts.

I have however read the IBT's internal documents on Sam T. The IBT made considerable allowances with him. He basically refused to follow their rules and refused to work with people in the organization. He then opted to leave and denounce the IBT.

Sorry I didn't realized for a second I thought you had posted a link from the website Sam T. stole. My mistake.

Kaleb:

I don't know what selection on documents you have read. I myself have read a selection on documents sometime ago and that made me draw a completely different conclusion than yours. It convinced me that the IBT leadership was dishonest and corrupt. Especially when dealing with other left groups, which they treat as enemies.

*of documents

11:12

Me:

We may have to agree to disagree.

With all do respect, I think regurgitating the claim that Jason Wright works for Homeland is extremely dishonest and brands a person guilty until proven innocent. That seems to be on your website.

https://rr4i.milharal.org/2012/03/02/the-international-bolshevik-tendency-explains-its-demise-2/

I also noticed this.

"Logan was expelled by the Sparts for being a sociopath and lacking even the most rudimetary human decency. The Sparts actually produced three volumes dealing with his internal trial and his sociopath behaviour in Australia and britain. W he came back to NZ, they donated copies to all the public libraries, to warn everyone on the left here about him."

https://rr4i.milharal.org/2008/09/25/appendix-i-to-letter-of-resignation-from-the-international-bolshevik-tendency/

I actually have written on the ICL's claim on this matter.

http://spartacistwatch.blogspot.ca/2008/11/sparts-witchunt-against-logan-is.html

There is also this.

http://www.bolshevik.org/Pamphlets/Logan/Logan-Show-Trial-Contents.html

Here is more.

http://www.bolshevik.org/Leaflets/donovan.html

http://www.bolshevik.org/Leaflets/brock.html

In all honesty I think it was a serious mistake to side with Sam T. in the first place. We all make mistakes, including myself. But I think it is crucial to able to own one's mistakes. I really don't see that from this group. I think at the least. Revolutionary Regroupment needs to repudiate its support of the claims, Sam T., Philip Ferguson and the ICL made about Logan as well as the slander that Jason Wright works for the Department of Homeland Security.

I hope you don't see my statements as personal attacks and I am sorry if I come of as hostile but I think Sam T. has done a lot of unreasonable things concerning the IBT. I think you know by now that Sam isn't an easy person to reason with.

To be fair it isn't all Sam's fault he not only is dealing with mental health issues but he is also in the U.S. where health care is private and until recently they were denying healthcare to anyone with a pre-existing condition (which would be the case for Sam).

Kaleb: Michael, you're being dishonest. On Jason Wright: it was never claimed that he was a cop or an agent for Homeland Security, but rather that he was in a public position that was of significant "gray" nature (relating to Homeland officers on a co-worker level) which he should not have been advised to pursue by a leader of the organization (Riley). The IBT tried to hide it, as I have been shown sufficient evidence of. On Philip Ferguson: we do not advocate what he says in his post to alt.politics. We are interested in the quotes from the IBT, which show how the leaders (especially Logan) could conduct dishonest practices within the organization. We also think it describes well what happened to the NZ section of the IBT. On Logan: I've read many documents published by the SL. It was obviously a frame up. While the SL are hypocrites who did the same kind of thing (or worse) in the U.S., Logan cannot deny his actions. I don't think he is a "sociopath" (I'm no doctor btw). I just think he has conducted dishonest and bureaucratic manouvers in the iSt and the IBT. I have enough evidence for that. As you know (since you claim to have read the documents involving Sam T's departure) they have been complete assholes to the Argentines which wanted to become their section in Latin America. You must also be aware of the games they've played with the CL (of which I was part). We know it was discussed internally that they didn't want to fuse with the entire group because this would mean the CL would have significant weight internally to question Logan and Riley. So they tried to split our group while pretending to hold "fraternal relations" with it (which only us publicized - they never even acknowledged it to the public). I have read everything the IBT has published on the Logan trial, Michael. I don't know why you give me links for those. On Sam T.: I've collaborated with him for 4 years and he is not "insane" in any way the IBT described. You, btw, should be ashamed to be an "IBT supporter" knowing that the IBT has privately and publicly explored his depression as "mental illness". We have had differences with him on many tactical and organizational issues and he may be definetly difficult to work with, but we maintain basically all his assertions against the IBT. Just because they are true. There's nothing the IBT can do to change it. Truth is stubborn as they say. Who do you think you are to demand that we "repudiate" based accusations against the IBT? If anything this makes me even more disgusted. Are you acting on your own behalf or on the IBT leaders? (this is an honest question, since I don't know what is the level of your collaboration with them). In the latter case, this only proves they continue to engage in stupid and silly "tactics". I have nothing more to add to this. If you would allow, I would love to make this "conversation" public. I won't do it if you prefer not to. But in this case, just leave me (and my group) alone. We really have nothing to benefit from this and I honestly have more productive activity to engage on than discussing the IBT. It has always been a consensus in the RR that we don't need to worry about the IBT. We can just let it perish as the sick group they are. Unless they try to mess with us. In this case we will fight back.

Me: I see we are at the name calling state. Attacking my intelligence it pretty low. The IBT never tried to brand Sam as insane. They merely raised concerns about his behaviour. In my experience with Sam he is a very malicious and confrontation individual he has made numerous personal attacks against me. You say you don't call Logan a sociopath or Jason Wright a member of the Department of Homeland Security and yet they are posted on your website without qualification or explanation. With all do respect I think you and your group are behaving dishonestly. As for Phil Fergusan, in the dispute in question, the individuals who opposed Logan felt comfortable raising opposition to him and there decisions were partially implemented, plus they remained with the group for several years later.

An Update on David Walters

Well it seems David Walters has finally dropped his support for Robert Latimer. He posted this in a conversation,

"Michael is referring to an article in Workers Vanguard where the newspaper did a long piece on the case of a Canadian father who killed his extremely austistic daughter. The article made a very strong case in defense of the person. It was VERY convincing and not having read anything but the article I noted, as is FB venue, an informal agreement. Michael, on the other hand, believes this is a 'bloc'. There are no 'blocs' on FB. Michael actually had done a helluv a lot of research on this and the Sparts were wrong *factually* on both the case and Latimer, the name of the girls' father who was accused of murdering her. On the facts Michael was correct and thus it got me thinking about this whole issue. I don't "support" such actions nor do I "block" with anyone unless there is some sort of meaning to it behond these quite casual conversations on FB."

https://www.facebook.com/groups/communism.mlm/956232961077915/?notif_t=group_comment_follow

It took a while and a LOT of putting his feet to the fire but he has FINALLY dropped his support for Robert Latimer. Better late then never.

Clarification on David Walters and Samuel Trachtenberg

One thing that needs to be cleared up. It should be noted that neither David Walters (of "Socialist Organizer" (SO)), Samuel Trachtenberg (of "Revolutionary Regroupment"(RR)), Svend Robinson (of the New Democratic Party (NDP) of Canada) or the "Internationalist Communist League (Fourth Internationalist)(ICL-FI))" are fascist or fascistic. They have sided with fascistic terrorist and fascist front man Robert Latimer (and Robert Latimer himself is certainly himself fascistic). Robert Latimer DOES sit back and let outright fascists (including the Vanguard News Network, the Stormfront White Nationalist Community, the Phora and the speak for him).

Being that as it is the ICL, David Walters and Svend Robinson ARE in de facto bloc with fascists over the lynching of disabled children. But they them themselves ARE NOT fascist and ARE NOT fascistic. Samuel Trachtenberg did not directly side with Robert Latimer but did side with Robin Palmar and David Walters both of him sided with Robert Latimer. Samuel Trachtenberg IS NOT fascist NOR is he fascistic. That being said the behaviour of Trachtenberg, Walters, Robinson and the ICL is certainly opportunistic. SO and the NDP are opportunistic organizations the ICL are political bandits and their support for Robert Latimer is opportunistic. Trachtenberg's behaviour is opportunistic as well. That being said non of them are fascist or fascistic.

Update on Samuel Trachtenberg

It seems now that Sam no longer has a stance on the issue and has conceded that David Walters and Robin Palmer is misinformed.

Samuel Trachtenberg of "Revolutionary Regroupment": Another Apologist for Lynching

I had recently wrote about David Walters of Socialist Organizer being an apologist for the lynching of disabled children and the child killer and fascist front-man Robert Latimer. I also denounced the fascistic redneck Robin Palmer. Well it seems there is a new member of the syphilitic chain, Samuel Trachtenberg of the grossly misnamed "Revolutionary Regroupment".

Samuel has fallen a long way since he left the International Bolshevik Tendency (a group I am a sympathizer for). He has recently been defending the fascistic redneck Robin Palmer, and has defending David Walters for his apologies for Robert Latimer. Saying that regardless of whether David Walters supports Robert Latimer that my criticism are un-Marxist. So clearly Samuel Trachtenberg doesn't care that Robert Latimer murdered his own daughter for being disabled. He doesn't care that Robert Latimer's actions and the support he receives from the mainstream media encourages further violence against those in the disabled community. He doesn't care that Robert Latimer sits back an lets Nazis speak for him.

I think it is fair to say that it is anyone who would be in de-facto bloc with the far-right and fascists who is un-Marxist.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/1592954937605924/permalink/1596093987292019/

David Walters of "Socialist Organizer": Lynch-rope "Socialism"

Ablest Terrorist and Fascist Front-man Robert Latimer already has the support of the dubious opportunist Svend Robinson of the NDP as well as the political bandits of the "International Communist League - Fourth Internationalist". But now another opportunist leftist can be added to this list, David Walters of the misnamed "Socialist" Organizer.

David Walters as it turns out associates with a Fascistic redneck and Robert Latimer support Robin Palmer. David Walters is well aware of Robert Latimer sitting back and letting fascist Nazis support him. Yet he still expressed grotesque apologies for Robert Latimer.

He ludicrously describe my remarks as "unscientific". "Mercy killing", unlike euthanasia (the latter requiring consent) has always and still is connected with fascism, nazism and eugenics. I guess David Walters considers Nazi ideology and eugenics to be sound science.

David Walter's only rather flimsy leg to stand on was the mistaken notion that she was in "constant pain". I ripped this notion to shreds. After this he went abruptly silent. If he regrets his words and actions, I urge he have the courage to say so publicly.

David Walters recently had a hand in purging the Marxist Internet Archive User Discussion Group. He falsely smeared Steven Argue of the Revolutionary Tendency as a "homophobe". I'm bisexual and know Steven Argue quite well and know he is not a homophobe. Even if it is true, David Walters is a proven bigot. And worse yet he is dangerous. He also stated that he intended to knock out Steven Argue. David Walter supports violence and even killing of leftists, workers and the oppressed and perfectly content blocking with fascists.

There is a famous union song with the refrain, "which side were you on?". As for David Walter, if he answered honestly (which I would highly doubt since he is such a pathelogical liar that he doesn't even know when he is lying) he would say "why the deadliest forces of reaction, of course".

https://www.facebook.com/Trotsky0321/posts/10152479080315977

An Update and Analysis on the Political Bandit Cult Spartacist: Ablest Bigotry, Anti-Semitism and Collusion with Fascists and U.S. Imperialism

In the times of yore, long before I was born, the International Spartacist Tendency (now the International Communist League) was a force for worker's revolution. The party was degenerating in the seventies and by the mid eighties they were dead as any force for revolution. For most of the eighties and nineties they made programmatic overtures that were typically sectarian or reformist (or just plain weird). But starting in the latter half and last decade and now this decade they are actually crossing the class line. When in the past they typically flinched under pressure they make overtures even when there is no pressure.

In 2008 I left the ICL protesting their de facto bloc with fascists over the lynching of disabled children.   They supported Robert Latimer a fascistic and ablest terrorist who murder in cold blood because he saw her as a burden. His actions and the mass hysteria in his favour whipped up by the bourgeois (capitalist) press has created an environment where killing disabled people is seen as a viable option and more disabled people are being killed. It has also created an ideal climate for fascists (including the Stormfront White Nationalist Community, the Vanguard News Network and the Phora) to crawl out of their holes and rally behind Robert Latimer. Latimer merely sits back and lets these fascists speak for him. As I stated in a letter to the ICL at the time:

"Everyone in your party I have spoken too has nothing but support for Robert Latimer a sociopath and ablest, fascistic bigot who lynched his severely disabled daughter. Neither the fact that Robert Latimer has the support of outright fascists nor the fact that Latimer has sat back while these forces of death, terror and genocide rally behind him has caused you to waver. Instead one of your drones tries to smear me as a Zionist. Needless to say his arguments blew up in his face.

Your utter disregard for the desperate grievances of the disabled completely discredits you and undercuts any of your claims to be a tribune of all the oppressed. I suggest you do the honourable thing and admit and repudiate your wrong-doings. Making excuses, slandering me and screaming hysterically will only discredit yourself further."

http://spartacistwatch.blogspot.ca/2009/10/on-icls-de-facto-bloc-with-fascists.html?m=1

One of the fascists groups that supports Robert Latimer, Stormfront, actually tried to rally in Vancouver. Fortunately an effective counter rally which included the Black Bloc and the Anti-Poverty Committee thwarted their rally. The Sparts however were strangely absent from the anti-fascist counter-mobilization and they made no mention of it in their press (see. http://spartacistwatch.blogspot.ca/2010/05/canadian-fascism-on-riseand-icl-is.html?m=1)

More recently I got another screed from a Spartacist representative saying, that the disabled people being killed by "mercy killing" (which is exactly what Robert Latimer did to his daughter) in the Nazi Euthanasia program, was "no big deal" and "not significant or noteworthy". They seemed to be argueing that the only victims worth acknowledging are Jews and Communists. In other words they think victims who were disabled, mentally ill, gay, bisexual, Roma (gypsie) etc. should be forgotten and their suffering should be made invisible.

 They then proceeded to try and smear me as a "historical revisionist" by pitting the memory of the disabled and mentally ill holocaust victims against the memory of the Jewish holocaust victims. If this isn't abusing the memory of the holocaust I don't know what is. It should be noted that the ICL's peerless leader, Jim Robertson, has waltz into restaurants in Germany and ordered "steak a la aushwitz" and referrs to comrade in Germany saying "hiya comrade, Heil Hitler!" I think it is obvious that the Sparts really don't care about ANY holocaust victims whether Jews, disabled or anyone else (see. http://spartacistwatch.blogspot.ca/2013/11/reply-to-this-member.html?m=1 and  http://spartacistwatch.blogspot.ca/2013/11/a-response-from-another-ex-spartacist.html?m=1).

Ironically the ICL has backed Dieudonné M'bala M'bala, an anti-semtetic and fascist frontman, right. When the line was declared NO ONE challenged it. It took them a month to repudiate it. (see. http://www.icl-fi.org/print/english/wv/1039/france-censorship.html and http://www.icl-fi.org/print/english/wv/1041/dieudonne.html)

As for their support for Robert Latimer, they have yet to repudiate that stance. When I initially expressed opposition to Latimer, back when I was a supporter of the Sparts they subjected me to brutal "critism/self-critism". They tried to make me repudiate my views by breaking me psychologically.

In 2009 the ICL wrote an article about anti-vaccine hysteria. They denounced Jenny McCarthy, Jim Carrey, Generation Rescue, Age of Autism, the National Vaccine Information Center and PutChildrenFirst.org for their opposition to vaccines and so they should. What they didn't criticize was these people deep insinuation with ablest and anti-autistic bigotry (Jenny McCarthy even compared autism to cancer). In fact the echoed much of the same bigotry. They talk about people "suffering from austism", Autistics having "brain damage" and autism being a "neurological disorder" (see. http://www.icl-fi.org/print/english/wv/948/vaccine.html).

"Lately the ICL has embraced Social Darwinist and ablest views towards autistics. In your recent article Capitalist Reaction and Anti-Vaccine Hysteria in your December 4, 2009 issue of "Workers Vanguard" you describes Autism as a "disorder", Autistics as "brain damaged" and talks about people "suffering" from Autism. I would like to point out that most Autistics, including myself, find such remarks deeply offensive. Autism rights groups such as the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (http://www.autisticadvocacy.org/) would have a bone to pick with you about spewing such ablest venom. Have you even bothered to hear the perspectives of actual Autistics or Autism rights groups?" (see. http://spartacistwatch.blogspot.ca/2009/12/on-icls-social-darwinist-rump.html?m=1)

I later state, in the same article:

"In terms of your newfound bigotry towards Autistics it seriously cuts against some of your more commendable statements and citations such as: 

"There are broader social implications, as Gould notes: "Antiessentialist thinking forces us to view the world differently.... We lose criteria for judgment by comparison to some ideal: short people, retarded people, people of other beliefs, colors, and religions are people of full status." To put it another way, to hate and fear change and variation is a hallmark of reaction and religious superstition."    - "In Defense of Sex and Science: Kinsey", Workers Vanguard No. 839, 7 January 2005

as well as: 

"Living things—wasps, flowers, people—do not have an "immutable essence," or "ideal form" around which variations cluster. In real life, each one is individual, and that individuality itself is one of their most valuable aspects.    - ibid.

These statements which were part of a truly stellar review of the equally good Kinsey movie/documentary (There was a movie and documentary that came out around the same time) consistent with the views of Autism and disability rights groups and the neurodiversity movement. In fact when I made these statements in the times of yore (Winter 2005 if my memory serves me correctly) people in the organization actually agreed with me and was disturbed that there are groups that wished to "cure" autism. 

Alas, as the whims of your peerless leader James Robertson (who disgustingly ordered a "steak a la Auschwitz" in a german restaurant) change so must the party line. Any cadre who doesn't follow the latest whim of the peerless leader is subject to "criticism/self-criticism" which I myself have been subjected to (although I was a supporter and not a member)." (ibid.)

I then write:

"I will state again that your total disregard for the grievances of the disabled completely discredit you and undercut any of your claims to be a tribune of all the oppressed. If you are unable to muster the humility and integrity to regcognize and repudiate your revolting ablest bigotry, you can at least refrain from continuing to spew bigotry towards autistics and others people with "disabilities"." (ibid.)

Apparently the Sparts are unable even to refrain from speaking the same ablest garbage. In there most recent pamphlet, In Defense of Science and Marxism, they reprint the exact same article WITHOUT correcting their ablest and anti-autistic bigotry. Interestingly enough they have also republished the article, In Defense of Sex and Science: Kinsey (see. http://www.icl-fi.org/english/wv/archives/oldsite/2005/Kinsey-839.html) as well. The Sparts are clearly capable of speaking out of both sides of their mouths. Needless to say, they are not consistent. That being said I noticed the progressive article of theirs has been taken down from their new search engine while the reactionary social darwinist one is still readily available.

I have also raised complaints about their uncritical support for ablest bigot and social darwinist Stephen Barrett. I state in a letter to them stating:

"In Medical Science vs. Homeopathy, in WV. 947 you uncritically site Stephen Barrett of Quackwatch. First of all, Stephen Barrett does expose quacks, however he is a die hard anti-Autistic bigot. He support the "Cure Autism" Movement which has the support of outright fascists.

Respected authorities, such as Alfred C. Kinsey and Stephen Jay Gould, have pointed out that the notion of "correct" and "incorrect" genes is unscientific."

http://spartacistwatch.blogspot.ca/2009/11/on-icls-ongoing-ablest-bigotry.html?m=1

(see also. http://spartacistwatch.blogspot.ca/2009/11/on-stephen-barrett-and-autism.html?m=1 and  http://spartacistwatch.blogspot.ca/2009/12/correction.html?m=1 )

Of course, no analysis of the Sparts degeneration is complete with mentioning the Haiti debacle. As is typical of this sterile and sclerotic cult, no one challenged the line when it was declared. They stuck with this stance for months and only repudiated it due to the International Bolshevik Tendency (my group) and the Internationalist Group. To this day they are unable to explain how they could come up with such a reactionary stance and why no one in the party challenged it when it was declared.

For more on the Haiti debacle see the following:

From the International Bolshevik Tendency (IBT):

http://www.bolshevik.org/statements/2010-02-08Haiti.html

http://www.bolshevik.org/statements/TL_Haiti_forum.html

http://www.bolshevik.org/Leaflets/ibt_2010_sclerotic_spartacists_unravel.html

http://www.bolshevik.org/1917/no33/ibt_1917_33_11_icl_capitulation_to_us_imperialism.html

From the Internationalist Group/League for the Fourth International (IG/LFI): 

http://www.internationalist.org/slbackshaitiinvasion1001.html

http://www.internationalist.org/sltwistshaiti1004.html

http://www.internationalist.org/sliclrepentantsocialimperialists.html

http://www.internationalist.org/haitiearthquakecapitalism1007.html

From Myself:

http://spartacistwatch.blogspot.ca/2010/03/icls-latest-smears.html?m=1

http://spartacistwatch.blogspot.ca/2010/03/mumia-opposes-us-invasion-of-haiti.html?m=1

The International Communist League (ICL)/Spartacist (i.e. the Sparts) speak for themselves:

http://www.icl-fi.org/print/english/wv/951/haiti.html

http://www.icl-fi.org/print/english/wv/952/haiti-ig.html

http://www.icl-fi.org/print/english/wv/953/BT.html

http://www.icl-fi.org/print/english/wv/955/haiti.html

http://www.icl-fi.org/print/english/wv/958/haiti.html

As the Internationalist Group points out to the Sparts:

"Your basic argument is that you repudiated your support for the U.S. imperialist invasion, and indeed “savagely” attacked it, so that supposedly proves you are still the revolutionaries. As in the Catholic church, it seems you can confess to all sorts of venial and even some mortal sins, but as long as you admit all (and don’t question the role of the Catholic church as the one true representative of Christianity), you can be absolved. But unlike religions, revolutionary politics is not a revealed doctrine and self-enclosed movement of the elect. The vanguard party has a dialectical relationship to the proletariat, representing both the fundamental interests of the class and the revolutionary program that is the product of historical experience. It has to earn its spurs by providing revolutionary leadership in the class struggle.

This was at the core of the fight over the ICL intervention in Germany, where you proclaimed the ICL was the (self-anointed) revolutionary leadership and declared comrades apostates for saying that we were struggling to become it. With your position of vociferous support to the U.S. invasion of Haiti, you grievously misled whoever still believed that you were the revolutionary leadership, which mercifully is not very many. Despite your pious proclamations today, how is one to know that what you say tomorrow isn’t a continuation of what you said yesterday? The only way to tell is if there is a revolutionary consistency to the program, but the ICL has been anything but consistent over the last decade and a half (just reread what you wrote about your last two conferences). And the program must be carried out."

http://www.internationalist.org/sliclrepentantsocialimperialists.html

As Anton Szandor Lavey, the  founder of the Church of Satan (who I by no means give blanket endorsement), observed working as a carnival performer, every evening, people would sleep with prostitutes, then go to the chapel to repent, only to sleep with prostitutes the next night (paraphrased from The Satanic Bible by Anton Szandor Lavey). So to do the Sparts prostitutes revolutionary Marxism, then repent, only to prostitute Marxism again. 

At best like the ICL are moribund as a left group. At worst they have left the worker's movement altogether. Like Gerry Healy and the SLL/WRP, like Tim Wohlforth and the Worker's League, like David North of the ICFI/SEP, the ICL sinks deeper and deeper into the black hole of political banditry, cynicism, cultism and irrelevance.

Michael Gregory,

Sympathizer of the International Bolshevik Tendency and Revolutionary Trotskyist

http://www.icl-fi.org

http://www.bolshevik.org

http://www.internationalist.org

Reply to This Member

I never denied that Jews or Communist were major victims of the holocaust. Suggesting that I do so I is a pernicious slate of hand and vitriolic slander but such baseless venom is to be expected from the Sparts. As for lynching, what Robert Latimer did was an act of violence against the disabled which has terrorized the disabled and encouraged further violence against the disabled. Robert Latimer has the support of outright fascist but sits back and lets them speak for him. The ICL knows this but has yet to repudiate their garbage. Actually Tracy Latimer being lynched is not a one time thing. Disabled people being killed happens quite a bit in capitalist society and now more because of the support Robert Latimer gets from the bourgeois press.

As for Robert Latimer, he regards modern medicine as "mutilation". He turned down a feeding tube for Tracy, hip surgery, a permanent place in a group home and a place in a respite home. As for Tracy, her caretaker at the group home said that she is a smiling happy girl and that there was no indication that she was in agony or constant pain. Tracy's mom wrote a diary of her life and yet made virtually no mention of her being in pain. Clearly you are completely ignorant on this issue and I would advise you not to rant about things you know nothing about.

I would imagine that the ICL would be quite irate with you as they tend to be extremely fearful of unofficial representatives of their organization.

Comradely, Michael Gregory, Sympathizer for the Bolshevik Tendency

A Response from Another Ex-Spartacist Member

I feel compelled to respond to your political positions as outlined by the numerous emails you've sent and your website "spartacistwatch".

Let me just make it clear that although I speak for myself and not the Trotskyist League, I defend them, the ICL as well as Jim Robertson. Tynan is in fact quite right when he characterizes your position on the Latimer case as trivializing lynching, primarily because in making that statement, you equate the systematic oppression and terror faced by black people in the United States with the death of a young, white, disabled women. What's worse is that in an article on your website, you falsely claim that disabled people were the main victims of the Holocaust, which is an unabashed revision of history that not only trivializes the monstrously barbaric murder of 6 million European Jews, but is an affront to them as well. Although disabled people were targetted by the fascists, it is widely known, even within bourgeois institutions, that Jews and Communists were the main and overwhelming targets of fascist terror. That you should make this false claim is not a mere accident--the Holocaust is one of the most well-documented events in history--this is deliberate.

Diabled people face (and have faced) gross oppression and abuse at the hands of capitalist society. For years, brutal and tragic practices were carried out on people who suffered psychological and physical difficulties in psychiatric institutions and facilities and these continue to this day. They are preyed on by many in this society and are often unable to voice the injustices they face because this is a society that for the most part, would rather not listen to them. Even when they are in the care of socially-conscious, courageous and decent people, they continue to suffer because capitalism is unable to relieve them of some of the pain and suffering they endure. I think that this is a point you fail to grasp.

Note: This member has since cut ties with the ICL and retracted their statement. Although there is no doubt in my mind this represents the views of the ICL.

Canadian Fascism on the Rise...............and the ICL is Nowhere to be Found‏

As I have wrote the ICL criminally championed fascistic bigot Robert Latimer who 

lynched his own disabled daughter in cold blood. 
 
The ICL hasn't stated this in their press, however, when I told the ICL that the 

proletariat must defend the disabled from such bigots and that the proletariat 

must be mobilized to smash the Free Robert Latimer Movement, I was subjected to 

"criticism/self-criticism". They also reaffirmed their support in two nasty screeds

sent by one of their mindless drones Andrew M.
 
Like I predicted the fascists have reaped benefits from the Movement to free 

Robert Latimer. The fascists had attempted to rally in the Greater Vancouver area. 

Fortunately, this rally was prevented from taking place by an anti-fascist 

counter-demonstration. The ICL was notably absent from the counter-rally. 
 
There was also a fire bombing in BC of an anti-fascists activist's house, which 

was probably done by fascists. There was also a cross burning of an interracial 

couple in Nova Scotia. Notably none of these three events was mentioned by the ICL 

in Spartacist Canada or Worker's Vanguard. 
 
The ICL  has had time to smear the Bolshevik Tendency and the Internationalist 

Group and reiterated their criminal support for the U.S. Of Haiti (although they 

have back peddled on this).
 
It would seem that the rise of Fascism in Canada isn't important to the ICL. This 

is quite telling since they share responsibility in creating an environment for 

fascists to thrive. The ICL helped created this problem and the disabled, the 

working class and the oppressed will suffer for it.

Mumia Opposes the US Invasion of Haiti

It appears Mumia opposes the most recent US invasion of Haiti. Well they accuse the IBT and the IG of "grotesque fantasies" I wonder if they'll hurl the same mud at Mumia.

http://prisonradio.org/audio/mumia/2010MAJ/02Feb10/TheHaitiResponseGunsorDoctorsB.mp3

http://prisonradio.org/haiti_response.htm

The ICL's Latest Smears‏

Comrades,

It appears that the ICL has just smeared the IG in their previous article and both the IG and IBT in their most recent article. They once again resort to spew grotesque personal attacks against Bill Logan as well. I myself listed the criteria for psychopath (psychopath and sociopath are synonymous) on Spartacist Watch and challenged the ICL to show me which traits Bill Logan exhibits, if any. They have not done so. I glad Jack Heyman spoke out against the ICL drones making personal slanders against Logan.

Considering my experience at the outskirts of Jimstown their attacks against the supposed cultish nature of the IBT is grotesque and hypocritical. I myself have witnessed some brutal means at which the ICL deals with people who challenge or even question the party line. I myself have been the target of their "criticism/self-criticism". They put in a room full of people who support the party line and they scream at you. They keep meeting with you and screaming until you renounce your view. In my instance, they tried to brainwash me into believe that it was acceptable for caretakers of the disabled to murder the disabled in their care. They are in agreement with outright fascists on this on. The fact that I have several disabilities myself made this experience even more abusive then it would be otherwise.

They continue to defend their grotesque support for the US invasion of Haiti. Interestingly they seem to oppose the presence of Doctors without Border and Red Cross in Haiti. Basically, this means they oppose aid but support the invasion. Another own goal I would say. The ICL themselves acknowledge that the US military has blocked aid to Haiti. In terms of the remark about putting out fires. The military does put out fires and I don't think that should be opposed. However I doubt the US would invade another country to put out fires. The US commonly using lofty pretexts for invading neocolonies. When they invaded Kosovo they claimed it was for human rights, only to kill far more people than Slobodan Milošević. When they invaded Afghanistan, they said it was about women's rights, only to enshrine Sharia law in Afghanistan's constitution. When they invaded Iraq, they said it was to make Iraq a Democracy, but I wouldn't call modern day Iraq a secular republic.

The again denounce the IBT for support the blowing out of the Marine Barracks in 1983, the ICL claims that their was inter-communal violence, all sides were jockeying for the support of the US and that the US military was considered expendable. Well that sounds a lot like the present war in Iraq or Afghanistan. I guess the ICL is saying that "Revolutionaries" should demand "Support Our Troops, Bring Them Home" and refuse to defend attacks on US, Canadian and other Imperialist troops.

The ICL spat on the 2008 ILWU anti-war strike as well as the notion of Workers' Revolution in Haiti. And here they are calling the IBT and IG cynical. As for the remarks that the IBT and IG were "silent" about the Haitian diaspora, that the IG was "silent" about the past oppression and that the IBT is silent about the US/Canada/France invasion of Haiti in 2004 I don't this means they are apathetic or guilty. The IBT paper comes out once per year the IG paper comes out twice per year. I think this has probably more to do with printing capacities and similar factors than anything else. The ICL has tightly controlled internal life and in their cult the notion that silence proves guilt is an effective tactic. Unfortunately for the ICL, the real world works quite diferently.

The ICL, as usual, has regurgitated a long list of unrelated allegations against the IBT and IG. If the ICL wishes to do this they really ought to answer these groups rebuttals. Even as far as slanders by the ICL against the IBT and IG, these was especially bad and unconvincing and even more sensationalistic than usual.

Bolshevik Greetings,
M.G.

P.S. As for the remarks about Bill Logan being a grief counselor, this sound like one the cheap ass attacks the ICL like to make which doesn't amount to any point.

The ICL, the IBT and the Disabled: Who Sneers at the Oppressed

A drone of the ICL a while back challenged me to show articles by the IBT dedicated to the rights of the disabled. He said he BET HE COULD find several ICL articles dedicated to the rights of the disabled. The phrase "BET HE COULD" I think really stand out. It suggests that he hasn't even checked to see if the ICL has any such articles. He has yet to show me such articles by the ICL. This drone even had the nerve to slander me as "vile and hypocritical" for saying I defended the rights of the disabled and the oppressed because I "embraced" the Bolshevik Tendency. I should probably point out that I am not a member of the IBT and I don't hold them responsible for what I put on this blog (although I certainly increasingly consider myself a sympathizer). One thing I think really stands out is the fact that the ICL has never once, to my knowledge at least, acknowledge that the disabled (and mentally ill) are oppressed people. The International Bolshevik Tendency to its credit has acknowledged that the disabled are oppressed people. One example is in the following article:

"A revolutionary party would defend the rights of all the oppressed - racial minorities, women, gays and lesbians, the disabled etc - while combating ideologies such as nationalism and feminism that diminish the primary role of class in society."
    - Fiddling and Fudging while the City Burns: Report on 'The Convention of the Left', 21 September 2008

Also, in issues that involve the disabled and mentally ill such as homelessness and healthcare, the ICL often manages to go the entire article without a single mention of the disabled and mentally ill. One rare occasions they might eke out a fraction of a sentence.

The IBT hasn't written as much on the disabled as I would have liked. But I must appreciate the fact that they are severely limited in their printing capacity (their paper comes out once per year). This being the case they are limited in terms of how many issues they can cover.

Also on the IBT's most recent article on fascism they IBT at one point writes:

"Fascism is not a set of ideas that can be discussed and debated—it is a program of violent terror directed at the left and workers’ movement, visible minorities, immigrants, the disabled, homosexuals, the transgendered, Jews, Muslims and anyone else who does not fit their psychotic vision of a “pure” society."
                           - British Fascism on the Rise: Smash the BNP

The ICL's most recent article on the fascism (also about the fascist BNP), in contrast makes no mention of the fact that fascists target people with disabilities. If this was just a onetime thing I could overlook it, but alas this is part an ever increasing pattern. This article is titled, Britain: Fascist Feed of Labour Government Racism (Workers Vanguard No. 952, 12 February 2010). In this article the ICL states:

"The BNP are also reaping gains out of the reactionary crusade against foreign workers that began at Lindsey oil refinery in January 2009 under the slogan of “British jobs for British workers” (see “Down With Reactionary Strikes Against Foreign Workers!” WV No. 930, 13 February 2009). Responsibility for this lies with the Socialist Party [of Peter Taaffe, affiliated with Socialist Alternative in the U.S.] and the trade-union bureaucracy, who led this campaign."

What the grossly named "International Communist League (Fourth Internationalist) is less eager to discuss is the fact that they criminally through their support behind an equally sinister movement, the Free Robert Latimer. The basis of this latter movement is that killing people with disabilities should carry no criminal sentence. Like the truly grotesque chauvinist campaign against foreign workers in Britain, fascists in North America have similarly reaped gains from the movement to free Robert Latimer. Unlike the Peter Taafe and the Socialist Party of Britain (a name that seriously debases socialism), Robert Latimer has actually murdered people a person (his own disabled daughter of all people). Taafe and his cronies AT LEAST haven't killed foreign haven't KILLED foreigners.

The lynching of Tracy Latimer and the mass ablest Pro-Robert Latimer hysteria has created an environment, at least in Canada, where killing the disabled is seen as acceptable and because of this more disabled people are being lynched. What environment could better for fascists to flourish. Just as the Socialist Party of Britain bears responsibility for creating an environment for fascists to flourish in Britain, the ICL bears responsibility for creating a similar environment for fascists to flourish in Canada.

Robert Latimer, describes his actions as a "mercy killing". If the ICL had done their homework they would have known that "mercy killing" has historically been a rallying cry of outright fascists. When Hitler killed disabled people in the holocaust it was described as "mercy killings". In fact the whole notion of involuntarily "euthanizing" people with disabilities and mental illness. Got its start with the eugenics movement and later the Third Reich.

In terms of outright fascist rally behind Robert Latimer, the ICL's defense is that this says nothing about whether or not Robert Latimer welcomes theirs support. However this contradicts one of their statements against the Socialist Party of Britain:

"while a report on the Lindsey strike in the Socialist (5-11 February) says the BNP “have been bounced off from this strike.” This is hardly the point. Why did the BNP support the strike? The Socialist Party bears its share of responsibility for leading a chauvinist campaign that has the enthusiastic support of the fascist BNP!"
                                                       - Workers' Vanguard No.937, 22 May 2009

Either way Robert Latimer just sits back while outright fascists make his case. As a political colleague said of Latimer:

"Latimer is probably not a neo-Nazi. But Latimer sat back and allowed White Supremacists, neo-Nazis and other far-Right extremists to plead his case for him. I know that, were I in prison for reasons that I felt were unjust, I would sit in prison UNTIL I DIED rather than let the forces of darkness, death and evil to speak for me. The fact that Latimer never disavowed his far-Right supporters is a fairly damning indictment of his political leanings."

When I told of the ICLs support for Latimer he said:

"It doesn't suprise me that these scum are in bed with the Far-Right, but they're

still claiming to be on the Left here."

I think that the reason the ICL would kowtow to the mass ablest Pro-Robert Latimer

hysteria is to show the Capitalist class that despite their hard edged talk in

their paper, they really are a harmless sect. 

As for the IBT they have not said or written anything on the Tracy Latimer to my knowledge. However, unlike

the ICL, I don't consider silence to be proof of guilt and I prefer to see it from the standpoint of innocent until

proven guilty.