John Clarke, former major organizer for the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty, recently posted the following on Facebook:
John Clarke
At the present moment, we can see how fragile the rights of expression and assembly are in this society. Every attempt by those who shape the public discourse is being made to isolate and slander all initiatives to show solidarity with the Palestinians.
At the same time, however, powerful and influential voices are being raised that want to go further so that protests and public expressions that challenge Israel would be treated as criminal acts. The implications of this go beyond the dreadful events unfolding in Palestine.
It’s worth remembering that the basic rights that are touted as fundamental to this society are actually belated concessions on the part of those in power. The parliamentary institutions that exist were not created on the basis of universal suffrage and only men of property were allowed to vote. Rights of assembly, expression and the ability to collective bargain with employers had to be won in struggle.Generally speaking, important democratic rights have been granted for two interconnected reasons. Firstly, because the capitalist state needs a certain level of legitimacy and stability. Secondly, however, the pressure of working class resistance has always been decisive.
The point to grasp is that these rights are not, in fact, fundamental features of capitalist society. They are concessions that the power structure grants in its own best interests but, should they become unaffordable luxuries, it will become very clear very quickly that the democratic traditions of this society don’t run nearly as deep as is supposed.
The Abolitionary 